20 million people2 in the UK have a musculoskeletal condition – almost a third of the population, taking up 30%3of GP consultations in England.
More than half of those with musculoskeletal issues, 53%4, say their symptoms have a negative impact on their work, with around 26.5 million5 working days estimated to be lost to MSK issues in the UK in 2024.
So can physio support make a difference to your workforce? We asked our GP adviser Dr Mark for his thoughts.
Should physio have a role in workplace health support?
“I think the numbers speak for themselves. MSK issues are a huge problem in the UK, and a major cause of suffering and sickness absence.
“It’s also something that can impact everyone, from those in physical roles out and about to those sat at a desk all day long, young people with sports injuries to older people with wear and tear or degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis.
“In fact, in my professional experience, people who are inactive seated at a desk can develop pain in a more insidious way than those who appear to be putting their bodies under more active stress.
“If as a business you want to address sickness absence risk, including MSK support within your health benefit provision does seem to make sense.”
How do MSK conditions impact people?
“Obviously the impact of an MSK issue will depend on the condition itself, but in general terms, MSK issues can reduce mobility and range of movement, and impair people’s ability to do daily tasks. The pain itself can affect concentration, even in less active roles.
“It’s also worth noting the impact of pain on someone’s ability to live and work normally, especially over the medium to long term. We know that living with pain can cause depression and anxiety, and that that can also exacerbate symptoms and extend sickness absences.”
What role does physio support play in supporting MSK conditions?
“Obviously there are issues and injuries that no amount of massage, exercises or therapies of any kind are going to be able to solve. But in a lot of cases, physiotherapy can be remarkably effective. It can help in relieving pain, strengthening muscles, and re-building or re-training the body to move differently and safely. Crucially, it can also help people understand why they are suffering with pain and hence how to reduce the likelihood of it recurring or becoming a long-term problem.”
Does early intervention make a difference?
“As with any health issue, ignoring it and hoping it goes away by itself certainly isn’t the best option.
“If you have a persistent or reoccurring MSK issue that isn’t getting better over time, isn’t improving with heat, cold or rest, you should really get it checked out. Leaving a moderate to serious MSK issue can make it worse over time – especially if you can’t avoid activity which causes it and the damage continues. With more recent onset issues, early intervention can sometimes deal with it and prevent it becoming a longer term problem.
“Doing nothing can also cause people to overcompensate or overuse other muscle groups, leading to misalignment and even more MSK issues in other areas of the body.
“From my perspective, I also see people who aren’t addressing MSK issues who then continue to make poorer health choices as a result. For instance they stop exercising, drink more alcohol to cope with the pain, start to lose fitness/mobility and start to gain weight – all of which is going to make the original issue worse, too.”
How long are waiting lists for physiotherapy?
“Waiting lists do vary from area to area, but according to the NHS6 there were 420,3667 people in England waiting to see a physiotherapist in March 2026.
“Obviously that isn’t ideal. The quicker you get the right support for an MSK issue, the quicker you can recover, and the less likely it is that things will escalate.”
What does the NHS think of private physiotherapy?
“My view is that people who have access to private health support through work should find out if they have cover for it and if so, should absolutely use it when they need it. At the end of the day the patient comes first, and whatever route gets them better faster is the right route. I cannot stress enough how important MSK health, particularly back health, is to long-term wellbeing.
“Ultimately, if it’s one less job for the NHS to do that’s all to the good, too.
“Physiotherapists will be able to share their reports with a patient’s GP practice (with their permission), so things stay joined up and the NHS still has a full picture of their health.”
Author: Abi Stevens
Created June 2026
References:
1 Sickness absence in the UK labour market - Office for National Statistics
2 NHS England - Musculoskeletal health
3 Employment advisers in musculoskeletal pathways: prospectus - GOV.UK
4 https://www.arthritis-uk.org/media/n4xaxcas/auk_state-of-msk-health-report_updated.pdf
5 https://www.arthritis-uk.org/media/n4xaxcas/auk_state-of-msk-health-report_updated.pdf
6 Viewing waiting lists – NHS App help - NHS
7 Community-health-services-waiting-lists-2025-26-March.xlsx Table 3
