Musculoskeletal disorders: Population ageing was the single largest contributor to the rising burden of musculoskeletal disorders between 1990 and 2021 in roughly one-third of countries worldwide, with middle-income nations seeing the steepest increases despite having younger populations than high-income peers, according to a study in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Researchers said many of these health systems are the least prepared to cope, reflecting a rapid demographic shift outpacing service capacity.
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The analysis, led by Hai-Feng Pan of Anhui Medical University’s School of Public Health, found that ageing amplified the symptoms of conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. Ageing had a greater impact on men in high- and upper-middle-income countries, while it had a greater impact on women in low- to middle-income settings. Osteoarthritis emerged as the most affected condition globally, followed by gout and rheumatoid arthritis.
Using data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021, the team looked at how much of the impact was due to ageing rather than just more people or changes in disease rates, and they found that musculoskeletal disorders caused by population ageing cost about US$96 billion in 2021, which is about 0.1% of the world’s total economic output, more than the costs
“Population ageing is an inevitable global trend, but its impact on musculoskeletal disorders is not equally distributed,” Pan said, noting that middle-income countries face “the steepest proportional increases yet often have the least prepared healthcare systems to respond.”
Co-lead author Shi-Yang Guan said the results should guide policies tailored to local demographics, sex differences and disease profiles, “strengthening preventive measures, improving long-term management, and ensuring sustainable financing” to meet rising demand.
The authors said the findings underscore an urgent need for health-system planning that anticipates ageing populations, expands rehabilitation and pain services, and invests in prevention to curb the growing burden on patients and economies.
