Pain Research Theme: Musculoskeletal Pain

Musculoskeletal pain (affecting the spine, muscles and joints) is the commonest form of chronic pain, and includes chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and fibromyalgia. It is intricately linked to the way we move, and a major cause of physical disability. However, the causes of pain are often obscure, and important determinants of pain span peripheral structures and the joints, through to the brain and descending modulatory pain system. Examples of ongoing projects include:

• Mechanisms of mechanosensitivity and role of cartilage in OA pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral surgical approaches
• Shoulder pain
• Pain in sciatica
• Brain mechanisms and treatments in fibromyalgia
• Brain and physiology of sports injury

Oxford researchers working in this theme:

• Steve Gwilym, Associate Professor, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences
• Anushka Irani
• Annina Schmid, Professor of Pain Neurosciences, Oxford Neuroscience
• Ben Seymour, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences
• Irene Tracey, Professor of Anaesthetic Neuroscience, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences
• Tonia Vincent, Professor of Translational Musculoskeletal Science, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology
• Akira Wiberg, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences

Project webpages:

• Centre for OA Pathogenesis
• The Podium Institute
• Centre for Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis Versus Arthritis
• HUSH Trial (The Humeral Shaft Fracture Trial)
• The CSAW Trial (Can Shoulder Arthroscopy Work?)
• The Promote Study (Pain Rehabilitation to Optimise Major Orthopaedic Trauma Recovery)