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Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2026. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Jan 19, 2026; 16(1): 115015
Published online Jan 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i1.115015
Emphasizing the biopsychosocial dimension in post-traumatic orthopedic recovery
Ramazan Deniz, Bahar Çiftçi
Ramazan Deniz, Bahar Çiftçi, Department of Fundamental Nursing, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240, Türkiye
Author contributions: Deniz R and Çiftçi B were involved in all stages of manuscript development, they conducted a thorough literature review, contributed to drafting and structuring the manuscript, and carefully revised it to ensure accuracy and coherence. Both authors approved the final version for submission.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Bahar Çiftçi, Department of Fundamental Nursing, Atatürk University, HGF Agro, Ata Teknokent, Erzurum 25240, Türkiye. bahar.ciftci@atauni.edu.tr
Received: October 9, 2025
Revised: October 19, 2025
Accepted: November 14, 2025
Published online: January 19, 2026
Processing time: 87 Days and 5.5 Hours
Abstract

Chronic pain and disability following acute orthopedic trauma are not only physical concerns but also deeply intertwined with psychological well-being. The recent retrospective cohort study by Yang et al, published, provides compelling evidence of significant associations between depression, anxiety, and postoperative recovery. These findings align with an expanding body of literature that confirms the need for orthopedic rehabilitation to adopt a biopsychosocial perspective. This letter contextualizes Yang et al’s study within current evidence, highlighting the roles of sleep disturbance, catastrophizing, stress, neurobiological mechanisms, and coping strategies in shaping recovery. It further emphasizes the importance of integrating nursing-led and multidisciplinary interventions to address both physical and psychological domains, ultimately promoting holistic recovery.

Keywords: Orthopedic trauma; Chronic pain; Disability; Depression; Anxiety; Biopsychosocial model; Coping strategies

Core Tip: Chronic pain and disability after orthopedic trauma are not only biomedical outcomes but are also closely tied to psychological health. The study by Yang et al emphasizes the importance of depression and anxiety in recovery. Drawing on recent evidence, we argue that sleep, fatigue, coping strategies, and social context must also be integrated into care. A biopsychosocial, multidisciplinary approach - where psychological screening and nursing-led interventions are routine - can promote holistic recovery and improve long-term outcomes.