How does the biopsychosocial model apply to post-surgical recovery?

• A. Bio: surgical healing; Psycho: pain catastrophizing, depression, motivation; Social: caregiver support, return-to-work pressure, financial stress. Ignoring Psycho/Social factors predicts poor outcomes.
• B. Bio: surgical healing is irrelevant.
• C. Psycho: pain is the only factor to address.
• D. Social: caregiver support is irrelevant.

Answer: (A)

Recovery after surgery is best understood as the result of the interplay between biological healing, psychological state, and social context. Biological healing covers tissue repair, inflammation, and physical limits that set the potential for movement and function. Psychological factors—like how a person perceives and copes with pain, mood, and motivation—shape engagement with rehabilitation, adherence to home exercises, and perseverance through setbacks. Social context includes caregiver support, pressures to return to work, and financial stress, all of which influence access to care, attendance at therapy, and the ability to follow through with treatment plans. Addressing all three domains helps create a practical, effective recovery plan that supports pain management, mental well-being, and real-world functioning. Focusing only on biology misses how mood and environment affect recovery; claiming pain is the only factor ignores the broader influence of coping and behavior; and deeming caregiver support irrelevant overlooks a key driver of adherence and access to resources.