Research Digest

1. Fatigue in long COVID: An exploratory pragmatic randomized trial of osteopathic care plus physical therapy versus physical therapy alone

   This study explored whether osteopathic care (OC) combined with physical therapy (PT) could be more effective than PT alone in reducing fatigue and functional limitations in adults with long COVID … MORE

2. Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain Without Advanced Disk Degeneration Exhibit Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis: Evidence From an Age-­ , Sex-­ , and BMI-­ Matched Pilot Study

   Chronic low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, yet its underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Current diagnostic techniques rely heavily on imaging, which is insufficient for identifying inflammatory or systemic contributors. Emerging evidence suggests a role for gut microbiome dysbiosis in inflammatory pain pathways, yet its specific contribution to chronic LBP […]

3. Rethinking causation and mechanisms in osteopathy and physical intervention trial design: the positivist-realist continuum

   There has been renewed interest in mechanistic theory within osteopathy and the associated musculoskeletal professions, particularly regarding the role mechanisms play in osteopathic, manual and other physical interventions. Evidence-Based Medicine which commits to evidential pluralism (explicit incorporation of mechanistic evidence to inform trial design, through the selection of more meaningful controls and measuring more relevant […]

4. From touch to triage: translating the NAME model into clinical practice for enhanced neonatal assessment

   The Neonatal Assessment Manual scorE (NAME) model has emerged as a novel, structured, touch-based approach to evaluating neonates’ general conditions, with growing evidence supporting its validity and reliability in NICU settings. However, there is a critical need to integrate this method into clinical workflows and explore its translational potential in improving neonatal care. This paper […]

5. Neonatal osteopathic care Integrating neonatal osteopathic care with global implementation protocols to improve health and economic outcomes

   This innovation represents the first systematic integration of evidence-based neonatal osteopathic care with global implementation protocols. It uniquely synthesizes findings from randomized controlled trials and a systematic review into a comprehensive, scalable framework. This framework can be adapted to diverse health care systems, ranging from high-resource neonatal intensive care units to basic facilities in lower-resource […]

6. Osteopaths’ Perceptions and Practice Behaviours Regarding Preventive Health in Their Clinical Practice

   Australia’s National Preventive Health Strategy (NPHS) explicitly highlights the important role of primary care in screening for and supporting behaviour change to help reach preventive health goals. Given osteopaths’ position as primary care providers in Australia, their role in fulfilling the NPHS warrants consideration. In response, this study aims to investigate osteopaths’ perceptions regarding their […]

7. Effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on primary pelvic pain – A systematic review with meta-analysis

   The objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment on primary pelvic pain … ABSTRACT

8. Impact of touch interventions on brain activity in moderately preterm infants: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

   Improving the quality of life for preterm children is a global health priority, given their vulnerability to neurocognitive impairments and adverse health consequences. Lack of posthospital care further exacerbates these risks, necessitating effective interventions during the neonatal period. This protocol for a pilot study aims to investigate the effects of touch interventions, including physiotherapy and […]

9. European research Priorities for Osteopathic Care (PROCare): a sequential exploratory investigation and survey

   The aim of this study is to identify and analyse research priorities across the osteopathic profession internationally, to determine how different interested parties conceptualise research importance and to examine how contextual factors influence research prioritisation … MORE

10. The changing face of acute low back pain management by physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors in the UK: a 20-year comparison from 2003 to 2023

    Low back pain (LBP) remains a leading source of disability and societal cost. In the UK, physiotherapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors are front-line providers of LBP care. Despite widespread dissemination of clinical guidelines, little is known about how their clinical practice has changed over time. National surveys of UK physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors in 2003 and […]