Relationship between kinesiophobia and quality of life among patients with breast cancer–related lymphedema: Chain-mediating effect of self-care and functional exercise compliance

ObjectiveBreast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer survivors following treatment. This study explores the association between kinesiophobia (fear of pain caused by movement) and QoL in post-surgical BCRL survivors and examines whether self-care and compliance with functional exercise act as mediators between these variables.MethodsThis cross-sectional study surveyed 274 BCRL patients at three tertiary hospitals in Shenyang City, China, from May 2020 to October 2022. The participants completed self-reported questionnaires on self-care, functional exercise compliance, kinesiophobia, and QoL. Medication analysis was conducted using the PROCESS Macro (Model 6).ResultsKinesiophobia was found to have negative association with self-care (p < 0.001), functional exercise compliance (p < 0.001), and QoL (p < 0.001). Kinesiophobia indirectly affected QoL through three mediating pathways: self-care (effect = -0.132), functional exercise compliance (effect = -0.390), and a combination of self-care and functional exercise compliance (effect = -0.220), collectively accounting for 7.9%, 23.3%, and 13.1% of the total effect, respectively.ConclusionsThis study highlights the substantial chain-mediating role of self-care and functional exercise compliance in the relationship between kinesiophobia and QoL. It provides valuable evidence supporting the protective effects of self-care and functional exercise compliance in mitigating kinesiophobia and enhancing the QoL of BCRL survivors.