Rheumatology in general practice--a survey in World Rheumatism Year 1977.

Rheumatological complaints accounted for 10.6 per cent of new presentations in this general-practice survey. Spinal problems formed almost half of this total and led to a greater degree of disability than other locomotor system disorders. Active participation in the treatment of pain by the practitioner's use of manipulation and injection techniques is shown to be quite feasible in general. Forty-six per cent of all hospital referrals were simply requests for physiotherapy, and we suggest that physiotherapy departments should offer open access and so lead to a marked reduction in over-strained rheumatology consultant outpatient clinics.