Psychological Factors Change During the Rehabilitation of an Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.
Anton J Slagers, Olivier C Dams, Sara D van Zalinge and 4 others
PMID 34636920WHAT IT FOUND
Psychological readiness to return to sport increased and fear of reinjury decreased over 12 months, while motivation remained high.
High motivation and readiness predicted better sports participation, but not physical test scores. Most patients expected to run by 8 months.
Key findings
01Psychological readiness to return to sport increased and kinesiophobia (fear of movement) decreased significantly over time, while motivation levels remained high throughout the 12-month period.
02Higher motivation and psychological readiness were associated with better self-reported sports participation and performance at 12 months, but psychological factors showed no association with physical performance tests like the single-leg hop or heel rise.
03Fear of reinjury was the most common reason (75%) for not returning to preinjury activity levels, followed by poor tendon function (45%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
No baseline measurement shortly after injury; first data point was at 3 months. Small sample size (50 patients) limited the ability to adjust for additional confounders like BMI or complications. Validity of some modified questionnaires has not been established in the Achilles tendon population. Study population was mostly recreational athletes, so findings may not apply to professional athletes.
Declared interests
The funders played no role in the design, conduct, or reporting of this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improving psychological scores will automatically improve physical performance test results. The study found that psychological factors predicted self-reported function and participation but had no association with objective measures like the single-leg hop or heel rise.