[Differences in psychological states among patients with chronic pain in different lower limb joints]

This study intends to compare the differences in psychological status of patients with chronic pain in different lower extremity joints. A retrospective cross-sectional study was used to assess patients with chronic hip, knee, and ankle pain hospitalized from June to December 2024 in the Sports Medicine Ward of the Department of Orthopaedic Medicine, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army. A total of 75 patients with chronic pain in the joints, 36 males and 39 females, aged (31.6±9.5) years, were included. General information such as age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded, and the psychological status of patients was assessed by the Zong-type Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). A total of 25 patients each with chronic hip, knee, and ankle pain were included, and the differences in baseline data among the three groups were not statistically significant and were comparable. The results showed that the SAS scores in the hip group were higher than those in the ankle group (mean difference=0.101, 95%CI: 0.029-0.174) and the knee group (mean difference=0.164, 95%CI: 0.094-0.235); the BDI scores in the hip group were higher than those in the ankle group (mean difference=2.081, 95%CI: 0.848-3.314) and knee group (mean difference=2.044, 95%CI: 0.866-3.222). This study suggests that psychological disorders in patients with chronic hip pain are more significant compared to other lower extremity arthralgia patients, and psychological intervention support should be strengthened in this group of patients.