Lucky country’s citizens find life a pain
ONE in two Australians suffer musculoskeletal problems such as arthritis and backache, a new international survey has shown, prompting calls for greater effort to counter the conditions.
The figures are a ‘‘staggering’’ indication of the prevalence of conditions ranging from minor aches and pains to severe lifethreatening forms of arthritis, rheumatologist Lyn March said.
Professor March said the survey showed back pain to be the ‘‘standout condition’’ and Australia’s leading cause of disability, triggering the greatest physical and psychological impact of all health conditions.
Osteoarthritis, lower back and neck pain are other common conditions, affecting more than five million Australians.
Knee osteoarthritis has been rising at the greatest rate over the past decade, particularly in men, reflecting the increasing number of overweight and obese people, as well as the incidence of sports injuries.
The impact of musculoskeletal conditions is growing as the population ages, yet such conditions struggle to get the research and medical attention warranted, particularly given the rising demand for people to stay on at work into older age, British expert Anthony Woolf said.
The greater acceptance of such conditions is partly because they rarely kill you, said Professor Woolf, who chairs the international Bone and Joint Decade organisation.
In Canberra to attend the Australian Rheumatology Association meeting, Professor Woolf said the soon-to-be-released full results of the international survey, supported by the World Health Organisation, highlighted the enormous impact that back pain and arthritis have and the need to encourage sufferers to take the right action early.
He said drug treatment, the right exercise and diet could significantly reduce the often disabling impact of such conditions.
‘‘We do need to encourage people to be as physically active as possible,’’ he said.
Professor Woolf advised people to seek advice if they suffered pain or found normal activities difficult.
‘‘If pain stops you doing what you want to do, you should do something to reduce that pain.’’ he said.