What we’re doing about musculoskeletal conditions

What are musculoskeletal conditions?

Musculoskeletal conditions are problems with bones, muscles and joints. In Australia:

• around 1 in 3 people have some form of musculoskeletal condition
• 3.6 million Australians have arthritis. Inflammation of the joints can lead to them becoming stiff, painful, swollen or deformed
• 4 million have some form of chronic back pain, due to problems with the joints, connective tissue, muscles or nerves of the back
• more than 900,000 have osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become thin, weak, fragile and easy to break

There are more than 150 types of musculoskeletal conditions, including:

• osteoarthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• juvenile arthritis
• osteoporosis
• back pain
• back problems such as scoliosis
• lupus

See healthdirect for more information about musculoskeletal conditions.

What are we doing about musculoskeletal conditions?

We are addressing musculoskeletal conditions nationally via our:

• National Strategic Action Plan for Arthritis
• National Strategic Action Plan for Osteoporosis

Several programs and initiatives support treatment and management of musculoskeletal conditions.

• The Medicare Benefits Schedule helps pay for patient care, including Chronic Disease Management plans.
• The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme helps pay for medicines.
• The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIWH) monitors conditions in Australia, including musculoskeletal conditions.
• We provide funding for Arthritis Australia to improve awareness of arthritis and support Australians affected by the condition.
• We are providing $4 million to support early implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Arthritis, including:
  • $2 million to support information and awareness activities
  • $2 million to support education and training for health professionals
• We have allocated $4 million to early implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Osteoporosis, including:
  • $3 million from the Medical Research Future Fund for a pilot project for the Primary Care Fracture Liaison Service. It aims to reduce further risk of breaking bones and significantly decrease the burden of osteoporosis
  • $500,000 for Osteoporosis Australia to continue their work
  • $500,000 for a competitive grant for awareness and education work

See more chronic conditions resources.