What you can get help for
You can get help from community MSK services for a variety of conditions and symptoms affecting your back, joints, muscles or the ligaments that hold your joints together.
This can include:
- back or joint pain that's lasted a few weeks and is not getting better, including joint pain such as knee pain, shoulder pain and neck pain
- conditions such as arthritis, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis or tennis elbow
- recovery after an injury, such as a sport injury or strain
- recovery after surgery, such as knee or hip replacement surgery
What help you can get
Community MSK services may be able to provide:
- an assessment to understand what the problem is and what treatment and support you need
- treatments and support such as physiotherapy, pain management and occupational therapy
- referral to other specialists if needed
The services you can get may depend on what's available in your area.
Who can use this service
Most adults can refer themselves to community MSK services.
You can use this service to refer yourself if you:
- live in England
- are aged 18 and over – or from age 16 or 17 in some areas of the country
- are registered with a GP
If you're not registered with a GP
If you want to refer yourself to community MSK services but you're not registered with a GP you can:
- search online for "community MSK service self referral" and include the county or town where you live to see if you can refer yourself without being registered with a GP
- find out how to register with a GP surgery
How to refer yourself to community MSK services
When you use this service, you'll be asked to:
- enter the name of your GP surgery – this is to help find services in your GP surgery's area
- choose a service you want to refer yourself to
- refer yourself to the service you choose – most services have an online form, but if you cannot do it online their website should tell you other ways to refer yourself
The service you refer yourself to will contact you and tell you what happens next and how long you may need to wait.
Other ways to get help
In some parts of England, you may not currently be able to refer yourself to community MSK services.
If this service does not show any results for your GP surgery, you can:
- speak to your GP surgery or check the surgery's website
- contact your local integrated care board (ICB)
- search online for "NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services" near you