Musculoskeletal Conditions and their impact on employment

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are problems of the bones, joints, muscles and spine, and are a common cause of severe long term pain and physical disability. There are 3 groups of MSK conditions:

·       inflammatory conditions, for example rheumatoid arthritis

·       conditions of MSK pain, for example osteoarthritis, back pain

·       osteoporosis and fragility fractures, for example fracture after fall from standing height

The pain and disability of poor MSK health limits independence and the ability to participate in family, social and working life. According to Arthritis Research UK only 59.4% of people of working age with an MSK condition are in work, and around 1 in 5 people with arthritis has depression.

In 2016, MSK problems were the second most common cause of sickness absence in UK, which accounted for 30.8 million days lost in work (22.4% of total sickness absence). This was only slightly surpassed by absence due to minor illness such as cough and colds, which accounted for 34 million days lost (28.8% of total sickness absence).

As well as being a big problem for individuals and employers, MSK conditions place a considerable strain on the NHS. They account for the third largest area of NHS spending with a programme budget of £4.7 billion in 2013 to 2014.

With tighter budgets across the NHS and local government, it’s more important than ever to make the strongest possible interventions to minimise the onset and/or progression of MSK problems. The evidence for providing cost-effective interventions for preventing and treating MSK conditions is overwhelming.