Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Pediatric Conditions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Most osteopaths are trained in pediatric care, and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is available for many pediatric conditions. The objective of this systematic review was to critically evaluate the effectiveness of OMT as a treatment of pediatric conditions. METHODS: Eleven databases were searched from their respective inceptions to November 2012. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included, if they tested OMT against any type of control in pediatric patients. Study quality was critically appraised by using the Cochrane criteria. RESULTS:Seventeen trials met the inclusion criteria. Five RCTs were of high methodological quality. Of those, 1 favored OMT, whereas 4 revealed no effect compared with various control interventions. Replications by independent researchers were available for 2 conditions only, and both failed to confirm the findings of the previous studies. Seven RCTs suggested that OMT leads to a significantly greater reduction in the symptoms of asthma, congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (posttreatment), daily weight gain and length of hospital stay, dysfunctional voiding, infantile colic, otitis media, or postural asymmetry compared with various control interventions. Seven RCTs indicated that OMT had no effect on the symptoms of asthma, cerebral palsy, idiopathic scoliosis, obstructive apnea, otitis media, or temporomandibular disorders compared with various control interventions. Three RCTs did not perform between-group comparisons. The majority of the included RCTs did not report the incidence rates of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS:The evidence of the effectiveness of OMT for pediatric conditions remains unproven due to the paucity and low methodological quality of the primary studies.

Changes in Muscle Spasticity in Patients With Cerebral Palsy After Spinal Manipulation: Case Series

“…16 There is growing evidence from research studies of the effectiveness of chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation for nonmusculoskeletal conditions, especially in patients with migraine and headache, 17,18 pulmonary disease, 21 and different pediatric conditions, 22 including CP. [23][24][25][26] Our study was aimed at evaluating changes in wrist muscle spasticity in children with CP after 1 SM and a 2-week intensive rehabilitation program with daily SM together with other treatment modalities: physical therapy, massage, reflexotherapy, extremity joint mobilization, mechanotherapy, and rehabilitation computer games.…”

A Conceptual Study on Kaphaja Shiroroga with Special Reference to Sinusitis

“…What literature offers on the approach to the osteopathic ET is meagre; there are no studies involving large numbers of patients, treatment is aimed at children with recurring acute otitis media, and the techniques used are varied and not intrabuccal [25][26][27][28]. There is an article from 2008 describing an intrabuccal technique, with a case report included in the text.…”

Manual Therapy in the Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis. Analysis of Current Knowledge

“…These include electrical stimulation, massage, various forms of manual therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, inserts for correcting discrepancy in lower limb length or correction of occlusal abnormalities [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Manual therapy, chiropractic and oste opathy in particular are attracting more and more interest, which may result from an increasing number of physiotherapists learning these methods as well as from a limited trust in the efficacy of conventional treatment [10,16,17].…”

“…Po poddaniu ich ocenie pod ką -tem spełniania kryteriów włączenia i wyłączenia do dalszej analizy przyjęto 6 z nich [10,[12][13][14]19,20].…”

“…Można tu wymienić elektrostymulację, masaż, różne formy terapii manualnej, chiropraktykę, osteopatię, wkładki korygujące asymetrię długo-ści kończyn dolnych czy korekcję wad zgryzu [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Szczególnie terapia manualna, chiropraktyka oraz osteopatia cieszą się w ostatnim czasie coraz większą popularnością, co może wynikać z jednej strony z rosnącej liczby fizjoterapeutów szkolących się w tych metodach, jak również z ograniczonego za u fania do skuteczności tradycyjnego leczenia [10,16,17].…”