Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: May | Volume: 7 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 170-175
Impact of Kinesiophobia on Physical Activity in Patients with Arterial Hypertension
Shruti Prabhakaran Nair1, Sneha Sameer Ganu2, Farhin Idariya3
1Lecturer, 2Associate Professor, 3Intern
MGM College of Physiotherapy, Navi Mumbai - 410209, Maharashtra, India.
Corresponding Author: Shruti Prabhakaran Nair
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Hypertension as a non communicable disease is at a rise in India and raises public health concern. Though drugs are the primary mainstay of treatment, physical activity has proved to be therapeutic in controlling blood pressure. Kinesiophobia has been a major perceived barrier to physical activity. Till date, there is paucity of literature directly designed to assess impact of kinesiophobia to physical activity in these patients.
Aim of the study was to evaluate degree of kinesiophobia and physical activity in patients with arterial hypertension and to examine relationship between them.
Material and methods: Total of 150 patients with diagnosed hypertension were a part of the study. Kinesiophobia was assessed using Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to determine the physical activity levels. Pearson’s correlation test was used to study relationship between kinesiophobia and physical activity.
Results: Out of 150 subjects, 58% were male and 42% were females with a mean age of 55.06 ± 9.48 years. More than half of subjects (68%) belonged to Category 1 (i.e) Inactive on IPAQ scale. About 78% subjects were kinesiophobic. Mean kinesiophobia score was found to be 38.98 ± 6.85. A strong negative correlation was found between kinesiophobia score and physical activity levels (r= -0.6785, p≤0.05).
Conclusions: There was a negative relationship between Kinesiophobia score and physical activity levels in patients with arterial hypertension indicating that treating kinesiophobia should be a primary concern in physical therapy treatment of these patients.
Key words: Kinesiophobia, Physical activity, hypertension.