Lesson Three - Musculoskeletal
| Site: | MoodleHUB.ca 🍁 |
| Course: | Chronic Conditions [1 cr] - AB Ed copy 1 |
| Book: | Lesson Three - Musculoskeletal |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Sunday, 14 September 2025, 4:05 AM |
Information
- This lesson is designed to take approximately 30 minutes.
- You have the following tasks and assignments to complete in this lesson:
- Study all Lesson 3 content, including videos, supplementary reading, etc.
- 2.3 Quiz
- 2.5 Final Assignment Step 1
Lesson Outcomes
Explain:
- repetitive motion conditions
- osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- osteoporosis
Introduction
Musculoskeletal Conditions
The musculoskeletal system consists of the muscles and bones of the human body. There are various conditions that affect this body system. Only a few are covered in this course.
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Repetitive Motion
What is it?
Carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, bursitis, tendonitis, epicondylitis, ganglion cysts, tenosynovitis, trigger finger, along with other disorders, all fall under the umbrella of repetitive motion disorders (RMDs). RMDs most commonly occur in the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Other places RMDs might occur in the body are the neck, back, hips, knees, feet, legs, and ankles.
RMDs are soft tissue conditions characterized by inflammation and compression of nerves and tissues.
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A person with a repetitive motion disorder might experience any combination of the following:
- pain
- tingling
- numbness
- visible swelling
- redness of the affected area
- loss of flexibility
- loss of strength
- difficulty performing easy tasks
Courtesy of MyHealth.Alberta.ca.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
Those who perform repetitive tasks without using proper ergonomics are most likely to get a repetitive motion disorder. Tasks that are repetitive include, but are not limited to:
They can also be caused by:
- assembly line work
- meatpacking
- sewing
- playing musical instruments
- computer work
- carpentry
- gardening
- tennis
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They can also be caused by:
- participating in a new activity without the proper conditioning
- doing intense exercise
- not varying your activity or exercise routine
- playing sports
- doing too much without proper conditioning
- not using the proper form for the activity
- not using proper equipment, such as wearing poorly fitted shoes
- doing too much of an activity
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Osteoarthritis
What is it?
Osteo comes from the Greek word osteon which means bone. Anytime you see a condition with the root osteo, you can be sure it has something to do with bones.
Osteoarthritis is a breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage is the cushion at the end of each bone as part of a joint. If the cartilage breaks down, the bones start to rub together and damage each other, leading to pain. When someone talks about arthritis without specifying a type, this is usually the type they are referring to. No one knows what causes the initial cartilage breakdown in osteoarthritis.
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Although there may be multiple joints that have osteoarthritis, common symptoms of osteoarthritis are usually found within a single damaged joint.:
- Pain—can feel like a dull ache made worse by movement
- Stiffness—usually most noticeable after a period of not moving the joint
- Tenderness
- Loss of flexibility
- Grating sensation—a grating or grinding feeling with possible popping or cracking sounds
- Bone spurs—extra bone that feels like hard lumps
- Swelling—caused by the inflammation
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There are a number of risk factors that make a person more likely to develop osteoarthritis, including:
- older age
- sex (women are at an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis)
- obesity
- a history of joint injuries
- repeated stress on the joint
- genetics
- congenital joint deformities, such as malformed joints or defective cartilage
- some metabolic diseases such as diabetes and hemochromatosis
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is it?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack the patient's own body systems leading to inflammation. Over time, this inflammation destroys joint tissues. This, in turn, leads to a
limited ability to do daily activities and makes it hard for the patient to walk and/or use their hands.
Courtesy of MyHealth.Alberta.ca.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
Click each of the coloured tabs to view more information.
You will recall that osteoarthritis is the wearing down of a single joint (although it is possible to get osteoarthritis in multiple joints). In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis usually affects multiple joints on both sides of the body.
Joints most commonly affected are the hands, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles, knees, or neck. Within these joints a patient may feel:
Very rarely, the autoimmune disorder that causes rheumatoid arthritis also affects the eyes, lungs, heart, nerves, or blood vessels. These rare cases are severe.
- pain
- stiffness
- swelling
Very rarely, the autoimmune disorder that causes rheumatoid arthritis also affects the eyes, lungs, heart, nerves, or blood vessels. These rare cases are severe.
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Things that increase the risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis include:
- being female
- being middle-aged
- smoking
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Osteoporosis
What is it?
Osteoporosis literally means a condition of porous bones. A patient with osteoporosis has bones with thin and brittle walls. The inside of the bones are often compared to a sponge because they are
full of more pores than normal, making them easy to break. This is especially true of the wrist, hips, and spine. A broken bone in a patient with osteoporosis can be difficult to heal and
cause long-term disability.
Courtesy of MyHealth.Alberta.ca.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
The reproduction is not represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or without the endorsement of Alberta Health or AHS.
Click each of the coloured tabs to view more information.
Unfortunately, for many patients, a broken bone is the first sign that they have osteoporosis, as the disease can be quite far along before there are any noticeable symptoms.
As the disease progresses, there may be other signs, such as increased back pain, loss of height, and a curved backbone.
As the disease progresses, there may be other signs, such as increased back pain, loss of height, and a curved backbone.
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Bones naturally thin as a person ages. However, there are some factors that can increase the risk of bone loss, such as
- Age—risk increases as patients approach and pass 60 years old
- Being a postmenopausal woman or a woman with low estrogen
- Having a slender body frame
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Race—being of European or Asian descent increases risk
- Smoking
- Lack of weight-bearing exercise
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Lack of calcium
- Lack of vitamin D
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Summary
Now that you have completed Lesson 3, you should have a better understanding of some of the more commonly seen chronic conditions of the muscular and skeletal systems of the body. You should be able to explain what the signs and symptoms some of these conditions are. You should also be able to discuss what factors increase the risk of developing these conditions and start to understand how these conditions might be prevented.