This piece is a companion to Pain Control and Healing: Using Anti-inflammatory Medications. That article covers what a general reader needs to know about anti-inflammatories during recovery. This one is for anyone who wants to see why the underlying science is genuinely unsettled, not just simplified for the sake of a shorter article.
NSAIDs
NSAIDs and Bone Healing: A Complicated Picture
A close analysis of NSAID research reveals why the “avoid anti-inflammatories after surgery” advice is more contested than most people realize, and what the evidence quality gap actually shows.