Research Digest

1. Employment characteristics of individuals who received osteopathic care: a retrospective cross-sectional observational study

   The profile and clinical presentation of people consulting osteopaths in Belgium has been studied and reported before. Information on employment aspects of such individuals is lacking. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to contribute to filling this gap … ABSTRACT

2. Investigating the trustworthiness of randomized controlled trials in osteopathic research: a systematic review with meta-analysis

   The objective of this review is to systematically investigate trustworthiness (methodological rigor, transparency, good governance, research integrity, and absence of misconduct) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of osteopathic manual therapy … MORE

3. The effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on chronic rhinosinusitis

   Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses that may significantly impair quality of life. CRS may also benefit from the application of manual techniques through osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), which aims to improve venous and lymphatic circulation, sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow, and cervicothoracic somatic dysfunction. This study aimed to assess […]

4. Effects of a single osteopathic manipulative treatment on intraocular pressure reduction: a pilot study

   Research on the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on visual functions and conditions is very limited. This study continues the exploration on the application of OMT with the intent of lowering intraocular pressure (IOP). A pilot randomized clinical trial was conducted to assess the impact of one OMT session on patients diagnosed with suspected […]

5. Acute changes in functional connectivity associated with first osteopathic manual treatment in chronic low back pain spatially overlap with opioid receptor expression

   Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) has emerged as a therapeutic approach for chronic low back pain (cLBP). Previous Magnetic Resonance (MR) studies have demonstrated that four weeks of OMT alter resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in the somatosensory cortex, prefrontal regions, and frontal operculum/insula. However, it remains unclear whether a single session of OMT can immediately affect […]

6. Alignment between the research question, design and terminology is required in manual therapy trials – a methodological study.

   This methodological study aimed to assess the design, reporting, and risk of bias in effectiveness trials in manual therapy, comparing pragmatic with non-pragmatic trials and trials with and without placebo controls … ABSTRACT

7. Placebo effects in osteopathy and other manual therapies – What they are and why they matter to clinical practice, education, and research

   Placebo effects are measurable changes in health outcomes arising from treatment context, driven by learning and expectancy mechanisms. While increasingly well documented and understood, their role in osteopathic and other manual therapies remains underexplored. Given the inherently complex and interpersonal nature of these interventions, understanding placebo and nocebo effects is essential for refining clinical practice, […]

8. An overview of systematic reviews on the efficacy and safety of osteopathic techniques

   The objective of this overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses is to investigate the efficacy and safety of manipulative osteopathic techniques in persons of all ages with various medical indications … MORE

9. Effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on pain in palliative care patients: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

   Standard osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT) is used as a supportive care for pain management in cancer patients. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of OMT with that of a sham treatment to attenuate pain in cancer patients in a palliative care unit … MORE

10. Osteopathic diagnosis and treatment of the spine in patients with chronic back pain through the lens of medical infrared thermography: A randomised controlled pilot study

    Chronic back pain conditions are highly prevalent worldwide. Osteopathic treatment seems to improve pain and function in this population. However, the mechanisms underlying osteopathic diagnosis and treatment of the spine are mainly unknown. Arguably, both inflammatory and autonomic processes may be involved, which should entail changes in skin temperature. Primarily, the feasibility of the study […]