Physical Activity in Long Term Musculoskeletal Conditions

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Original Editor - Caroline Hooper

Top Contributors - Wendy Walker, Kim Jackson, Lucinda hampton, Tony Lowe, Michelle Lee, Simisola Ajeyalemi, Vidya Acharya, Tarina van der Stockt, Rucha Gadgil and Lauren Lopez  

Introduction: Long Term Musculoskeletal Conditions.

In 2015, a study on the Global Burden of Disease and the worldwide impact of all diseases and risk factors included back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders in the leading ten causes of adult global age-specific years lived with disability 1. The report stated that Musculoskeletal disorders continue to be a leading cause of disability worldwide” . It advised that “A key component of healthy ageing is to maintain mobility, and a key public health intervention recommended for improving health outcomes for all chronic diseases is physical activity. Painful musculoskeletal disorders increase with age and are a great threat to mobility, compromising health more broadly.34, 35, 36 Even if cures for musculoskeletal disorders are not yet available, the clinical goal of preventing disability is attainable.37, 38

In the UK Each year 20% of the general population sees a GP about a musculoskeletal problem.23 The majority of these consultations are due to back pain and osteoarthritis. The NHS in England spends a further £5 billion per year on treating musculoskeletal conditions. Each year in the UK around 7.5 million working days are lost because of musculoskeletal conditions, second only to mental health problems. ARC 2013

Arthritis Research UK define define Musculoskeletal conditions as “disorders of the bones, joints, muscles and spine, as well as rarer autoimmune conditions such as lupus”. Musculoskeletal conditions interfere with people’s ability to carry out their normal activities. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness and a loss of mobility and dexterity.

ARC report 2013 divides musculoskeletal conditions into 3 main groups
1. the commonest group consists of osteoarthritis and back pain. Risk factors include physical inactivity, obesity and injury.
2. osteoporosis and fragility fractures. ½ women and 1/5 men over the ago of 50 will suffer at least one fragility fracture

3. inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (uncommon)

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