French Version of Fear-Avoidance Component Scale (FACS-FR)

Chronic musculoskeletal disorders are global burden for economy. Fear-avoidance (FA) seems be a predictor for the transition from subacute to chronic pain. One of the most famous scales to access FA is the Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, but several responders think some items are not clear, too narrow or too general. A new scale, the Fear-Avoidance Components Scale (FACS) was developed by Neblett et al. in 2015 to assess FA. It is a comprehensive set of concepts that more effectively addresses all the essential issues of the FA concept than the current scales. The new scale comprehensively assesses all cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components related to the updated FA model by combining items from well-known scales in the context of the FA model with items on perceived injury-related victimization and blame. A French version of the FACS is currently lacking. The aim of this study is to provide a translation and validation of a French version of FACS in patients with musculoskeletal disorders.