A new United States Bone and Joint Initiative report shows that in 2012 an estimated 126.6 million Americans were affected by a musculoskeletal condition, costing an estimated $213 billion in annual treatment, care and lost wages, according to AAOS.
Here are five notes:
1. Eighteen percent of all healthcare visits in 2010 were related to musculoskeletal conditions, including 52 million visits for low back pain and 66 million for bone and joint injuries.
2. Arthritis and rheumatoid conditions resulted in an estimated 6.7 million annual hospitalizations.
3. The average annual cost per person for treatment of a musculoskeletal condition is $7,800.
4. The estimated annual cost for medical care to treat all forms of arthritis and joint pain was $580.9 billion.
5. In 2012, 25.5 million people lost an average of 11.4 days of work due to back or neck pain, totaling 290.8 million lost workdays in 2012 alone.