A sailor's pain: Veterans' musculoskeletal disorders, chronic pain, and disability.

A few years after leaving the navy, a 50-year-old Veteran* presents to a new family physician with chronic knee and back pain. He is seeking a new physician for opioid and benzodiazepine refills, referrals for ongoing acupuncture and massage therapy, and completion of Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC) disability claim forms for his back. He was medically released at the rank of Petty Officer owing to knee impairment secondary to a fracture sustained aboard ship.