HR Guide – Musculoskeletal Health

Poor musculoskeletal (MSK) health is a pain in the neck, back, knees or shoulders for a third of the population – but it’s also hurting businesses. After minor illnesses and other, it’s the third most common reason¹ for sickness absence in the UK. Someone with a MSK issue might struggle to drive, lift or even sit for long periods – seriously impacting their ability to do their job. In fact the average person is off with their MSK issue for around 2 weeks ²

The problem is, finding physiotherapy support to address musculoskeletal issues – particularly at an early stage before the problem worsens - is becoming increasingly difficult. NHS waiting times are creeping up, and it’s a postcode lottery as to how fast someone can get seen.

Businesses need to understand the risk of MSK, how it impacts individual worker productivity and their workforce as a whole.

Musculoskeletal health in numbers

20 million³ people in the UK have a musculoskeletal condition – almost a third of the population
18.4 – 28 million⁴ – the number of people reporting chronic pain
30%⁵ of GP consultations in England are for musculoskeletal issues
5 billion a year⁶- the NHS spends on musculoskeletal conditions, making it the third largest area of spend
53%⁷ of people with musculoskeletal issues say their symptoms have a negative impact on their work
1 in 10⁸current UK employees have a musculoskeletal conditions
1 in 3⁹ haven’t told their employer about it
10.5%¹⁰ of all sickness absences in the UK are for musculoskeletal conditions – the third most common reason for absence after minor illnesses and other
23.4 million¹¹ days of work were lost due to musculoskeletal issues across the UK in 2022
£100 billion a year¹² – the combined cost of worklessness and sickness absences put together
13.9¹³ – the average number of sickness days taken by someone suffering from a musculoskeletal condition
335, 777¹⁴– the number of people in England waiting to see a physiotherapist in June 2024
212, 644¹⁵– the number of people who have been waiting for longer than 4 weeks in June 2024

What are the most common musculoskeletal health issues?

MSK conditions can affect the bones, joints, muscles and spine, and are a common cause of severe long-term pain and physical disability. They can include:

inflammatory conditions, for example, rheumatoid arthritis
conditions of MSK pain, for example, osteoarthritis and back pain
osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

The older a person is, the more likely they are to experience poor musculoskeletal health. Other risk factors include general health and fitness, weight, and smoking

Seven in 10¹⁶people who report living with a long-term MSK condition are overweight or obese, while smokers and ex-smokers experience 60% more pain¹⁷in the back, neck and legs and a 114% increase in disabling lower back pain.

Meanwhile, there’s a complex relationship between MSK issues and mental health issues. Living with pain can have a significant mental health impact, and those with poor mental health are also more likely to report pain, and less well-equipped to deal with its impact. Depression is 4 times more common¹⁸ among people in persistent pain compared with those without pain.

What does the law say about musculoskeletal health?

Musculoskeletal issues will be recognised under the Equality Act 2010, which means businesses have a duty of care to employees and must make reasonable adjustments to help them in their jobs.

How can businesses support people with musculoskeletal health issues?

1. Training for line managers

It’s really important line managers understand MSK issues, including the impact it has on physical ability and mental health. Employees need to feel confident to talk openly about the issues they face, and know how the business can support them. That means managers need to be up to date on things like EAP programmes and health benefits, as well as health and safety rules, risk assessments, and sickness absence management.

2. Reasonable adjustments

Businesses need to work with individuals to decide what’s going to work best to help them manage their condition in the workplace. For instance, that might include lighter duties without any lifting, special equipment like ergonomic chairs or desks, regular movement breaks - or allowing work from home days or extra time off for medical appointments.

3. Promoting healthy living

With weight and fitness/movement key factors in musculoskeletal health, one of the key things businesses can do is support healthy living in the workplace. That might mean taking part in awareness days like Backcare Awareness Week in October, taking part in movement challenges – for instance for charity, and ensuring people get regular breaks in which to move, and the means and facilities to store and prepare healthy food.

4. Reminding people about their Equipsme plan

Equipsme is there to help employees with everyday health support – including for MSK issues. Here’s 4 ways we can support you to support employees:

Physio sessions
Every Equipsme plan includes a number of physiotherapy sessions through AXA Health. It means employees can get immediate, practical support for MSK issues, without waiting for the NHS, or for their issue to worsen. Exclusions do apply (to things like pre-existing or chronic conditions) so members must check with the claims team at AXA Health first to ensure that the condition they are claiming for is covered.

Find out more about how to get physiotherapy support through Equipsme

Health Support Line
Our health support line is the first port of call for employees with a health-related question. That can include advice on pain management, how to look after an injury, or how to use heat and cold to reduce swelling. Nurses, pharmacists and midwives are on the other end of the AXA Health at Hand helpline to offer advice and guidance.

Find out more about how to use the nurse advice line

Stress (Wellbeing) Support Line
If the Wellbeing Support Line is part of your package, it’s worth reminding employees that this confidential service is there to help them manage their mental health, with trained counsellors who take calls 24/7.

Find out more about how to use the Wellbeing Support line

GP Service
Our GP service is there for people who are struggling to get to see their community GP, or those who need a second opinion. What’s more, our 24/7 Health Hero GPs can offer private referrals – that can help get people to specialists faster. If diagnosis is part of their plan, an open referral can be used as part of a claim to AXA Health where the team will assess if the condition is covered and if so, help find an approved specialist appointment.

Find out more about using the GP Service