Osteopathy is a distinctive system of manual diagnosis and treatment to help re-establish the body’s normal function¹. The philosophy of osteopathy is to treat the whole person, not only specific symptoms, using gentle manipulative techniques to re-establish the normal balance and function of the body². Osteopathic treatment may help to alleviate pain from injury and chronic conditions, as well as from joint, muscular and skeletal imbalances of the body³. It can safely be used on children⁴ and during pregnancy.^{5, 6}

Please note that the research references below are pilot studies. There is a need for larger trials to confirm these findings.

¹American Osteopathic Association guidelines for osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for patients with low back pain. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2010 Nov;110(11):653-66. Clinical Guideline Subcommittee on Low Back Pain; American  Osteopathic Association.

²Efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment for low back pain in euhydrated and hypohydrated conditions: a randomized crossover trial.Parker J, Heinking KP, Kappler RE.J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2012 May;112(5):276-84

³Osteopathic manipulative treatment for low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Licciardone JC, Brimhall AK, King LN. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2005 Aug 4;6:43.

⁴Palpatory diagnosis of plagiocephaly. Sergueef N, Nelson KE, Glonek T. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006 May;12(2):101-10.

⁵Osteopathic manipulative treatment of back pain and related symptoms during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Licciardone JC, Buchanan S, Hensel KL, King HH, Fulda KG, Stoll ST. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jan;202(1):43.e1-8.

⁶Osteopathic manipulative treatment in pregnant women. Lavelle JM. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2012 Jun;112(6):343-6.