Pain is a difficult to understand and multifactorial condition, defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with a real injury or described in such terms." When acute, it has an important biological value in preserving the integrity of the individual by alerting them to the occurrence of an injury, while chronic pain does not have this characteristic. It is considered a public health problem because it causes temporary or permanent disability, absenteeism, high costs to the health system and morbidity. It is estimated that the prevalence of chronic pain in the world is around 10.1 to 55.5%, with an average of 35.5%.Several studies have investigated the causal nature of this association and point to a bidirectional relationship. This is a literature review with the application of an anonymous questionnaire.Orthopaedic surgeons and musculoskeletal clinicians have given importance to mental health in patient recovery after injury or orthopaedic surgery, since pain after these events is common, and can trigger a new mental illness or its worsening. We therefore conclude that interventions to assess pain and mental health should be prioritized, in addition to the greater involvement of psychiatrists and psychologists in this process.
