As noted previously, great progress in addressing fatal diseases is being made worldwide and nonfatal diseases pose the next major threat in terms of disease burden. Musculoskeletal conditions – in particular, trauma, back pain, and arthritis – constitute a major share of this morbidity burden, often restricting activities of daily living, causing lost work days, and are a source of lifelong pain. In spite of this, research funding to ease this burden remains well below that of other disease conditions.
