REVIEW article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Heart Failure and Transplantation
This article is part of the Research TopicExercise Management in Cardiovascular Health: Innovations and ChallengesView all 5 articles
Kinesiophobia in patients with heart failure: Concept analysis using Rodgers' evolutionary approach
Provisionally accepted
- 1Peoples Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, Sichuan,China, Deyang, China
- 2The Department of Medical Genetics, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China, Shanghai, China
- 3Clinical Research Center, Ningbo No.2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, Zhejiang, China
- 4Operating Room, People’s Hospital of Zhongjiang, Deyang, Sichuan, China, Deyang, China
- 5Department of Nursing，the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou,China, Hanghou, China
- 6Department of Sports Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Background: Kinesiophobia, a prevalent and multifaceted issue among patients with heart failure (HF), significantly impedes physical activity, hampers disease management, and delays recovery. An analysis of kinesiophobia can clarify its characteristics and inform strategies for improving patient care and rehabilitation. Objective: To establish a comprehensive conceptual model of kinesiophobia in patients with HF by systematically analyzing its attributes, antecedents, and consequences using Rodgers' evolutionary method. Method: A concept analysis using Rodgers’ evolutionary method identified the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of kinesiophobia. A systematic search of Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo yielded 30 articles published from database inception to 2025 for analysis. Results: Kinesiophobia is characterized by four attributes: symptom distress, complex emotional responses, avoidance behavior, and cognitive bias. Its antecedents include demographic characteristics, disease-related factors, psychological and emotional factors, physical functions and coping strategies, and social support status. The consequences of kinesiophobia encompass three main themes: physical deterioration and increased health risks, psychological burden, and impaired disease management and recovery. Conclusion: This concept analysis enhances understanding of kinesiophobia in HF patients, offering insights into the factors influencing fear of movement and emphasizing the need for early identification and targeted interventions. This understanding can guide clinicians in promoting safe physical activity, improving rehabilitation adherence, and enhancing patient recovery and well-being.
Keywords: Concept analysis, Kinesiophobia, Heart Failure, Rodgers' approach, Cardiac Rehabilitation
Received: 24 Oct 2025; Accepted: 27 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Qin, Liu, Tao, Shen, Wu, Huang, Zou, Zhang and Ye. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Xinxin Ye
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