Psychological Typing and Stratified Rehabilitation after Rotator Cuff Repair Based on the Fear-Avoidance Model: A Scoping Review Protocol

This registration documents the protocol of a scoping review that maps the evidence on psychosocial factors after rotator cuff repair (RCR) within the fear-avoidance model framework. The review addresses five domains: (1) measurement of kinesiophobia and fear-avoidance constructs; (2) psychosocial prognostic factors for post-RCR outcomes; (3) psychological phenotyping using cluster analysis or latent profile/class analysis; (4) psychologically informed rehabilitation interventions; and (5) stratified care models. The review question is framed with the PCC scheme (Population: adults with rotator cuff tears or repair, plus transferable orthopaedic postoperative populations; Concept: fear-avoidance constructs, psychosocial prognostic factors, psychological phenotyping, psychologically informed interventions, and stratified care; Context: perioperative and postoperative rehabilitation across care settings). Eight query blocks were executed in PubMed from inception to 4 September 2026. Title-level screening applied pre-specified population and concept rules followed by item-by-item manual verification; all retained records underwent full-text adjudication with documented reasons for exclusion. Included studies were charted on a standardized form and synthesized descriptively and thematically as a narrative evidence map, without meta-analysis, in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. This protocol record is created after search execution and after completion of screening; the review itself is reported separately.