Research Digest

1. The Efficacy of Early Osteopathic Therapy in Restoring Proper Sucking in Breastfed Infants: Preliminary Findings from a Pilot Study

   Despite the care provided, some newborns, who are perfectly healthy, show functional alterations that impair a good breast attack in the first few days. This situation often leads to the early failure of lactation. We conducted a randomized single-blind controlled trial to evaluate whether four weeks of osteopathic treatment can normalize the sucking score in […]

2. A modern way to teach and practice manual therapy

   Musculoskeletal conditions are the leading contributor to global disability and health burden. Manual therapy (MT) interventions are commonly recommended in clinical guidelines and used in the management of musculoskeletal conditions. Traditional systems of manual therapy (TMT), including physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and soft tissue therapy have been built on principles such as clinician-centred assessment, patho-anatomical reasoning, […]

3. Primary and secondary prevention of musculoskeletal pain and disability in Chiropractic, Osteopathy, and Physiotherapy: a scoping review

   Musculoskeletal prevention is a key priority in public health and for national health systems due to the increasing number of people living with persistent conditions, including musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints. There is no robust review of the evidence on COP interventions and MSK prevention, such as what the current state of conceptual debate is about a […]

4. CHRONIC PAIN, COMPLEXITY AND A SUGGESTED ROLE FOR THE OSTEOPATHIC PROFESSION

   Chronic pain is common and has a substantial impact on individuals’ lives and the society in which they live. However, current strategies for managing chronic pain have low to moderate efficacy. We present a complexity informed model of managing chronic pain. The authors propose that the biological, psychological and social factors influencing the experience of […]

5. The effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment on pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial

   The evidence for the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in the management of low back pain (LBP) is considered weak by systematic reviews, because it is generally based on low-quality studies. Consequently, there is a need for more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a low risk of bias. The objective of this study is […]

6. Reported biological effects following Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: A comprehensive mapping review

   Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a therapeutic whole-body approach mainly focused on correcting somatic dysfunctions. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically map the literature regarding the documented biological effects observed following OMT … MORE

7. Investigating the safety and feasibility of osteopathic manipulative medicine in hospitalized children and adolescent young adults with cancer

   Children and adolescents young adults (AYAs) undergoing treatment for oncologic diagnoses are frequently hospitalized and experience unwanted therapy-induced side effects that diminish quality of life. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a medical intervention that utilizes manual techniques to diagnose and treat body structures. Few studies have investigated the implementation of OMT in the pediatric oncology […]

8. A superficial dissection approach to the sphenopalatine (pterygopalatine) ganglion to emphasize osteopathic clinical relevance

   The sphenopalatine (pterygopalatine) ganglion (SPG) is the most superficial ganglia to manipulate from the oral cavity. It has parasympathetic and sensory fibers directly affecting the paranasal sinuses as well as the palatine, nasal, pharyngeal, and lacrimal glands. The SPG can be manipulated intraorally by students and physicians utilizing osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) to relieve congestion […]

9. A framework for the interpretation of heart rate variability applied to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and osteopathic manipulation

   Reports on autonomic responses to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) and osteopathic manipulative techniques have been equivocal, partly due to inconsistent interpretation of heart rate variability (HRV). We developed a mechanistic framework for the interpretation of HRV based on a model of sinus node automaticity that considers autonomic effects on Phase 3 repolarization and […]

10. How do Australian osteopaths manage migraines? Outcomes from a national practice-based research network

    Individuals who experience migraines often seek out a variety of treatment options including manual or physical therapy. Evidence suggests that manual therapy, including osteopathy, can play a role in the management of migraines. Whilst there is some literature on the role osteopathy therapy plays in migraine management, none describes the treatment approaches used by practitioners. […]