The hidden impact of orthopedic surgeries: Examining the psychological consequences

Orthopedic surgery is commonly considered “quality of life care,” as most orthopedic procedures have been shown to provide excellent pain relief and successful surgical outcomes for patients. Although orthopedic surgeries continue to improve patients’ functional outcomes through modern surgical techniques and preoperative psychological screening, variation in patient function persists in current studies. Sub-optimal function in patients has been shown to be associated with emotional health burdens, such as anxiety and depression. Previous research has found that preoperative psychological conditions could negatively affect patients' functional outcomes. However, these studies were limited in that they did not examine novel psychological repercussions in emotionally healthy patients following surgery.