What Psychological Factors Affect Return to Sports After Shoulder Stabilization Surgery? A Scoping Review.
Ausberto Velasquez Garcia1,2, Gabriel Caballero3, Grace K Chaney2
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Clinica Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
Summary
Fear of reinjury and kinesiophobia significantly hinder athletes from returning to sports after shoulder stabilization surgery. Understanding these psychological barriers is crucial for successful recovery and return to play.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Psychology
Background:
- Shoulder stabilization surgery offers good functional outcomes but often fails to facilitate a full return to sports (RTS).
- Psychological factors influencing RTS post-surgery remain underexplored.
- Identifying these factors is key to improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review identifying and analyzing psychological factors impacting RTS decisions after shoulder stabilization surgery.
- To synthesize current literature on psychological readiness for RTS in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of major databases (EBSCOhost/SPORTDiscus, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library).
- Inclusion of studies on anterior glenohumeral instability surgery reporting RTS and psychological factors.
- Level IV scoping review methodology.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 21 articles involving 2073 patients.
- Fear of reinjury, kinesiophobia, and anxiety identified as primary appraisal factors influencing RTS.
- Other factors include social support, self-determination, motivation, competing interests, and age.
Conclusions:
- Fear of reinjury and kinesiophobia are significant psychological barriers to RTS post-shoulder stabilization.
- Limited use of psychological assessment tools and lack of comparative studies hinder definitive conclusions.
- Further research is needed to develop and validate psychological assessment tools for RTS readiness.
