Clinical area: Musculoskeletal (MSK) - Digital platforms for community based self-management of mild to moderate osteoarthritis and joint pain

Why:

• Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect many people and can affect your joints, bones and muscles and sometimes associated tissues such as your nerves. They can range from minor injuries to long-term conditions.
• Over 20 million people in the UK, almost one third of the population, have a MSK condition such as arthritis or back pain. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, limited movement, and disability which affect quality of life and independence.
• Osteoarthritis is a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff. It's the most common type of arthritis in the UK. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are joint pain and stiffness, and problems moving the joint.
• Increasing the availability of digitally enabled self-management programmes for non-inflammatory joint pain including osteoarthritis is aligned to the NHS Long Term Plan, the Major Conditions Strategy, and other national strategic priority areas.

Further information:

• This topic has been scheduled for an early value assessment (EVA) – GID-HTE10057
• Please review Digital technologies for managing mild to moderate hip or knee osteoarthritis: early-value assessment section on NICE website for all information on how you can contribute.
• The expected publication date is 16 January 2026, but this is liable to change.