The Musculoskeletal System: the Science of Staying Active into Old Age

With the wealth of seemingly contradictory information in the media about healthy living, sport and ageing, this free online course will demystify the ageing process and show you how our everyday behaviours and choices affect our long-term musculoskeletal health. Over three weeks, we’ll answer three key questions: 1) What is musculoskeletal health? We’ll identify the components of the musculoskeletal system and explain how they fit together. You’ll find out how ageing affects the musculoskeletal system; learn about common, age-related musculoskeletal disorders; and discuss the impact of such disorders on society and quality of life. 2) How can exercise benefit the musculoskeletal system? We’ll explore the impact of physical activity – and inactivity – on bones, muscles and joints. You’ll find out why exercise can be good and bad, not just for cardiovascular health, but also for your musculoskeletal system as you age. We’ll examine, through case studies, why clinical care teams make decisions about physical activity as they do. 3) How can diet benefit the musculoskeletal system? You’ll extend your knowledge of the role of nutrition in musculoskeletal health, learn which foods provide important nutrients for our muscles and bones, and understand how dietary recommendations for musculoskeletal health change as we age. Learn with specialists in musculoskeletal health The course has been developed by the MRC-Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing, a collaboration between the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle. Each institution holds world-leading expertise in areas of musculoskeletal ageing and together, within the CIMA collaboration, their expertise cover a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal health. Study with us This course will also be ideal for those from a non-biological background who may be interested in studying or researching musculoskeletal ageing at postgraduate level. For more information see our MRes and PhD training pages on our web site.