| The current study examined pain and harm appraisals of healthy college students asked to complete a reaching task prior to and following induction of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) to the lower back. Participants were classified as "high" versus "low kinesiophobia" based on responses to the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). Predicted pain and potential harm/injury ratings were collected using a visual analog scale at each reaching trial. Movement of the lumbar spine, thoracic spine, and hip was recorded using Vicon motion capture technology. In comparison to low kinesiophobia participants, high kinesiophobia participants predicted greater pain and harm for low target reaches following DOMS induction but not at baseline testing. In contrast to low kinesiophobia, high kinesiophobia participants showed a pattern of increasing kinematic caution across low target trials during Baseline testing session, evidenced by gradually declining lumbar flexion. A similar pattern was observed for thoracic spine flexion irrespective of testing session. Results are discussed in the context of the fear-avoidance model; potential reasons and implications for the observed findings are discussed. |
