How often is one of the rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders likely to be seen in an average primary care practice?
About 1 out of every 5 to 10 office visits to a primary care provider is for a musculoskeletal disorder. Interestingly, 66% of these patients are aged <65 years. The most common problems are osteoarthritis, back pain, gout, fibromyalgia, and tendinitis/bursitis.
