Category: Research

Force-Based Manipulation (FBM) including light touch, pressure, massage, mobilization, thrust manipulation, and needling techniques are utilized across several disciplines to provide clinical analgesia. These commonly used techniques demonstrate the ability to improve pain-related outcomes; however, mechanisms behind why analgesia occurs with these hands-on interventions has been understudied. Neurological, neuroimmune, biomechanical, neurovascular, neurotransmitter, and contextual factor […]

Enactivism and active inference are two important concepts in the field of osteopathy. While enactivism emphasizes the role of the body and the environment in shaping our experiences and understanding of the world, active inference emphasizes the role of action and perception in shaping our experiences and understanding of the world. Together, these frameworks provide […]

Osteopathy is not a health profession in France but it was regulated in 2007. However, the profession is very popular, and the number of osteopaths is the largest in Europe. Since there is limited published data on the profile and characteristics of osteopaths practising in France, this study aimed to survey the current situation of […]

Control interventions (often called “sham,” “placebo,” or “attention controls”) are essential for studying the efficacy or mechanism of physical, psychological, and self-management interventions in clinical trials. This article presents core recommendations for designing, conducting, and reporting control interventions to establish a quality standard in non-pharmacological intervention research. A framework of additional considerations supports researchers’ decision […]

Psychosocial factors play a critical role in the prognosis and management of patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Scientific evidence suggests that an individual’s beliefs about pain are associated with the attitudes and beliefs of the clinician they consult. This study explores the attitudes, beliefs, and clinical orientations of students, recent graduates, educators, and […]

Since the previous survey of the osteopathic profession in Austria was almost a decade ago, an update was necessary. The Osteopathic Practitioners Estimates and RAtes (OPERA) project was developed as a Europe-based survey, whereby an updated profile of the profession not only provides new data for Austria, but also allows for a clear comparison with […]

Abstract: Background: This study gives an update on the characteristics of Belgian osteopaths five years after the Benelux Osteosurvey. Additional new data were collected on their professional identity and views on the profession. Methods: All Belgian osteopaths who could be contacted (n = 1473) were invited to complete a voluntary, online-based, closed-ended survey distributed between […]

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of palpation methods for locating the transverse processes of the first cervical vertebra and masseter muscle using radiographic images as the gold-standard method and the association between personal characteristics with the observed accuracy … MORE

Osteopathy requires reliable and valid research tools to generate evidence on the different aspects of practice including how practitioners approach the clinical care of patients. Such research will help the osteopathy profession understand its contribution to healthcare provision and communicate this to stakeholders. However, current quantitative tools to measure the different aspects of osteopathic practice […]