ABSTRACT
Locomotor disorders are one of the most common causes of pain and disability, both in hospital and within the community. Almost everyone has had some time off work with back pain during their career, or has suffered a similar minor locomotor problem. Examination of the locomotor system is quite difficult, particularly as it is somewhat diverse – the high prevalence of rheumatic conditions in the general population is not reflected by the quality of rheumatological examination in practice. Conditions affecting the locomotor system are diverse, and range from very minor soft tissue conditions such as tennis elbow to very severe, life-threatening connective tissue diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This requires history taking and examination to be extremely flexible, allowing for a quick ‘spot’ diagnosis, or to give time and understanding to patients with more complex problems where necessary.
