Welcome to the Musculoskeletal Elf

This website will help you find just what you need to keep up-to-date with all of the important and reliable research and guidance about musculoskeletal conditions.

You don’t have to waste time looking at dozens of websites and articles every week.

Our team of musculoskeletal experts post updates every week with short and snappy summaries that highlight evidence-based publications relevant to musculoskeletal conditions in the UK and further afield.

You can be the first to hear about key guidance, systematic reviews and high quality research and information.

No jargon, no misinformation, no spin, just what you need.

Who decides what evidence is included on the website?

We scour over 400 databases, journals, websites and other feeds to bring you the best available evidence about musculoskeletal conditions.  Items are selected using an evidence-based inclusion criteria to ensure they are  based on high quality research, policy and guidance. The selection process has no input from any external bodies, publishers, sponsors or commercial organisations. We critically appraise the material we find using the CASP critical appraisal checklists.

The Musculoskeletal Elf team

• Tracey Howe, Chief Blogger, Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University
• Lesley Dawson, Chief Blogger
• André Tomlin, Managing Director, Minervation
• Douglas Badenoch, Director, Minervation
• Elspeth Donaldson

Our contributing bloggers

• Nicky Butler, Team Lead and ESP Physiotherapist, Spinal Division of Orthopaedic Outpatients in NHS Scotland
• Adrian Dunbar
• Louise Duncan, Specialist Physiotherapist
• Heather Gray, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Glasgow Caledonian University
• Christine Haseler, Full time GP working in Gloucester
• Michael Horsfield, GP partner working in Earby, Lancashire
• Larissa Kempenaar, Physiotherapy lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University
• Lynne Rowley, Team lead for Orthotics at NHS Forth Valley
• Tom Rowley, Full time GP Partner working in Leicester
• Ali Rowsell, Research Fellow at the University of Southampton
• Allan Thomson, Lecturer in Podiatry at Glasgow Caledonian University
• Dr Jean Wong, Full time GP Partner in Loughborough

Would you like to write for the MSK Elf?

If you think you have an elf inside, fighting to get out, please download our introduction to getting more involved with the Musculoskeletal Elf (PDF) and drop us a line to introduce yourself.

Are there more elves for different health topics?

We are adding to our National Elf Service all the time.  Check out these other elves:

• The Child Elf
• The Commissioning Elf
• The Dental Elf
• The Diabetes Elf
• The Education Elf
• The Learning Disabilities Elf
• The Lifestyle Elf
• The Mental Elf
• The Social Care Elf
• The Stroke Elf