Low Back Pain/Musculoskeletal Injuries in the US

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Low Back Pain/Musculoskeletal Injuries in the US

Statistics show that approximately 31 million Americans experience low back pain. Moreover, the condition is more common among women. Lower back pain costs Americans approximately $50 billion in health care costs annually. About 126.6 Americans are affected by a musculoskeletal disorder. Annually, the treatment costs and indirect costs add up to approximately $874 billion, representing 5.6% of the total US GDP.

Low Back Pain

  • In 2018, 28% adult men and 31.6% adult women experienced lower back pain in the past 3 months. In 2016, 29.9% of adult women and 26.7% of adult men experienced lower back pain. In 2015, 30.4% of adult women and 27.6% of adult male experienced lower back pain.
  • Slightly over 8% of the population in the US has severe lower back pain.
  • Other statistics show that 31 million Americans experience low back pain. Recent estimates show that the US spends $86 billion annually on back pain.
  • According to the American Chiropractic Association, lower back pain costs Americans approximately $50 billion in health care costs annually. After adding decreased productivity and lost wages, the figure rises to over $100 billion.
  • In a year, lower back pain accounts for over 264 million lost work days with a direct cost of $20 billion. Individually, an average sufferer spent $2,000 on back pain annually.

Musculoskeletal Injuries

  • Musculoskeletal diseases affect more than one out of every two individuals in the United States aged 18 and above. Moreover, three out of four individuals aged 65 years and above experience the injuries.
  • Musculoskeletal injuries or diseases account for over 50% of disabling health conditions among adults in the US.
  • 124 million Americans aged 18 years and above reported experiencing some form of musculoskeletal injuries or diseases in 2015. Data by The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 2013-2015 shows that approximately 126.6 million US adults has a musculoskeletal condition.
  • The condition account for 10% of the total health care spending in the United States. Annually, the treatment costs and indirect costs add up to approximately $874 billion, representing 5.6% of the total US GDP.
  • In the workplace, musculoskeletal injuries account for 16% of the overall employer healthcare budget. Annually, the average cost of treating the injuries is $7,800.
  • In 2014, $980 billion was spent on musculoskeletal diseases in the US, representing 5.76% of the GDP. In 2015, 364 million work days were lost due to the injuries.
  • Another report by the US Bone and Joint Initiative shows that musculoskeletal injuries cost an estimated $332 billion between 2012 and 2014.

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