Past and future: sex and gender in health research, the aging experience, and implications for musculoskeletal health.

The statistics about common musculoskeletal disorders describe a few of the many health conditions that affect men and women. For such disorders and conditions, there are differences in incidence, predisposition, and therapeutic and preventive strategies for managing them. Although we have made progress in women's health research, many challenges remain, including those related to conditions and diseases of the musculoskeletal system that may affect women and men differentially. Research is needed to identify genetic, hormonal, environmental, and societal factors that contribute to these sex and gender differences and to understand when appropriate clinical applications should differ or be the same.