A public health approach to musculoskeletal health.

An ageing, physically inactive and increasingly obese population, coupled with finite health and social care resources, requires a shift from treating musculoskeletal disease when it arises to a preventive approach promoting lifelong musculoskeletal health. A public health approach to musculoskeletal health ensures that people are able to live not only long, but also well. Supporting self-management, addressing common misconceptions about the inevitability of musculoskeletal conditions, and offering brief interventions to support necessary lifestyle changes are basic public health functions that all health professionals can deliver. More specialist public health skills including needs assessment, data interpretation and service planning are also needed to deliver high quality services. These will require improvements in the data collected about musculoskeletal health nationally. A public health approach would benefit individuals through reduced pain and improved function due to musculoskeletal conditions, and wider society by minimising lost economic productivity and lowering health and social care costs.