Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions in Rural South Australia: A Randomised Controlled Trial

With age, the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions increases markedly. This rural-based study determined the benefits of two approaches for managing musculoskeletal conditions: a multiple-component 'Self-management Plus' intervention, and usual care. The intervention combined self-management education with physical activity and health professional support. 6-month outcomes included: Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale (CGI-IS) and Quality of Life (QoL). A total of 145 people were recruited; mean (SD) age was 66.1 (11.1) and 63.3 (10.9) years for intervention and control groups respectively. The intervention resulted in greater improvements in global functioning (CGI-IS mean (SD) = 3.2 (1.3)) than usual care (CGI-IS mean (SD) = 4.2 (1.5)). There was no difference in QoL improvement between study groups. A multiple-component 'Self-management Plus' intervention had a positive effect on physical functioning for older adults with musculoskeletal conditions. However, recruitment and retention of participants was problematic, which raises questions about the intervention's feasibility in its current form.