Musculoskeletal Disorders and Sickness Absence Analysis

Musculoskeletal disorders encompass a wide range of conditions affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and peripheral nerves. They represent one of the leading causes of disability, diminished quality of life and work incapacity worldwide. Analysis of sickness absence associated with these disorders examines incidence, duration and recurrence of absence episodes, while identifying individual, occupational and psychosocial risk factors. Epidemiological studies typically employ large cohort designs linked to administrative registers or self-reported surveys, enabling quantification of long-term absence and its determinants. Exposure assessment ranges from self-reports of physical workload and perceived exertion to objective measurements such as wearable sensors and job exposure matrices. Prevention and management strategies derive from this evidence base, targeting ergonomic interventions, lifestyle modifications and workplace organisational changes. The global significance of this research lies in reducing economic burden, improving worker health and sustaining productivity. Interdisciplinary approaches integrate occupational health, biomechanics, sleep research and mental health to provide a holistic understanding of how musculoskeletal impairments translate into extended work absence, and to inform policies that support early intervention and rehabilitation.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Musculoskeletal Disorders and Sickness Absence Analysis publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in musculoskeletal disorders and sickness absence analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD): Conditions impairing the locomotor system, including back pain, joint disorders and repetitive strain injuries.

Long-term sickness absence (LTSA): Work absence episodes typically defined as continuous leave of at least 30 consecutive days or ≥6 weeks due to health reasons.

Exposure-response association: A relationship in which increasing levels of occupational or environmental exposure correspond to increasing risk or severity of an outcome.

Population attributable fraction (PAF): The proportion of incidence of a condition in a population that can be ascribed to a specific risk factor, assuming causality.

References

1. Annual risk of long-term sickness absence due to musculoskeletal disorders across the lifespan and the role of physical activity and insomnia symptoms: the HUNT Study. BMC Public Health (2025).
2. Duration and intensity of occupational lifting and risk of long-term sickness absence: Prospective cohort study with register follow-up among 45 000 workers. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health (2023).
3. Lifestyle factors and risk of sickness absence from work: a multicohort study. The Lancet Public Health (2018).