Is back, neck and muscle pain hurting the UK economy?

Thinkstock About 44 million workers in the EU have musculoskeletal disorders caused by their workplace

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Minor illnesses such as the common cough or cold accounted for 27 million lost days, but MSKs were more likely to recur, and develop into long-term conditions.


  • Overall, the number of sick days taken in the UK is down from 178 million in 1993 to 131 million last year
  • Stress, depression, anxiety accounted for more than 15 million sick days, the highest in five years
  • Minor illnesses, such as colds and coughs, were the most common reason given for absences
  • Men have consistently lower sickness rates than women
  • The sickness rate is lowest in London

Source: ONS



So why have bone and joint complaints persisted?

"Sitting is the new smoking," explains Prof Steve Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at the Work Foundation.

"The more sedentary you are the worse it is for your health."

Chronic keyboards

Offices, it turns out, can be harmful environments.

ONS Chart

While there are still significant numbers doing work that requires lifting or awkward movement, strict health and safety legislation has helped reduce the amount of injuries incurred in those jobs.

Most deskbound workers, however, are not adequately addressing their health risks, and waving away the pesky "work station assessment officer".

Start Quote

Around 30% of all disability in the UK is due to these conditions”

End Quote Prof Anthony Woolf Royal Cornwall Hospital

Preventative measures, such as keeping chairs, desks and computers at the right height, are often neglected.

"Many office workers make repetitive movements," says Prof Bevan. "Allowing people to move around and take breaks is essential."

Early detection




"People forget how common musculoskeletal problems are," Prof Anthony Woolf, a rheumatologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, told the BBC.


The average number of days lost per worker fell from 7.2 in 1993 to 6.3 in 2003 and then dropped to 4.4 in 2013. That's an impressive fall. Is that because we're all much healthier?

It's hard to find any statistics that show that. We keep hearing about increased strain on GP surgeries and hospitals. While a lot of that is down to children and the elderly, some of it must involve people of working age.

HR body the CIPD says that people are not taking sick leave because they are worried about their jobs, and that people going to work when they should be staying in bed is a growing problem.

"Around 30% of all disability in the UK is due to these conditions."

'Ferrari without wheels'





Neck and back X-ray Recurrent MSKs account for 60% of permanent work incapacity in the EU
Snowball effect






In the meantime, sit up straight - it could help the recovery.

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