Movement-related fear after ACL reconstruction: general kinesiophobia versus task-specific sport fear

Kinesiophophia or Task-specific Fear of Movement? What Are we Talking About in Patients Post Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction?

This trial will test whether visual and imagined movement exposures reveal task-specific fear versus general kinesiophobia in people aged 18–35 recovering from ACL reconstruction.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 21 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 35 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL (other)
• Locations: 2 sites (Caparica, Almada and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07190456 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The trial compares responses to neutral images, nocive images, and imagined performance of feared movements to distinguish general kinesiophobia from task-specific fear in ACL reconstruction patients. Researchers will measure motor behavior and gait complexity alongside autonomic responses such as heart rate variability and skin conductance and collect questionnaire data including the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia. The goal is to see whether task-specific protocols better capture the movement fears that limit rehabilitation and return to sport. All participants must speak Portuguese, be 18–35 years old, have sustained a sport-related ACL injury followed by ACL reconstruction, be under rehabilitation, and have started jump-landing tasks.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults 18–35 who speak Portuguese, had an ACL injury during sport followed by ACL reconstruction, are still in rehabilitation, and have begun jump-landing tasks are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People with repeated ACL reconstructions, non-sport ACL injuries, active psychiatric disorders, certain cardiovascular or metabolic conditions, or those outside the 18–35 age range or unable to attend in-person visits are less likely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, it could help clinicians identify specific movement fears and tailor rehabilitation to improve function and return-to-sport outcomes after ACL reconstruction.

How similar studies have performed: While the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia is widely used, prior research has questioned its fit for ACLR patients and although smaller studies have explored task-specific fear and physiological markers, combining gait, motor behavior, HRV, and skin conductance in this population is largely novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* The patient must have given their informed consent and signed the consent form.
* The patient must have enough comprehension of the Portuguese language to complete the written questionnaires.
* The patient must have suffered an ACL injury, with or without a history of concomitant meniscal pathology, while playing or training for sport (recreational or organized).
* The patient must have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery.
* The patient must be between 18 and 35 years old.
* The patient must still be under medical care/rehabilitation due to the ACL injury.
* The patient must have started jump landing tasks.

Exclusion Criteria:

* The subject has a history of repeated ACLR.
* The subject has not injured the ACL while playing sports.
* The subject presents a concurrent psychiatric disorder
* The subject has a history of heart disease and/or peripheral vascular disease and/or metabolic disease and/or Raynaud´s Syndrome.
* The subject is taking any medications known to affect heart rate or blood pressure
* The subject is currently a smoker.

Where this trial is running

Caparica, Almada and 1 other locations

• Clínica de Fisioterapia Egas Moniz — Caparica, Almada, Portugal (RECRUITING)
• Egas Moniz School of Health & Science — Almada, Monte Da Caparica, Portugal (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Vanessa B Alpalhão, MSc

Conditions: ACL Reconstruction, Motor behavior, gait complexity, Autonomic Nervous System, Heart Rate Variability, Skin Conductance