Many people wonder under what circumstances you go to see a medical doctor.

A recent report from the United States Bone and Joint Decade (USBJD), a coalition formed to study musculoskeletal problems and their treatment, indicates that musculoskeletal problems may be the top reason to see a medical doctor.

According to the report, people in the United States report musculoskeletal conditions — including arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis and injuries — more than any other health condition.

Although musculoskeletal conditions rarely cause death, they are a major cause of pain, disability and reduced quality of life.

More than 30 percent of Americans have a musculoskeletal condition that requires medical attention.

One in two adults reported a chronic musculoskeletal condition in 2005. The rate is twice that of reported chronic circulatory or respiratory conditions.

In 2004, back pain accounted for more than 5.3 million health care visits.

Arthritis accounted for more than 4.4 million ambulatory care visits and 1 million hospitalizations. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for more than 5.7 million health care visits (60 percent of injury treatment visits).

One in two women and one in four men older than 50 years of age will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in his or her remaining lifetime.

Less frequently, millions of children and adults have spinal deformities, musculoskeletal congenital conditions and concerns of bone and connective tissue that reduce quality of life and longevity.

Musculoskeletal disorders and diseases are the leading cause of disability in the United States. About 15 million adults — or about 7 percent of the U.S. population — report having difficulties in performing routine activities of daily living because of a musculoskeletal condition. Close to half are 45 to 64 years old.

Musculoskeletal disorders occur more frequently as people age. In developed countries, they account for more than half of chronic conditions in people older than 50 years old. The annual direct and indirect costs of bone and joint health in the United States were $8.49 billion — or 7.7 percent of the gross domestic product — in the years 2002 to 2004.

The baby boomer generation of people age 45 to 64 accounts for an increasingly greater proportion of total musculoskeletal disease treatment cost and lost wages.

This is a trend that will continue for the next several decades. The burden of musculoskeletal conditions is expected to escalate in the next 10 to 20 years because of the aging population and sedentary lifestyles.

Money for musculoskeletal research, however, currently accounts for less than 2 percent of the National Institutes of Health budget.

The goal of reporting this information is to stimulate increasing investment in research to provide better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of musculoskeletal conditions and their response to treatment and to develop preventive and therapeutic approaches to mitigate their impact.

Most experts feel that many problems relating to musculoskeletal conditions can be prevented by taking steps to change lifestyles that often lead to these problems. Individuals can take back a healthier, more active life with proper medical care and guidance.

More information can be found on the Web at www.boneandjoint burden.org.

The report of the significant problems from musculoskeletal conditions is found in “The Burden of Musculoskeletal Diseases in the United States” published by the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade, NFP (USBJD).

htrnews.com