Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal diseases in low-income populations living in the tropics were of little relevance to doctors practicing medicine in non-tropical regions. However, with increased international travel and globalization, the spectrum of diseases seen in tropical and temperate regions has merged increasing the need to universally recognize these conditions previously confined to the tropics. Musculoskeletal disorders encountered in the tropics are similar to disorders encountered in temperate regions, excepting differences in frequency of occurrence of some diseases. Unsurprisingly, diseases associated with infections and malnutrition are more prevalent in lower-income tropical regions. However, with rapid demographic transitions, non-infectious musculoskeletal disorders related to Western lifestyles are emerging as significant socioeconomic problems in the tropics. Impaired immunity due to malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and immunosuppressive drugs present both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the often resource-poor settings of the tropics. This problem was compounded by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on healthcare systems. This chapter highlights the musculoskeletal disorders commonly encountered in the tropics with special emphasis on diseases of the joints, muscle, bone, and soft tissue related to infection. Additionally, it discusses some of the dilemmas that arise in diagnosis and management of inflammatory musculoskeletal diseases in the tropics.