Changes in biomechanical dysfunction and low back pain reduction with osteopathic manual treatment: results from the OSTEOPATHIC Trial.
The purpose of this study was to measure changes in biomechanical dysfunction following osteopathic manual treatment (OMT) and to assess how such changes predict subsequent low back pain (LBP) outcomes. Secondary analyses were performed with data collected during the OSTEOPATHIC Trial wherein a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial design was used to study OMT for chronic LBP. At baseline, prevalence rates of non-neutral lumbar dysfunction, pubic shear, innominate shear, restricted sacral nutation, and psoas syndrome were determined in 230 patients who received OMT. Five OMT sessions were provided at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6, and the prevalence of each biomechanical dysfunction was again measured at week 8 immediately before the final OMT session. Moderate pain improvement (≥30% reduction on a 100-mm visual analogue scale) at week 12 defined a successful LBP response to treatment. Prevalence rates at baseline were: non-neutral lumbar dysfunction, 124 (54%); pubic shear, 191 (83%); innominate shear, 69 (30%); restricted sacral nutation, 87 (38%), and psoas syndrome, 117 (51%). Significant improvements in each biomechanical dysfunction were observed with OMT; however, only psoas syndrome remission occurred more frequently in LBP responders than non-responders (P for interaction = 0.002). Remission of psoas syndrome was the only change in biomechanical dysfunction that predicted subsequent LBP response after controlling for the other biomechanical dysfunctions and potential confounders (odds ratio, 5.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-16.96). These findings suggest that remission of psoas syndrome may be an important and previously unrecognized mechanism explaining clinical improvement in patients with chronic LBP following OMT.
The Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, USA; Department of Medical Education, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, USA. Electronic address: john.licciardone@unthsc.edu.
John C
JC
Licciardone
The Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, USA.
Cathleen M
CM
Kearns
Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, USA.
W Thomas
WT
Crow
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic / Q000379:methods*; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
Biomechanical dysfunction; Low back pain; Osteopathic manual treatment; Psoas syndrome