Global and high-income regional burden and healthcare costs of musculoskeletal diseases, 1990-2023
Authors' conclusion
The burden of MSD in high-income regions continues to intensify, driven primarily by ageing, obesity, and occupational factors, and has not been alleviated by economic development.
Study context
- Population
- 36 high-income countries, 1990–2023, GBD 2023 database36 high-income countries
- Outcome
- Trends in incidence, prevalence and YLDs for MSD
- Follow-up
- 1990 to 2023
Methodological detailsBayesian meta-regression, cross-national transfer model, Spearman correlation analysis, forecast 2024–2050
- Bayesian meta-regression
- Cross-national transfer model
- Spearman correlation analysis
- Forecast 2024–2050
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MSD burden in high-income regions, 1990–2023
- Increase in total incident cases
- 36.75%
- Increase in prevalent cases
- 54.28%
- Increase in years lived with disability (YLDs)
- 49.36%
- Decrease in age-standardised incidence rate
- 4.07%
- Increase in standardised prevalence rate
- 5.04%
- Increase in standardised YLD rate
- 3.98%
Further findings
Subtypes and sex
- Low back pain and OA accounted for the largest proportion of burden
- Burden higher in females than males for all MSD subtypes except gout
Direct medical costs of MSD · 2023
- Direct medical costs
- $327.68 billion
- Share of United States
- >45%
Risk factors: proportion of YLDs attributable
- High BMI, 1990
- 8.3%
- High BMI, 2023
- 10.7%
- Occupational ergonomic factors, stable at approximately
- 7.7%
- Smoking-related burden decrease
- 30%
Association of Sociodemographic Index (SDI) with age-standardised MSD burden rates
- No significant association
Original publication
Global and high-income regional burden and healthcare costs of musculoskeletal diseases, 1990-2023. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 29 May 2026. doi:10.
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