Research Digest

1. 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 […]

2. 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

3. 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, […]

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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 […]

7. Guidance strategies for infantile asymmetry prevention: a systematic review

   Infantile asymmetries of posture, movement and/or shape are common. Coincidence in the presentation of asymmetrical features can lead to a broad spectrum of descriptors. Published guidelines on prevention strategies are not currently available. The objective of this systematic review was to find, evaluate, and synthesise the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of prevention strategies for […]

8. On the Affectivity of Touch: Enacting Bodies in Dutch Osteopathy

   Osteopathy is a complementary treatment method that targets motor restrictions and enhances motility through touch. While recent studies have explored the functions, dimensions, and effects of touch in osteopathy, there is a lack of research on how touch renders bodies intelligible – or what bodies, for that matter. In this article, we use the verb […]

9. The mechanisms of manual therapy: A living review of systematic, narrative, and scoping reviews

   Treatment mechanisms are the underlying process or pathway through which a treatment influences the body. This includes molecular, cellular and physiological processes or pathways contributing to treatment effect. Manual therapy (MT) evokes complex mechanistic responses across body systems, interacting with the individual patient and context to promote a treatment response. Challenges arise as mechanistic studies […]

10. Analgesic effects of non-­ surgical and non-­ interventional treatments for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-­ analysis of placebo-­ controlled randomised trials

    The objectives of this systematic re new and meta-analysis is to investigate the efficacy of non-surgical and non-interventional treatments for adults with low back pain compared with placebo … MORE