Bone & Joint Health National Awareness Week

Held as an annual global event, Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week is observed October 12-20 with activities focused on disorders including arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis and trauma. The events and projects organized by individuals and organizations worldwide are designed to raise awareness of prevention, disease management, and treatments, as well as advances in a number of areas.

More than 750 organizations worldwide have endorsed the Decade initiative and more than 60 countries, including the United States, have established multidisciplinary National Action Networks to plan activities in their respective countries. Additionally, the Bone and Joint Decade has been endorsed by the World Health Organization, the United Nations and the Vatican

Our nation’s partner in this international awareness week is the United States Bone and Joint Initiative, the U.S. National Action Network of the Worldwide Bone and Joint Decade, a multidisciplinary initiative targeting the care of people with musculoskeletal conditions; essentially, bone and joint disorders. Its focus is on improving quality of life, as well as advancing the understanding and treatment of those conditions, through research, prevention, and education.

In addition to activities held throughout the week, there are five special days during Health National Awareness Week:

  • World Arthritis Day (10/12)
  • World Spine Day (10/16)
  • World Trauma Day (10/17)
  • World Pediatric Bone & Joint day (10/19)
  • World Osteoporosis Day (10/20)

Bone and joint conditions are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and physical disability worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people. Musculoskeletal conditions can lead to significant disability, plus diminished productivity and quality of life. In the United States alone, musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of disability, accounting for more than 130 million patient visits to healthcare providers annually. These conditions are the number-one reason people visit their physician, and they affect nearly one in two Americans over the age of 18.

To learn more about the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative, you can visit www.usbjd.org

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