The purpose of an article from Dal Farra et al. 2024 is to systematically map the literature on the biological effects observed following Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) and to provide insights into the therapeutic possibilities of osteopathy, as well as to highlight the variability and heterogeneity across studies in this field.
The study followed the 2020 version of the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers‘ Manual and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines for scoping reviews, with the protocol registered on the Open Science Framework Registry. The researchers searched for original articles on Medline, Embase, and Scopus, and included 146 studies after a rigorous selection process.
The review found that OMT induces biological changes in several body systems, particularly in neurophysiological and musculoskeletal areas. The studies included a variety of designs, with a significant number being clinical trials, and showed a growing interest in OMT research over the past two decades.
The study concluded that OMT appears to induce biological modifications in various body systems, with a notable focus on neurophysiological and musculoskeletal changes.
More research is needed to determine if these changes are specifically due to OMT and to demonstrate its clinical relevance.
Potential limitations include the possibility of missing relevant articles, the inclusion of studies with co-interventions not explicitly stated, and the lack of specific effects reported according to different OMT techniques.
The findings suggest that OMT could have significant therapeutic potential, particularly in neurophysiological and musculoskeletal health. Future research should focus on the specific mechanisms of OMT and its clinical applications.
The main weaknesses include the heterogeneity in study methods and protocols, which makes it difficult to generalize the findings, and the low levels of reliability and validity in manual assessment procedures used in osteopathy.
A major strength of the study is its comprehensive approach to mapping the literature on OMT, which provides a broad overview of the current state of research and highlights areas for future investigation.
The main arguments revolve around the potential of OMT to induce various biological effects and the need for more standardized research to confirm these effects and their clinical relevance. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the specific mechanisms of OMT.
This article is highly relevant for osteopathy as it provides a detailed overview of the biological effects of OMT, which can help in understanding its therapeutic potential and guiding future research and clinical practice
Dal Farra, F., Bergna, A., Lunghi, C., Bruini, I., Galli, M., Vismara, L., & Tramontano, M. (2024). Reported biological effects following Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: A comprehensive mapping review. Complementary therapies in medicine, 82, 103043.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103043
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229924000311?via%3Dihub
