Impact of Resilience on Patient Reported Outcome of First Metatarsophalangeal Arthrodesis

Abstract

Resilience is a dynamic construct defined as the ability to recover from stress. There is no literature examining the impact of resilience on outcomes following foot and ankle surgery. Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent first MTP arthrodesis from September 2011 to May 2020 were reviewed for patient characteristics and union status. PROMIS Physical Function (PF), Pain Interference (PI), Depression (D), and Foot Function Index (FFI) were collected. Resilience was measured using the Brief Resilience Scale. A multivariable linear regression analysis examining the impact of resilience on patient reported was conducted. At an average of 3.4 years postoperatively, resilience was found to independently affect patient reported outcomes across all instruments, except the FFI pain subscale. In the first study examining the impact of resilience following foot and ankle surgery, we found that resilience has an independent positive effect on overall physical function, disability, pain, and mental health following MTP arthrodesis. Preoperative resilience scores could be used to predict postoperative functional outcomes following MTP arthrodesis and guide postoperative rehabilitation. These findings help establish the role of early positive psychosocial characteristics within orthopaedic foot and ankle population.