Musculoskeletal injuries are common in collegiate athletes and can be linked to having elevated levels of kinesiophobia. Kinesiophobia, the fear of re-injury or movement, can be related to an athlete’s self-esteem, as studies have shown that both variables may influence an athlete’s rehabilitation. High athletic identity and low levels of kinesiophobia were seen in athletes who successfully returned to their pre-injury level of competition after rehabilitation. The working theory of this research is if an athlete has an elevated level of kinesiophobia, it decreases one’s self-esteem.

This study aims to determine the association between kinesiophobia and self-esteem among collegiateathletes in Greater Manila who have chronic lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries. The secondary objective of this study is to determine the association of kinesiophobia with demographic variables (sex, sport, and type of injury).

The study will be conducted from January 2023 to April 2024. The researchers will utilize online platforms and/or onsite data collection to disseminate their publication materials and questionnaires. The target participants of this study are collegiate athletes, ages 18-26, representing universities/colleges in Greater Manila, who currently have a lower extremity musculoskeletal injury lasting for 3 months or more and are not receiving physical therapy or other forms of professional treatment. The questionnaire includes the participant’s name, age, sex, university, sport, type of injury, and measuring tools: Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Numerical Pain Rating Scale. The results gathered will be analyzed using the Spearman Correlation Test to associate the variable and the Shapiro-Wilk Test to determine the normality of data.

The results of the study are expected to determine the association between kinesiophobia and self-esteem among collegiate athletes with chronic lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries. The study is also expected to determine if demographic variables such as sex, type of sport, and type of injury are linked to the athletes’ kinesiophobia levels. Thus, this study will aid in establishing the importance of psychological aspects in injury rehabilitation, thereby assisting healthcare professionals in determining the appropriate interventions for an athlete recovering from an injury.