Risk factors associated with reduced work productivity among people with chronic knee pain

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common chronic musculoskeletal condition often associated with pain and physical disability. Chronic knee pain is associated with reduced quality of life.Previous large population-based surveys have shown over 30% of older people have symptomatic knee osteoarthritis with about half also reporting some level of associated disability. With an ageing population, and the growing trend to delay retirement worldwide, the number of people in the workforce affected by painful knee osteoarthritis will increase.Work productivity losses are typically measured in two ways: as days taken off work (absenteeism) or as self-reported reduced productivity, or performance while at work (presenteeism). There is increasing evidence that presenteeism, rather than absenteeism, is the major contributor to loss of work productivity