ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2023
The experience and influence of fear after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an interview study with young athletes.
Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- The utility of psychological readiness scales in predicting return to sport: a systematic review.BMC psychology · 2025Pooled it
- From Fear to Function: How Physiotherapists Navigate Psychological Challenges in Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation After ACL Reconstruction.Sports health · 2026Article
- Patients' Mental Barriers in Rehabilitation after ACL Reconstruction: A Qualitative Interview Study.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2026Article
- From the mat to mastery: a Judoka's quest in the wake of injury - professional Judokas' experiences of suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2025Article
- Athletes' perspectives on return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and their strategies to reduce reinjury risk: a qualitative interview study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Knee-Related Quality of Life Compared Between 20 and 35 Years After an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Treated Surgically With Primary Repair or Reconstruction, or Nonsurgically.The American journal of sports medicine · 2024Article
- It is time to target psychological readiness (or lack of readiness) in return to sports after Anterior Cruciate Ligament tears.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2023Article
- Athletes' experiences of using a self-directed psychological support, the BAck iN the Game (BANG) smartphone application, during rehabilitation for return to sports following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite good physical function, many athletes do not return to sports after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). One important reason for this is fear of new injury. The aim of this study was to investigate young athletes' experiences of knee-related fear after an ACLR and how they perceive this fear to affect them in their sporting and everyday life.
methodsA qualitative interview study was conducted, using semi-structured interviews. Athletes who were active in contact or pivoting sport before an ACL injury, with the goal of returning to the same sport and who scored highly on fear of new injury at six months post-ACLR, were asked to participate. Ten athletes (six women and four men, aged 17-25 years), were interviewed by an independent researcher, 7-9 months after ACLR. Content analysis employing an abductive approach was used.
resultsThe analysis resulted in three categories with associated subcategories: 1. The expressions of fear; (i) reason for fear, (ii) changes in fear over time, and (iii) injury situation. 2. Reactions, consequences, and adaptations; (i) reactions, (ii) behavioural adaptation and influence on rehabilitation and daily life, (iii) present consequences, and (iv) consequences for the future. 3. Fear and adaptations related to returning to sports; (i) fear related to returning to sports and, (ii) adaptations in sports and life due to fear. Fear was described in broad and complex ways, with fear of a new injury being expressed as one of several aspects. Various reasons (e.g., seeing others getting injured in the past, previous experience of injury, failed rehabilitation, perceived knee instability) were given to explain the fear, and athletes reacted both physically and mentally to fear. Both positive and negative adaptations to fear were described, in both daily life and sports.
conclusionThe results contribute to an increased understanding of fear as an essential psychological factor to consider during rehabilitation and leaves the way open for research to investigate how physiotherapists can work to manage fear better among ACLR patients.
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