Find out why MSK health is important to you as an individual.
How is your musculoskeletal health?
Musculoskeletal health gives you mobility and dexterity. It enables a strong grip, and gives you the ability to lift, carry, rise, sit squat, bend, walk and run. All needed to do the physical tasks of everyday life at all ages.
Good MSK health means strength, endurance, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, reaction time, and balance.
Musculoskeletal problems often cause pain and limit your activities.
See how good your MSK health is
Click the + buttons to discover more.
Walking speed
Time how long it takes you to walk a fixed distance as fast as is comfortable. You can then set this as a personal challenge for improving your MSK health. Walking speed varies with age and physical fitness. Brisk walking is the best for your health and is 100 steps per minute or more and your target should be at least 10 minutes a day.
One-legged Standing Balance
Stand on 1 leg without holding onto anything. Normal balance is one minute, less than 30 seconds will need some work.
Sit-stand Test
•Sit in the middle of a stable desk or dining chair
•Place each hand on the opposite shoulder crossed at the wrists
•Place your feet flat on the floor
•Keep your back straight and keep your arms against your chest
•On “Go”, rise to a full standing position and then sit back down again
•Repeat
•Time how long you take to stand up from sitting 10 times
•Ready, steady, “Go”
Do you have risk factors for poor MSK health?
There are bad things for MSK health that you should recognise
•Lack of physical activity – do you do 150 min moderate intensity activity per week (or 75 mins vigorous activity)?
•Body weight – is your BMI high?
Do you have an MSK problem?
| YES | NO | |
|---|---|---|
| Have you at anytime in the last 3 months had any problems affecting your muscles, joints, neck or back (pain, discomfort, numbness, tingling or pins and needles, weakness)? | ||
| If yes | ||
| Has this affected your usual activities such as work around the home, sports, shopping, childcare, exercising, etc? | ||
| Has this affected your ability to carry out your work? | ||
| Is the problem caused or made worse by your work? | ||
| Does it affect your quality of sleep? | ||
| Is this still a problem – have you had it at sometime in the last 7 days? |
If you have an ongoing problem affecting your muscles, joints, neck or back that is moderately or severely affecting your usual activities including your work or your sleep, then seek advice from a health professional. Also discover what you can do to support your MSK health by clicking here.
You should discuss with your workplace if you have pain or discomfort that is caused or made worse by your work or makes work difficult for you. Know more by clicking here.