Reducing the unequal impact of musculoskeletal conditions by improving access, addressing the social determinants of health and ensuring services reach the communities most affected.
Why this matters
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect over 20 million people in the UK, but their impact is not experienced equally. People living in more deprived communities are more likely to develop MSK conditions, experience more severe pain and disability, and face greater barriers to accessing timely support.
MSK health inequalities are closely linked to wider social and economic factors including deprivation, employment conditions, housing, access to physical activity and access to healthcare. These inequalities contribute to reduced healthy life expectancy, poorer quality of life and reduced economic participation.
MSK conditions are both a cause and a consequence of inequality. Poor MSK health can limit people’s ability to work and participate fully in society, while social and economic disadvantage increases the risk of developing MSK problems.
Without action, these inequalities will continue to widen. Addressing MSK health inequalities offers an important opportunity to:
- Improve healthy life expectancy
- Reduce avoidable disability
- Support economic participation
- Reduce pressure on health and care services
- Improve fairness in health outcomes.
MSK health inequalities are not inevitable. They reflect differences in exposure to risk factors, access to services and how health and care systems are designed. This means they can be reduced through targeted and coordinated action.
Our position
ARMA believes reducing MSK health inequalities must be a priority for health and care systems.
Addressing inequalities requires more than improving clinical services alone. It requires action across prevention, service design and the wider determinants of health.
We believe reducing MSK inequalities means:
- Designing services that actively reach underserved communities
- Supporting prevention in communities at greatest risk
- Addressing barriers to access including waiting times and referral pathways
- Recognising the impact of deprivation and work on MSK health
- Using data to identify variation and target improvement
- Working with communities to design more responsive services.
ARMA believes MSK health provides a practical example of how action on inequalities can improve both individual outcomes and system performance. Improving access to early MSK support can reduce avoidable deterioration, prevent work loss and improve long term outcomes.
As the collective voice of the MSK community, ARMA brings together patient organisations, professional bodies and researchers to highlight inequalities, convene expertise and support practical solutions.
Reducing MSK inequalities is essential to improving healthy life expectancy and building a fairer health system.
Our focus
ARMA is working with members and partners to reduce MSK health inequalities through several key priorities.
Understanding inequalities through evidence
Building the evidence base on MSK inequalities through research, inquiry work and collaboration with members and partners.
Improving access to early support
Promoting approaches that ensure people can access MSK advice, rehabilitation and treatment earlier, particularly in underserved communities.
Targeting prevention where need is greatest
Supporting prevention approaches that focus on communities with higher risk of poor MSK health and address the root causes of inequality.
Designing services to reduce variation
Encouraging service models that reduce unwarranted variation in access, experience and outcomes.
Addressing the wider determinants of MSK health
Highlighting the role of work, housing, environment and social factors in shaping MSK health outcomes.
Supporting system improvement
Sharing learning and practical recommendations to help local systems address MSK inequalities as part of wider health inequalities strategies.
Through this work, ARMA aims to ensure MSK health is recognised as an essential part of action to reduce health inequalities and improve population health.
Key resources
ARMA has developed a growing body of work highlighting the causes of MSK health inequalities and practical opportunities for action.
- Act Now: Musculoskeletal Health Inequalities and Deprivation — Report of the ARMA Inquiry. (pdf download tile)Â
- Executive summary of the ARMA MSK Inequalities Inquiry. (pdf download tile)
- Summary of recommendations from the ARMA inquiry. (pdf download tile)
- Supporting evidence and background papers. (pdf download tile)
Related ARMA policy work
- A Decade of Better MSK Health. (pdf download tile)
- ARMA Prevention and MSK Health policy paper. (pdf download tile)
- Relevant ARMA consultation responses and briefings.
These resources highlight the scale of MSK inequalities and set out practical recommendations for national and local action.
Related insights
Our latest insights on MSK health inequalities include:
- Blogs reflecting on MSK inequalities and deprivation.
- News and events related to health inequalities.
- Outputs from ARMA’s inquiry and ongoing work.
These insights highlight the importance of sustained action to reduce inequalities and improve MSK outcomes.
Â
