Back pain, wrist pain… More than half of the French suffer from musculoskeletal diseases.

A French public health study shows that 60% of women and half of men suffer from pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders.

According to a study published this Thursday, March 28, by the French Public Health, diseases of the back, shoulders and even wrists, musculoskeletal disorders have a “significant weight” in France, where almost 60% of women and half of men report pain associated with these health disorders.

About 58% of women and 51% of men aged 18 to 64 years report pain associated with MSI in the back or upper extremities, which, along with other data, confirms the “significant burden that MSI poses,” the health agency noted.

Pain and discomfort

Only for wage earners the data are comparable (60% among women, 54% among men), according to the 2021 Health Barometer, a large random sample telephone survey of health behaviors over the previous 12 months.

Musculoskeletal disorders include various diseases of the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, nerves, joints) that lead to pain and discomfort, often daily, caused or aggravated by work.

They constitute the leading cause of occupational diseases: 88% of pathologies are covered by general health insurance. The most commonly reported MSDs are low back pain, excluding sciatica in the back, and shoulder MSD in the upper extremity.

The number of surgical procedures for two very common conditions—carpal tunnel syndrome and low back pain—has remained “relatively stable” since 2018 (124,011 and 20,971, respectively, in 2022).

However, from 2018 to 2022, the incidence of lumbar disc herniations decreased. In carpal tunnel syndrome, it decreased in women and increased slightly in men.

Some inequalities

Socio-professional inequalities are confirmed: the frequency of MSDs of the back and upper extremities is higher among farmers and workers (for both sexes), artisans, traders and enterprise managers (for men), and office workers (for women).

He is lower among managers and higher intellectual professions.

Certain sectors are at greater risk: manufacturing and construction rank first among men, and human health and social activities among women.

French public health recommends “prioritizing” these sectors “for prevention campaigns.”

Adaptation of workplaces, work organization or limiting psychosocial risks are among the recommended actions. It is also recommended to reduce your sedentary lifestyle.