What are musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions?

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect many people and can affect your joints, bones and muscles and sometimes associated tissues such as your nerves. They can range from minor injuries to long-term conditions.

Over 20 million people in the UK, almost one third of the population, have a MSK condition such as arthritis or back pain. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, limited movement, and disability which affect quality of life and independence.

Why is musculoskeletal health (MSK) important?

Poor MSK health has a huge impact on people, their employers, the NHS and the wider economy. In fact, over 30 million working days are lost due to MSK conditions every year in the UK and they account for up to 30% of Primary Health Care consultations in England.

People are living longer with complex MSK conditions – for many people a longer life will mean more years spent in ill health. By 2030, over 15.3 million people in the UK will be over 65 years of age, resulting in an ever-increasing demand on MSK services.

MSK conditions are more common in areas of greater poverty and may affect some ethnic groups more than others.

Example MSK conditions are:

• All soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries
• Arthritis – any joint
• Possible problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone, eg tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ankle sprains
• Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain
• Spinal-related pain in arms or legs, including nerve symptoms, eg pins and needles or numbness
• Changes to walking
• Post-orthopaedic surgery

If you suffer from a MSK condition and would like to self refer to a first contact phyisotherapist please contact us.