Thesis abstract:

Musculoskeletal conditions are often burdensome and affect approximately 1.7 billion people globally. They account for significant costs across the primary and hospital settings, where estimated costs in Australian primary care were approximately $3.3 billion and $10 billion in the hospital setting. The most common musculoskeletal conditions include low back pain and arthritic conditions including osteoarthritis. These are associated with adverse health outcomes such as functional impairment, impaired sleep, and reduced quality of life. Management of musculoskeletal conditions may include a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. The purpose of this thesis is to explore these therapies across a range of musculoskeletal conditions.