That’s enough people to fill the new Wembley Stadium 11 times over.

• You have a staggering 80% chance of developing low back pain at some point in your life.
• The average sufferer spends 17 days a year off sick with MSDs.
• In 2006/07 247,000 people reported having a work related MSD the last 12 months.
• As well as the human cost of pain and suffering, MSDs cost employers an estimated £600m ( HSE 1995/96 prices).
• Last year more than 10 million working days were lost to MSDs.

The good news is that there are things you can do to prevent or minimise musculoskeletal disorders. You can make a lasting improvement to your organisation’s productivity and your staff’s health. Not all MSD ill health can be prevented, so the campaign also encourages employers to take actions that help workers with MSDs to stay in work or return to work.

Everyone can do something to help minimise the risks of MSDs and reduce their impact. See the Who is it for page to see what you can do.

Whether you are an employer, manager, worker, safety representative or health and safety professional, Better Backs can help you identify where you can take action.

• Sign up to the Better Backs campaign