Royal College of General Practitioners - Online Learning Environment

Available until 29 December 2025.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) issues account for up to 30% of general practitioner consultations, representing a significant clinical and societal burden. MSK disabilities often persist longer than other conditions, leading to reduced quality of life and broader socioeconomic implications. GPs play a crucial role in early diagnosis, effective management, and preventive care for MSK conditions to minimise disability and encourage healthier lifestyles.

This conference aims to empower primary care practitioners to enhance patient outcomes and promote physical activity as a preventive and therapeutic strategy.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this conference, participants will be able to:

• Strengthen diagnostic skills: recognise common and rare musculoskeletal conditions in primary care through improved clinical examination and history-taking techniques. Differentiate between inflammatory, mechanical and systemic causes of MSK symptoms.
• Enhance management strategies: increase confidence in delivering evidence-based management plans. Explore the latest guidelines and treatments for conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain and soft tissue injuries.
• Improve patient outcomes: apply practical strategies to improve patient education, self-management, and adherence to treatment plans. Understand when to refer patients for specialist care and how to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, such as physiotherapists and rheumatologists.
• Encourage preventive care and physical activity: recognise the importance of early intervention to reduce the risk of long-term disability.

Topics include:

• Paediatric rheumatology
• Physical activity
• Gout
• Osteoporosis
• Hand disorders
• Back and hip
• Shoulder and knee

Conference Chair:

Dr Jean Wong, GPwER Sports and Exercise Medicine, SEM ST6