Observational studySports health
Athletic Fear Avoidance in Athletes Receiving Rehabilitation for Sport-Related Concussion: A Preliminary Study.
Observational study in Sports health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and validation of the Chinese versions of the athlete fear avoidance questionnaire and fear of return to sport scale.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Evaluating a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention in adults with persisting post-concussive symptoms.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFear avoidance after musculoskeletal injury is avoiding activity due to fear of pain and contributes to persistent symptoms, depression, and disability. Little is known about fear avoidance for sport (athletic fear avoidance) in athletes with sport-related concussion (SRC). HYPOTHESIS: Athletic fear avoidance after SRC would be elevated at the start of rehabilitation, improve over time, and be associated with postconcussion recovery outcomes. STUDY
designObservational study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4.
methodsAthletes in rehabilitation after SRC participated. Testing at initial and discharge visits and 6-month follow-up included Athletic Fear Avoidance Questionnaire (AFAQ), Postconcussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Differences were explored in AFAQ score at initial testing based on sex or age (<18 or ≥18 years). Change in questionnaire scores over time was examined. Association of AFAQ score with other questionnaire scores was determined at each timepoint.
resultsA total of 48 athletes participated: 28 completed initial testing only (INITIAL ONLY), and 20 completed all testing (LONGITUDINAL). Across cohorts, the mean (SD) AFAQ score at initial testing was 24.3 (7.6) points, with no significant difference by sex or age. AFAQ, PCSS, POMS, and DHI scores improved in LONGITUDINAL; the effect size was large from initial to discharge testing (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, and 1.2, respectively) and variable from discharge to follow-up testing (0.52, -0.34, -0.08, and 0.02, respectively). AFAQ scores increased from discharge to follow-up in 3 athletes and were consistently above the mean value in 2 athletes. AFAQ score was significantly correlated to the other questionnaire scores at each timepoint (range,
conclusionAthletic fear avoidance was elevated at the start of SRC rehabilitation, improved over time in most patients, and was associated with postconcussion symptoms, mood, and disability. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Athletic fear avoidance may impact recovery after SRC.
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