April 4, 2019, by bmillar

Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing Cohort Study

The NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre is currently recruiting for a study investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing, led by Professor David Walsh. This research is being funded by NIHR and Versus Arthritis.

Professor David Walsh himself is a consultant rheumatologist, who first became interested in a career in rheumatology because of the exciting research taking place in immunology. However, since then his research has become focused on musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, its mechanisms, treatment and management.

The progression and associations of musculoskeletal pain, frailty, disability and fracture risk are not well known. This study aims to measure and characterise the development and progression of frailty, pain and disability, and to identify discrete subgroups and their associations. The survey will form a context for nested research, permitting recruitment of participant subsets for qualitative, observational and interventional studies.

Whilst many treatments are available, they rarely offer permanent cures for MSK problems. One reason why current treatments can be less effective than intended is if only some rather than all people benefit from them and this could be due to our incomplete understanding of the mechanisms underlying MSK pain, frailty and disability and how they relate to each other. The study aims to find ways of getting the right treatments to the right people at the right time. To do this research it is important to find people with particular characteristics or symptoms.

With 1 in 4 UK adults being affected by musculoskeletal problems on a daily basis, it is no surprise that over 5000 willing participants responded keen to engage in the study. To be eligible participants need to be aged 18 or over and have or are at risk of developing musculoskeletal frailty, pain or disability.

During the study, participants are asked to fill in a simple questionnaire about their musculoskeletal health and wellbeing and to complete annual follow up questionnaires for the next 5 years. Researchers will use this information to analyse the progression of pain, frailty and disability.

By analysing people with particular characteristics and symptoms, Prof Walsh and his team hope to be able to illuminate the links between pain, frailty and disability, to identify risk factors for poor outcomes and facilitate the research to improve outcome for specific groups. This will pave the way for better treatments, and in turn, better ageing.

Participants who complete a questionnaire for this study, can enter a prize draw. Four lucky recipients received their vouchers just in time for Christmas!

For further information please contact us at msk-recruitment@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 8231676

For updates follow us @MskWellbeing

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