RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing

This study, called 'Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing,' aims to better understand muscle and joint pain, weakness, and difficulty moving. Many people experience these issues, but we don't fully understand how they progress or how they are connected. Researchers will ask 10,000 adults, aged 18 and over, about their health using questionnaires. They will follow up with participants for up to five years, collecting information on pain, frailty, and disability. The goal is to identify different patterns of these conditions and see how they affect people's health and daily lives. This could lead to better ways to help people living with musculoskeletal problems.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University of Nottingham

Enrolment target

10,000

Start

22 Jun 2018

Estimated completion

30 Apr 2025

Musculoskeletal Pain, Frailty, Disability

What is this study about?

This study is called 'Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing.' Its main goal is to get a clearer picture of how muscle and joint pain, overall body weakness (called frailty), and difficulties with daily activities (disability) develop over time and how they might be linked to each other. Many people experience these kinds of problems, but we don't fully understand why some people get certain symptoms or why their conditions get better or worse.

Researchers will recruit 10,000 adults, aged 18 and over, from local doctors' surgeries, hospitals, and the general public. They will gather information by asking participants to fill out questionnaires. These questionnaires will cover things like your background, how severe your pain is, where you feel pain, and how it feels (e.g., sharp, aching). They will also look at your risk of fractures (broken bones), how frail you might be, and any difficulties you have with daily tasks.

The information collected from all the participants will be carefully analysed. This will help researchers identify different types (or 'subgroups') of frailty, pain, and disability. They will then look at how these conditions change over time and how they influence people's overall health and happiness. Understanding these patterns better could lead to improved ways to prevent, manage, and treat musculoskeletal problems in the future.

Key takeaways

This study aims to understand muscle, joint, and bone health better.
It will follow 10,000 adults over five years using questionnaires.
The goal is to understand how pain, weakness, and disability develop.
Participation involves completing annual questionnaires from home.
There are no new treatments or medications involved.
Your involvement could help improve future care for many people.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and be able to understand and agree to take part. You should also have, or be at risk of developing, issues with your muscles, bones, or joints, or have some level of frailty.

There are some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. For example, if you can't understand English well enough to complete the questionnaires, or if you have specific communication needs. You also wouldn't be able to join if you are receiving kidney dialysis, using home oxygen, have terminal cancer, unstable heart conditions like angina or heart failure, a serious mental illness, or dementia.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Can you understand written and spoken English?
Do you have, or are you at risk of developing, muscle, joint, or bone problems?
Are you able to agree to take part in the study?
Are you not receiving kidney dialysis or home oxygen?
Do you not have terminal cancer, unstable heart problems, serious mental illness, or dementia?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire initially (at 'baseline'). This questionnaire will ask about your personal details, your pain levels and where it is, how physically frail you might be, and any difficulties you have with daily activities. After this first questionnaire, you will be asked to complete similar questionnaires once a year for up to five years. There are no clinic visits involved; all data is collected through these questionnaires. You will not be given any medication as part of this study.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of taking part is contributing to a better understanding of muscle, joint, and bone health, which could help many people in the future. The risks of taking part are very low; mainly, it involves giving up some of your time to complete questionnaires. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and this will not affect your medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University of Nottingham
Verified postcode
Nottingham, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'musculoskeletal health'?

It refers to the health of your muscles, bones, joints, and tendons – basically, everything that helps you move.

What does 'frailty' mean in this study?

Frailty means being more vulnerable to various health problems due to a general decline in strength and energy.

How long will I be involved in the study?

You will be asked to complete questionnaires once a year for up to five years.

Do I need to visit a hospital or clinic?

No, all information for this study is collected through questionnaires, so you won't need to visit anywhere.

Will I receive any new treatments?

No, this study is about understanding health conditions through questionnaires, not about testing new treatments or medications.

How to find out more

Bonnie Millar

bonnie.millar@nottingham.ac.uk 0115 8231754 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.