International monitoring of musculoskeletal complaints: a need for consensus

Musculoskeletal pain is the complaint most frequently reported in health interview surveys. There is a confusing magnitude of names given to musculoskeletal pain complaints reflecting diverging opinions and a lack of consensus of what it is all about. This article discusses how to monitor the occurrence of unspecified musculoskeletal complaints and possible sources of information are presented. The main focus of the article is on how to include musculoskeletal complaints in health interview surveys, and a standard question to be included in all general health questionnaires is recommended.