January is traditionally a time for fresh starts.
Gym memberships rise, step counts reset, and many of us promise to take better care of our health. But for hundreds of thousands of people , the New Year begins not with action but with waiting.
There are currently 400,506 people waiting for a musculoskeletal (MSK) appointment in England. This is the first time the figure has exceeded 400,000, representing a 17% year-on-year increase. Just three years ago, that number stood at approximately 254,000.
In other words, despite growing awareness of MSK conditions and their impact on quality of life, productivity, and long-term health… access to timely care is moving in the wrong direction.
The quiet crisis behind the numbers
MSK conditions are rarely life-threatening, but they are life-limiting. Back pain, joint pain, tendon injuries and repetitive strain disorders affect how people work, sleep, move and engage with everyday life.
When treatment is delayed, pain becomes persistent. Acute injuries become chronic conditions. People adapt by moving less, compensating poorly, or simply “putting up with it” often until symptoms worsen.
The latest NHS community health services data shows that MSK waiting lists are not just long, they are growing faster than the system can currently respond. Workforce pressures, rising demand, and limited capacity mean many patients face weeks or months before their first appointment.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has rightly highlighted this trend as evidence of a system under strain, calling for better workforce planning and long-term solutions. But while policy discussions continue, patients are still waiting and the consequences are already being felt.
Why waiting doesn’t just affect patients
Delayed MSK care doesn’t only impact individuals. It has knock-on effects across employers, the NHS, and the wider economy.
MSK conditions are one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK. Prolonged pain contributes to reduced productivity, increased reliance on pain medication, and higher rates of long-term work absence. Once someone falls out of work due to chronic MSK pain, returning becomes significantly harder.
This is why MSK care cannot be viewed as “optional” or secondary. Early intervention matters: and the longer people wait, the more complex and costly recovery becomes.
Doing things differently: where digital MSK care fits in
At DocHQ, we see the impact of delayed care every day. Many of the people who come to us are not new to pain: they are people who have been waiting, self-managing without guidance, or unsure where to turn next.
Digital MSK pathways are not about replacing clinicians or bypassing the NHS. They are about using technology to extend access, support early intervention, and help people take meaningful action sooner.
By combining clinically led triage, personalised exercise programmes, education, and ongoing support, digital MSK care can help people start recovery earlier, often before pain becomes chronic. It also enables clinicians to focus their time where it’s most needed, supporting system capacity rather than competing with it.
Crucially, digital pathways allow people to engage with care around their lives at home, at work, and at a pace that supports consistency and adherence.
A New Year opportunity.. if we take it
The New Year is a natural moment to reflect not just on individual habits, but on how we deliver care.
The data is clear: MSK waiting lists are rising, not falling. Doing more of the same will not reverse that trend.
If 2026 is to be the year we genuinely reduce the burden of MSK conditions, we need to prioritise earlier access, smarter pathways, and prevention-first approaches, not just more waiting.
Because for the hundreds of thousands already on those lists, a healthier New Year doesn’t start with another delay. It starts with access to the right care, at the right time.
“Because technology doesn’t heal people. People heal people. Technology just makes it easier, faster, and more effective.” -DocHQ CEO
