by Dr. Vincent Buddle, Seaview Orthopedics
It has been proven in orthopedic literature that having increased resilience and high pain self-efficacy can improve a patient’s outcome after orthopedic surgery. There are several studies in spine surgery, treatment of low back pain, sports medicine, shoulder surgery, and joint replacement all substantiating these findings. Patients who have a higher pre-operative resilience and pain self-efficacy score have also been shown to demonstrate it in the post operative period, which can increase post operative outcomes and satisfaction.
No surgical decision should be taken lightly, especially elective surgeries. Surgical solutions for orthopedic injuries are most successful when the properly indicated procedure is preformed, when there are proper expectations of the outcomes and when risk factors are minimized.
Surgical Risk Factors
Surgical risks fall into two main categories: modifiable risk factors and non-modifiable risk factors.
Non-modifiable risk factors include but are not limited to a patient’s age, family history, race, or gender.
Modifiable risk factors include but are not limited to a patient’s weight, blood pressure, use of tobacco, diabetes control and or pre-operative mindset/resilience.
What is resilience?
Patient resilience is defined as the ability to recover and adapt from adversity or a significant source of stress.
Why this is important and relevant: Diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic problems, particularly surgery, can be considered a source of stress in a patient’s life.
Resilience can be objectively quantified by the patient’s response to six statements on a scale from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”.
- I tend to bounce back quickly after hard times.
- I have a hard time making it through stressful events.
- It does not take me long to recover from a stressful event.
- It is hard for me to snap back when something bad happens.
- I usually come through difficult times with little to no trouble.
- I tend to take a long time to get over setbacks in my life.
What is pain self-efficacy?
Pain self-efficacy is defined as the confidence that one can perform daily activities despite pain.
Why this is important and relevant: Many patients both before and after surgery experience a degree of pain associated with their condition or orthopedic procedure.
Like resilience, it is measured by a 10-item questionnaire where patients are asked to rate their confidence on a scale from “Completely confident” to “Not at all confident”:
- I can enjoy things, despite the pain.
- I can do most of the household chores despite the pain.
- I can socialize as often as I used to despite the pain.
- I can cope with the pain in most situations.
- I can do some form of work, despite the pain.
- I can still do many of the things I enjoy doing, despite the pain.
- I can cope with my pain without medication.
- I can still accomplish most of my goals in life, despite the pain.
- I can live a normal lifestyle, despite the pain.
- I can gradually become more active, despite the pain.
When navigating the path of surgery and recovery, it is not solely the procedure itself that dictates outcomes, but rather the attitude and determination with which we approach the journey ahead. By embracing a positive outlook and cultivating inner strength, we can navigate the challenges with greater ease and perhaps even shorten the path to full recovery.
To Schedule an appointment with Dr Vincent Buddle click here https://seaviewortho.com/online-appointment/
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To Schedule an appointment with Dr Vincent Buddle click here https://seaviewortho.com/online-appointment/
Seaview Orthopedics
