Relationship between kinesiophobia and fear of falling in patients suffering from stroke leading to physical disability in selected rehabilitation center of Bangladesh

Psychological barriers, such as fear of falling and kinesiophobia, may hinder post-stroke rehabilitation, especially in low-resource settings. This study examined the relationships between physical disability, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia in 200 stroke survivors attending rehabilitation in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional design was used, and participants completed the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0, Falls Efficacy Scale–International, and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-17. Data were presented as median and interquartile range, with Spearman’s rank correlation for analysis. Disability was strongly associated with fear of falling (ρ = 0.652, p < 0.001) and weakly with kinesiophobia (ρ = 0.254, p = 0.001). Fear of falling and kinesiophobia were also weakly related (ρ = 0.350, p = 0.001). Age >70 years was associated with higher kinesiophobia (β = 3.35, 95% CI 0.13 to 6.57, p = 0.042). Fear-related barriers may enhance rehabilitation outcomes.