Effect of kinesiophobia on postoperative rehabilitation outcomes in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Objective This study aims to investigate the occurrence of postoperative kinesiophobia in patients with CSM and compare the postoperative recovery of patients with and without kinesiophobia to understand its influence on clinical outcomes in CSM. Methods Between November 2020 and November 2022, surgical treatment was performed in the neurosurgical wards of 2 Grade III Class A general public hospitals in the Fujian Province. The demographic and disease data of the patients were collected, and patients were divided into a kinesiophobia group and non-kinesiophobia group according to the Tampa kinesiophobia Scale (TSK). The cervical dysfunction index, cervical Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) rating, self-anxiety rating, and activity of daily living rating scales were collected three months postoperatively. The influence of postoperative kinesiophobia on early rehabilitation was also analysed. Results A total of 122 patients were an average age of (55.2 ± 10.3) years included in this study. The average score of kinesophobia after surgery was 41.2 ± 4.5, with an incidence of 75.4%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.105, 95% CI = 1.014–1.204), neck disability index (NDI) (OR = 1.268, 95% CI = 1.108–1.451), diabetes mellitus (OR = 0.026, 95% CI = 0.001–0.477), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score (OR = 0.698, 95% CI = 0.526–0.927) were associated with the occurren. Conclusion Doctors should be aware of kinesiophobia in patients with CSM. Education regarding kinesiophobia, strategies to avoid it, and treatment strategies using a multidisciplinary approach can improve recovery outcomes.