Psychosocial factors have been associated with the magnitude of long-term upper limb disability in individuals with upper limb injuries, however, the association between these factors in acute trauma, especially in the upper limb, has been poorly investigated.

To analyze the association between kinesiophobia and sleep quality, pain catastrophizing, shoulder movement avoidance and hospital anxiety and depression in patients who suffered musculoskeletal trauma to the upper limb.

This cross-sectional study included a sample of 35 patients of both sexes, aged over 18 years who were admitted to the Orthopedics and Traumatology ward of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM) due to acute musculoskeletal trauma in the upper limb. The following variables were used in the study: Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale, Visual Numerical Pain Scale, Catastrophic Thoughts About Pain Scale, Avoidance Daily Activities Photo Scale (ADAP Shoulder Scale), The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Pearson's correlation analysis was used to verify the association between TAMPA kinesiophobia questionnaire scores and the variables pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, shoulder movement avoidance behavior, sleep quality, and anxiety and depression.

The 35 patients involved had a mean age of 48 years, the majority being male (68.6%), with right dominance (97.1%) and in 42% of cases, the affected side was the dominant side. The main causes of musculoskeletal trauma were: traffic accident (40%), work accident (25.7%), domestic accident (25.7%), sports accident (n=2.9%) and violence (n= 5.7%). Kinesiophobia assessed by the TAMPA questionnaire showed a significant correlation with hospital anxiety and depression (r= 0.71; p < 0.001); with pain catastrophizing (r = 0.58; p < 0.001) and with sleep quality according to the questionnaire (r = 0.55; p = 0.001). On the other hand, kinesiophobia according to TAMPA did not correlate with pain intensity (r = - 0.04; p = 0.838), as well as it did not correlate with the avoidance behavior of shoulder movements (r = 0.64; p = 0.724).

Kinesiophobia in patients with musculoskeletal trauma to the upper limb was associated with anxiety and depression, pain catastrophizing and sleep quality, but not with pain intensity and movement avoidance behavior.

This work suggests that health professionals who deal with musculoskeletal trauma patients in the hospital environment are aware of these variables and their associations, as well as use these tools in order to better understand and act in the face of fear and avoidance behaviors in the upper limb.