| Objective: To explore the mediating effect of fear of movement between the severity of knee osteoarthritis and the accuracy of proprioception in middle-aged and elderly women with unilateral knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods: The clinical evaluation data of 109 middle-aged and elderly female patients with unilateral KOA were retrospectively analyzed, including Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) classification, knee proprioception accuracy index-absolute error (AE) and Tampa scale of kinesiophobia (TSK) score. Firstly, descriptive statistics, difference and correlation analysis were carried out, and then the mediating effect of sports fear level was tested. Results: K-L grade was positively correlated with AE (r=0.495, P<0.01) and TSK score (r=0.537, P<0.01). TSK score was positively correlated with AE (r=0.462, P<0.01). The mediating model showed that TSK score played a partial mediating role between K-L grade and AE, and the effect value was 0.184 ［95% CI=(0.040,0.360)］, which accounted for 39.316% of the total effect.Conclusion: In the middle-aged and elderly women with unilateral KOA, with the increase of the severity of knee osteoarthritis, the level of fear of movement increases, and the accuracy of knee proprioception decreases. The level of fear of movement plays a partial mediating role between the severity of knee osteoarthritis and the accuracy of knee proprioception. It is suggested that fear of movement and proprioception should be used as the routine evaluation content of KOA patients in the exercise rehabilitation program, and the fear of movement should be used as an important intervention target. |
