Kinesiophobia in the Parents of Hemophilia Patients

Recurrent joint bleedings lead to the development of a debilitating arthropathy in the patients with hemophilia (PwH). This hemophilic arthropathy (HA) is characterized by chronic pain, periarticular atrophy and a limited range of motion. HA affects the perceived quality of life in the PwH. This painful situation can lead to catastrophizing thoughts that movement and physical activity will result in further pain and injury, when that painful situation is perceived as threatening. One component of this fear-model includes fear of movement, or kinesiophobia (KP). KP is defined as an irrational and disadvantaging fear of physical movement and activity resulting from feeling vulnerable to painful injury or reinjury. Patients with KP develop the belief that movements will lead to re-injury and pain. Over time, this leads to decreased physical activity, avoidance of daily tasks, functional decline, reluctance to use extremities, and in advanced stages, may result in depression and reduced quality of life. Although factors associated with KP have been examined in various diseases groups such as chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, migraine, coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis, there is limited research on KP and its predictors in PwH. To the best of our knowledge there is still no any research about effects of HA to the PwH parents' behavior differences especially regarding to KP. This study aimed to find out whether there is KP or not in the parents of patients with HA.