💥 The Invisible Giant: Why Musculoskeletal Pain Is Breaking the System (and We Don’t Even See It)
We hear about cancer, diabetes, and heart disease all the time. But what about the pain millions live with every day — in their backs, shoulders, knees, and necks? Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is the silent epidemic of American healthcare. It affects more people than heart disease and costs us more than cancer. Yet it remains largely invisible.
Why? Because MSK pain doesn’t make headlines. It hides behind vague diagnoses, fragmented treatments, and a system that rewards procedures over prevention. Most people don’t realize how much money we’re spending — or how poor the outcomes are.
Despite hundreds of billions spent each year, MSK care too often leads to chronic pain, unnecessary surgeries, and long-term disability. Not because people are broken — but because the system is.
It’s time we saw MSK pain for what it is: not just an orthopedic issue, but a public health crisis. And it demands a smarter, more human response.