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Improved evidence-based management of acute musculoskeletal pain

Julien P de Jager and Michael J Ahern
Med J Aust 2004; 181 (10): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06435.x
Published online: 15 November 2004

Guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council are now available

A recent World Health Organization report on the burden of musculoskeletal conditions in 2002 noted that these were a major cause of morbidity throughout the world. While much of this burden of disease is due to chronic arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, the commonest problems by far involve acute musculoskeletal pain in the back, neck and large joints. “Acute” is defined as duration of symptoms not exceeding 3 months.


  • 1 Gold Coast Hospital, Southport, QLD.
  • 2 Flinders University, Adelaide, SA.


Correspondence: 

  • 1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Evidence-based management of acute musculoskeletal pain. Available at: www7.health.gov.au/nhmrc/publications/synopses/cp94syn.htm (accessed Oct 2004).
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  • 3. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Update Software: The Cochrane Library. Available at: www.update-software.com/publications/cochrane/ (accessed Oct 2004).
  • 4. Hadler NM. Occupational musculoskeletal disorders. New York: Raven Press, 1993: 95-185.
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  • 7. Adopting best evidence in practice. From the National Institute of Clinical Studies. Med J Aust 2004; 180 (6 Suppl 15 Mar): S41-S72.<eMJA full text>
  • 8. Grol R, Grimshaw J. From best evidence to best practice: effective implementation of change in patients’ care. Lancet 2003; 362: 1225-1230.

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