NCT07190456: Ki-TASK-ACLR

Kinesiophobia vs. Task-Specific Fear: Defining Movement-Related Fear in ACL Reconstruction Patients

Recruiting now NA Last updated 17 December 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Exposure to neutral images visualization in ACL Reconstruction in 21 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

1 January 2026

Primary endpoint
1 December 2026

1 December 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	crossover
Masking	double
Primary purpose	basic science
Enrollment	21
Start date	1 January 2026
Primary completion	1 December 2026
Estimated completion	1 December 2026
Sites	2 locations across Portugal

Drugs / interventions tested

• Exposure to neutral images visualization
• Exposure to nocive images visualisation
• Exposure to anticipated realisation of a feared movement

Conditions studied

• ACL Reconstruction — all drugs for ACL Reconstruction →

Sponsor

Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL — full company profile →

Who can join

Adults 18 to 35, any sex, with ACL Reconstruction. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Kinesiophobia, defined as an excessive and irrational fear of physical movement due to perceived vulnerability to injury, has gained significant attention in clinical and scientific communities. This condition can act as a barrier to physical activity, negatively impacting patients' disability, quality of life, and the implementation of rehabilitation programs. It is particularly prevalent after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), affecting physical function, return to sport rates, and patient performance.

While the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) is considered a gold standard for assessing kinesiophobia, recent studies have raised concerns about its validity, especially in ACLR patients. The TSK may not adequately capture fear of specific sports activities, which is more common in ACLR patients than a general phobia of movement. Some researchers argue for an assessment approach similar to that used for pain experiences, emphasizing the subjective nature of fear.

Based on the specific phobia model, assessing kinesiophobia in the presence of a trigger, such as visualizing or confronting the movement associated with the injury, may be more relevant. This approach is supported by evidence showing that sports situations evoking the greatest fear after ACLR are cutting, jumping, and contact. Further research is needed to investigate alternative methodologies for assessing fear of movement in ACLR patients, considering the prevalence and repercussions of kinesiophobia in this population.

The objectives of this study are threefold:

* To compare the magnitude of kinesiophobia through the TSK, the subjective feeling of fear when visualising feared movements, and the subjective feeling of fear in anticipation of the feared situation.
* Evaluate the impact of focusing on feared activities on motor behavior and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) markers.
* To assess the relation between the three methods of assessing fear of movement and indicators of motor behaviour, ANS activity, fear-avoidance beliefs, anxiety, avoidance behaviour, and physical function.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial.