By 2050, one in three MSDs will be non-traumatic.

When we think of muscle, joint, and bone problems, most people picture the “usual suspects”: back pain, neck pain, arthritis, or gout. These well-known issues dominate the conversation – and for good reason, as they affect millions worldwide. But there’s another group of conditions that’s growing quietly and quickly: fibromyalgia, tendon problems, bursitis, some forms of lupus, and other systemic or stress-related aches and pains.  In global health statistics, these often end up in a catch-all category called “other musculoskeletal disorders”.


Why you may not have heard much about them
For most of the last century, these problems were rarely counted separately. Doctors and health systems were more focused on infections, injuries, and clearly visible conditions. Many stress-related or non-traumatic aches were mislabelled, overlooked, or simply lumped together under vague headings like “general pain” or “other joint problems.” That doesn’t mean they were rare – just that they didn’t show up in the data, so they weren’t a public health priority.

What’s happening nowWe now know that these “other” muscle and joint conditions are on the rise. In fact, from 1990 to 2019, their overall impact on daily life (measured as disability) grew almost three times faster than low back pain. Today, they make up more than a quarter of all muscle and joint problems worldwide – and by 2050, they could affect over one billion people.


Why this shift is happeningMany of these conditions aren’t caused by accidents or wear-and-tear alone. They’re often linked to chronic stress, changes in how we work, less recovery time, and the constant mental and emotional demands of modern life. Stress doesn’t just affect your mind – it influences how your body regulates itself, including muscle tone, inflammation, and pain sensitivity. This is why some people develop persistent aches, stiffness, or fatigue even without a clear injury.


What this means for youThe takeaway is simple: if you have ongoing muscle or joint pain that doesn’t come from an obvious injury, you’re not alone – and it’s not “just in your head.” These problems are real, increasingly common, and often linked to how your body responds to long-term stress.

Early attention matters – or as I like to say, mind your body before your body reminds you. If you wake up with sudden, unexplained pain, seeking help from a skilled manual therapist is essential. A therapist who integrates autonomic regulation into their approach – as in The Reaset Approach, which I developed – focuses on helping your body restore its natural balance rather than simply chasing symptoms. Through gentle hands-on techniques, tailored movement guidance, and practical lifestyle adjustments, you can support your body’s ability to adapt, recover, and stay resilient – not only easing pain, but also building a stronger foundation for your long-term health

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References:

GBD 2021 Musculoskeletal Disorders Collaborators. (2023). Global, regional, and national burden of other musculoskeletal disorders, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology, 5(8), e483–e495. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00232-1
GBD 2019 Diseases and Injuries Collaborators. (2020). Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet, 396(10258), 1204–1222. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30925-9
GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators. (2023). Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology, 5(8), e508–e520. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00233-3
GBD 2021 Neck Pain Collaborators. (2023). Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology, 5(8), e496–e507. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00231-X
World Health Organization. (2022). Musculoskeletal conditions. WHO Fact Sheets. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, August 18). Musculoskeletal disease causes most disability, healthcare spending in U.S., but gets less than 2% of NIH research funds. Consult QD. https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/musculoskeletal-disease-causes-most-disability-healthcare-spending-in-u-s-but-gets-less-than-2-of-nih-research-funds