Abstract
Objective: To determine association of Fear Avoidance Beliefs with gender, pain intensity, duration and exercise in neck pain patients.
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted on 405 neck pain patients, aged 30 to 60 years from July 1, 2014 to December 1, 2014 at Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The sample included school teachers, office workers, health care professionals and bankers with frequent complains of neck pain. Fear avoidance belief questionnaire (FABQ) was used to assess the fear. The data were analyzed on SPSS.
Results: Out of 405 patients, 245 (60%) were females and 165 (40%) males. There was significant difference in fear avoidance score in gender both for physical activity (p<0.001) and work (p<0.05); hence females restricted movements more as compared to males. There was association of fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity and work with pain duration (p<0.001); 56% patients with pain >6 months (p<0.001). Similarly, there was association of fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity and work with pain intensity (p<0.001) and exercise (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Majority of patients suffering from neck pain have shown to have pain and movement related fear with females restricting movements more as compared to males. Fear increased with the chronicity of pain. Moreover, patients who did not engage in any physical activity had high fear avoidance beliefs score.

Key words: FAB (fear avoidance beliefs), FABPA (fear avoidance beliefs for physical activity), FABW (fear avoidance beliefs for work) FABQ (fear avoidance belief questionnaire)