Ranging from the most common to the extremely rare there are more than 100 types of musculoskeletal conditions. Joint or muscle pain and inflammation are some of the common symptoms that are shared by quite a few of the musculoskeletal conditions. Musculoskeletal conditions can be classified into two major categories namely specific and non-specific musculoskeletal conditions.
Specific musculoskeletal condition
These are specific and progressive rheumatic diseases which may not be typically caused by work but may be made worse by work. They are clinically diagnosed conditions that when left untreated may progress in a broadly predictable way. They can cause an impact on the work style of a person and may prevent them from participating in the labor market in the long run. People with these conditions need clinical help and need to be treated for a prolonged period of time. A few of the specific musculoskeletal conditions include Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic arthritis, Gout, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Juvenile arthritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica.
Non-specific musculoskeletal conditions
These are episodic conditions that may be caused by and made worse by work. They get manifested in different ways. They can also cause periods of intense discomfort which may actually affect the person to carry out his/her work. Non-specific musculoskeletal conditions last for long periods of time and although many people who have this condition do not seek clinical or medical help and recover mostly on their own accord, these conditions cause them to be absent from work for significant periods of time. This absence from work also leads to a loss of productivity. Non-specific musculoskeletal conditions can be better explained in relation to two main categories:
- Back pain
Back pain which is highly episodic is a very common complaint. Most of it goes away on its own in about a week and 90% of the times it is completely gone within a month. Back pain can be termed recurrent if several episodes occur within a period of one year. Back pain can be described as acute if it reoccurs in six months and lasts for less than six weeks and it can be described as chronic if the episode lasts for over 12 weeks. Although back pain is a recurrent problem for many people, it does not necessarily mean that the pain will worsen. The pain normally disappears on its own in around four to six weeks in a majority of people. The cause of back pain is however unknown and may arise from any number of pain-sensitive structures in the lumbar spinal column which includes joints, soft tissues, ligaments, and muscles as well. People whose jobs involve a lot of physical labor especially lifting, pushing or moving heavy objects are likely to get low back pain. - Work-related upper limb disorders
These are non-specific musculoskeletal conditions affecting the upper part of the body which can be caused or aggravated by work. They are commonly in layman’s terms referred to as sprains.
