Back, neck and muscle problems are hurting the UK economy

Back, neck and muscle pain caused 31 million sick days last year, says a new report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). A total of 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013 – down from 178 million days in 1993 – but the majority were due to musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Minor illnesses such as the common cold accounted for 27 million lost days, but MSKs were more likely to recur and develop into long-term conditions.

The Work Foundation estimates that workers who have bone and joint pain cost the EU’s economies 240bn euros (£200bn) each year.

The good news is that sickness absence rates have fallen since 1993 with men consistently having a lower sickness absence rate than women, but other key findings were:

•  Sickness absence increases with age but falls after eligibility for the state pension.
• There are lower sickness absence rates in the private sector but the gap with the public sector has narrowed over past 20 years.
•  Of the larger public sector organisations, sickness rates are highest for those working in the health sector.
• People who are self-employed are less likely than employees to have a spell of sickness.
• The largest workforces report the highest sickness levels.
• Sickness absence rates are lowest for managers, directors and senior officials.
• Sickness absence rates are lowest in London.

Prof Steve Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at the Work Foundation, explains the issue behind bone and joint complaints:

“Sitting is the new smoking,” he says. “The more sedentary you are the worse it is for your health. Many office workers make repetitive movements. Allowing people to move around and take breaks is essential.”