The burden of musculoskeletal disease

Musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases occur commonly in the community, comprising approximately 20% of UK primary care consultations. The term encompasses a wide range of mechanical and inflammatory disorders, and although they can occur at any stage of life, even in young children, they increase in prevalence with age. As well as being common, they are associated with significant morbidity through disability, and cause the second most years lived with disability globally after mental health disorders. As a result, MSK disorders have significant financial consequences for the individual and society. This ‘cost of MSK disease’ includes not only cost to the health service in terms of primary and secondary care appointments, treatments and surgical interventions, but also loss to the economy including absenteeism from work and presenteeism; further costs relate to social care, both formal and informal from family and friends. Finally, many MSK diseases are associated with reduced life expectancy, which is often underestimated because of the long-term nature of the conditions.