肌肉骨骼痛很常见，可以是急性或慢性，是疾病和职业病病假的一个主要原因。

研究报告称，丹麦、日本和英国成人慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛患病率分别为 13%、15% 和 16%-41%。[1]Sjogren P, Ekholm O, Peuckmann V, et al. Epidemiology of chronic pain in Denmark: an update. Eur J Pain. 2009;13:287-292. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18547844?tool=bestpractice.com [2]Elliott AM, Smith BH, Penny KI, et al. The epidemiology of chronic pain in the community. Lancet. 1999;354:1248-1252. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10520633?tool=bestpractice.com [3]Parsons S, Breen A, Foster NE, et al. Prevalence and comparative troublesomeness by age of musculoskeletal pain in different body locations. Fam Pract. 2007 Sep;24(4):308-16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17602173?tool=bestpractice.com [4]Nakamura M, Nishiwaki Y, Ushida T, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of chronic musculoskeletal pain in Japan. J Orthop Sci. 2011 Jul;16(4):424-32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140943 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21678085?tool=bestpractice.com 女性患病率较高，且随年龄增长而增加；40%-67% 的新西兰女性报告有慢性肌肉骨骼疼痛。[1]Sjogren P, Ekholm O, Peuckmann V, et al. Epidemiology of chronic pain in Denmark: an update. Eur J Pain. 2009;13:287-292. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18547844?tool=bestpractice.com [4]Nakamura M, Nishiwaki Y, Ushida T, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of chronic musculoskeletal pain in Japan. J Orthop Sci. 2011 Jul;16(4):424-32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140943 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21678085?tool=bestpractice.com [5]Taylor W. Musculoskeletal pain in the adult New Zealand population: prevalence and impact. N Z Med J. 2005;118:U1629. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16138167?tool=bestpractice.com

瑞典超过 20％ 的成年人报告有背痛或肩部疼痛。[6]Bingefors K, Isacson D. Epidemiology, co-morbidity, and impact on health-related quality of life of self-reported headache and musculoskeletal pain: a gender perspective. Eur J Pain. 2004;8:435-450. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15324775?tool=bestpractice.com 背痛是美国成人中有效工作时间损失的第二大常见原因（继头痛之后），受影响的人群平均每周损失 5 小时以上。据估计，常见疼痛疾病造成美国企业每年因病痛缺勤和工作时效率降低损失 612 亿美元。[7]Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Chee E, et al. Lost productive time and cost due to common pain conditions in the US workforce. JAMA. 2003;290:2443-2454. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/197628 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14612481?tool=bestpractice.com