The effect of preoperative education on kinesiophobia in patients undergoing totalknee replacement surgery: A Randomized controlled study

The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of preoperative education on kinesiophobia in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 120 individuals, with 60 in the experimental group and 60 in the control group, determined by power analysis. In the study, patients in the experimental group were provided with verbal education supported by visual materials during the preoperative period, while those in the control group were subjected to standard hospital protocols. Data were collected using the Demographic Information Form, the StateTrait Anxiety Inventory, the Kinesiophobia Causes Scale, and the Visual Analog Scale in five stages: at the first encounter, on the morning of surgery, one day after surgery, 24 hours after mobilization, and at discharge. According to the study findings, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of demographic characteristics such as age, gender, marital status, education level, anxiety, kinesiophobia, pain levels, and previous experiences before the intervention (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between preoperative kinesiophobia and state anxiety levels (r=0.109, p=0.235). Additionally, it was found that the anxiety levels of patients in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group on the morning of surgery (p<0.001). Postoperatively, kinesiophobia levels increased in both groups compared to the preoperative period (p<0.001); however, the kinesiophobia levels of patients in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the presence and severity of nausea, vomiting status and frequency, complication development, and time to start feeding (p>0.05). It was observed that patients in the experimental group started walking earlier (p=0.001), took more steps (p=0.001), and used fewer non-opioid medications (p<0.001) compared to patients in the control group. In conclusion, preoperative education was found to contribute to the reduction of kinesiophobia and early recovery in the context of postoperative mobilization. In this regard, it is recommended to include educational programs related to the management of kinesiophobia during the surgery process into the care process. Keywords: Kinesiophobia, Knee replacement, Nursing education, Preoperative care