Understanding musculoskeletal conditions in the workplace

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions can be defined as any injury or disease that affects the movement of the body, including disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves.  Most commonly these can affect the main joints, upper or lower limbs and the back.

An estimated 17.8 million people are living with an MSK condition in the UK with 51% of those affected being between the ages of 35-64, resulting in this being a major cause of work absenteeism.  In 2016/17 8.9 million working days were lost due to MSK disorders and this number is only set to rise in the future.  It is predicted that by 2030, 40% of the working population will be living with a long-term condition due to the increasing age of the working population and the rising prevalence of lifestyle factors such as obesity and a lack of exercise.

Employers have an ever increasing legal obligation to provide a safe work environment that does not cause damage to an employee’s health, therefore, accurate risk assessments must be carried out to put policies in place that focus on the prevention of MSK conditions in the workplace.

In our latest white paper, we look at the most common work related MSK conditions, potential causes and effective ways to support individuals.