White paper: Understanding musculoskeletal conditions in the workplace

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions can be defined as any injury or disease that affects the movement of the body. In its latest white paper, Healix look at the most common work-related MSK conditions, potential causes and effective ways to support individuals.

Key findings

• In 2016/17, 8.9 million working days were lost due to MSK disorders. It is predicted that, by 2030, 40 per cent of the working population will be living with a long-term condition due to the increasing age of the working population and lifestyle factors.
• Untreated and long-term MSK conditions have been found to be directly linked to mental health conditions. More than 30 per cent of people will suffer from anxiety and 22 per cent from depression as a result of their condition.
• Around 90 per cent of MSK conditions are compatible with work and therefore supporting individuals in the workplace could not only reduce the amount of MSK-related work absence but also encourage a positive working environment and increased productivity at work.

The report makes several recommendations to help employees remain at work, including: encouraging regular breaks; ensuring correct seating positions; varying the tasks undertaken to help reduce repetitive strain injuries; adapting job roles; providing manual handling equipment to assist with the lifting of heavy loads; and allowing time to attend healthcare appointments.