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Osteopathic manipulative treatment for chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial
John C Licciardone1, Scott T Stoll, Kimberly G Fulda
1Department of Family Medicine, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth 76107, USA. jlicciar@hsc.unt.edu
Spine
|July 3, 2003
Summary
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and sham manipulation show benefits for chronic low back pain when added to usual care. However, OMT did not significantly outperform sham manipulation, suggesting potential placebo effects.
Area of Science:
- Pain Management
- Musculoskeletal Health
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- The efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for chronic nonspecific low back pain is not well-established.
- OMT is known to be potentially useful for acute or subacute low back pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment as an adjunctive therapy for chronic nonspecific low back pain.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 91 eligible participants randomized into three groups: OMT, sham manipulation, and a no-intervention control.
- Participants continued their usual care for low back pain.
- Outcomes measured included pain intensity (visual analog scale), functional status (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire), health survey (SF-36), work/school absenteeism, and patient satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Both OMT and sham manipulation groups reported greater improvements in back pain and satisfaction compared to the no-intervention group.
- Patients receiving OMT showed better physical functioning and mental health at 1 month and fewer co-treatments at 6 months compared to controls.
- No significant difference in benefits was observed between OMT and sham manipulation.
Conclusions:
- Both osteopathic manipulative treatment and sham manipulation appear to offer benefits as complementary treatments for chronic nonspecific low back pain.
- The observed benefits may be partly attributable to placebo effects or non-specific aspects of OMT, such as patient interaction and range-of-motion exercises.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms driving the benefits of OMT for chronic low back pain.