Musculoskeletal Pain the Primary Health Risk to American Workers

Several studies exploring workplace injuries, chronic conditions, and American health has identified musculoskeletal pain as the primary risk to employees. Musculoskeletal pain can be caused by a variety of different factors, but poses risks to almost every industry in blue collar America. Scientists, and employers are working diligently to identify the root causes of the chronic illness and help industries prevent further distress. 

Statistics suggest that every 1 in 2 American employees experience some form of chronic musculoskeletal complications, supported by surveys sampling more than 252 million citizens.The industries with the highest risk of complications include software businesses, utility management, retail, transportation, hospitality, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and more. These industries require employees to be sitting or standing for long periods of time, and sometimes also require heavy lifting that can pose risk to their musculoskeletal stability. Leading experts relate the hard manual labor and sedentary position of the body over long periods of time as some of the main causes of this specific injury. 

What is the Musculoskeletal System

The musculoskeletal system includes the bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, connective tissues, cartilage, and tendons. This system gives our human bodies structure and supports movement of the limbs. The MSK system is vital to a person’s mobility and can change with them over time. The overall endocrine system is stimulated by exercise and interacted with via biochemical signaling passed through other organs in the body. 

5 Main Functions of the MSK System

• Movement: The skeletal system pulls on bones causing movement at the joints. Facial skeletal muscles pull on soft tissues resulting in facial expressions. All the movement is caused by the respiratory system introducing oxygen into the blood supporting the systems, enabling the muscles to breathe.

• Support: Muscles in the system support the internal organs, but are prone to weaknesses with age or injury. Prolonged weakness to the system's muscles can result in organ displacement.

• Protection: Skeletal muscles protect vital organs and cushion exterior physical impacts taken by the body. 

• Heat Generation: Heat is a waste product of body metabolism which is maintained by keeping an internal body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Shivering is a major control of the MSK system to regulate the body temperature and generate heat when the internal body temperatures fall below optimal levels. 

• Blood Circulation: Cardiac muscles pump the heart and control the body’s blood circulation to vital organs and other areas of the body. 

“Ergonomic injuries” are those that affect the MKS system. These injuries are the result of overuse, improper use, or exterior inflictions to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, or hard structures. Symptoms of MKS injuries include but are not limited to the inability to effectively use limbs or muscles to complete tasks, soreness, bruising, muscle tears, and bone fractures. These symptoms often accompany the hazards associated with sitting and working at a desk, impacting the employee over long periods. The study also analyzed the resulting economic expenditure associated with MSK-related injuries and discovered its national costs have more than doubled over the last decade. 

Associated Costs of Musculoskeletal Injuries

The cost to treat MSK is one of the third largest industries in the United States healthcare system, totaling more than $600 billion annually.Associated costs to treat MSK injuries include medical appointments, expert referrals, and leave from work. The injuries also have to be treated with various medications, physical therapy, and work limitations after being diagnosed. These costs fall predominantly on the employee who ends up having to take the excess leave from employment and source the kind of treatments that best fit their situation. Employers also take the brunt of any MSK injury costs by involving their insurances and liability officials. 

The Hinge study also acknowledged that the driving factor behind increasing costs is the undeniable connection between MSK and mental health treatments, as affected employees often use double the average worker’s sick days.  The average worker misses more than 8 days of work, while employees experiencing symptoms of MSK complications often miss upwards of 13 average days annually to deal with their treatment and mental health. The sheer absence of millions of workers for extended durations of time throughout the annual work year alone costs businesses and the greater US economy millions of dollars.

Impacts of New MSK Understanding 

The impacts of MSK are affecting many aspects of employee health and welfare in the United States, as medical costs and health inequities continue to increase. Access to MSK-associated healthcare, medicines, and affordable treatments have continued to drive up prices, far surpassing the economic costs shared by employers to treat other ailments like heart disease ($309 billion), cancer ($243 billion), and diabetes ($188 billion). It is no surprise that medical costs, insurance, and access to treatments have all become a much larger burden on the lower and middle working class of America.

The nuances of MSK and its lack of study have also prevented many employer insurance companies from effectively covering their employee’s risk of MSK exposure and rehabilitation. The lack of understanding has only recently resulted in studies highlighting the close relation to employee mental health welfare. Chronic pain can often intensify mental challenges resulting in increased anxiety and depression, worsening the MSK symptoms. Many health insurances fail to fill the gap in social and behavioral support needed to recuperate from mental health symptoms associated with the effects of chronic MSK in the workplace. 

Solutions recommended by the Hinge report and other health professionals suggest filling the gaps in coverage by addressing issues with physical recovery, behavioral support, and medical services. Remote care and support are ultimately important in treating the patient’s physical self-care and mental health. With digital accessibility at an all-time high, connecting patients to health professionals is easier than ever, and acquiring the kind of frequent care needed to recover from MSK complications entirely.