PhysioUpdate 23rd February 2023

Physiotherapists can contribute to the first national inquiry on health inequalities and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, which was launched today (20 February) by Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA).

The charity – an umbrella organisation comprised of 40 influential organisations in the field, including the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy – said it will produce a report on the topic by December.

It is widely accepted that prevalence and impact of MSK conditions are not experienced equally in the population. As well as being linked to deprivation and age, MSK conditions are more common among women, and disproportionately affect some minority ethnic groups, ARMA stated.

‘Deprivation is a significant driver of inequalities in MSK health. People in deprived areas experience more chronic pain, are more likely to have a long term MSK condition and experience worse clinical outcomes and quality of life. We are therefore focusing this inquiry on MSK health inequalities and deprivation.’

There is sound evidence to support the idea that being physically active on a regular basis throughout adulthood reaps dividends in later life, according to the results of long-term study published online today (22 February) online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

The observational study, conducted by a team led by Sarah-Naomi James, from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, University College London Medical School, suggests that any regular leisure time physical activity at any age is linked to better brain function in later life. However, maintaining an exercise routine throughout adulthood seems to be best for preserving people’s mental acuity and memory.

The researchers acknowledge that factoring in childhood cognitive ability, household income, and education weakened the observed associations, but state that the findings nevertheless remained statistically significant.