Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment as a Useful Adjunctive Tool for Pneumonia
Published on: May 6, 2014
Effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment for pediatric conditions: A systematic review
Helge Franke1, Jan-David Franke1, Gary Fryer2
1INIOST-Institute for Osteopathic Studies, Siegen, Germany.
Insights
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) shows potential benefits for pediatric complaints, but current evidence is limited. More high-quality research is needed to confirm OMT
Area of Science:
- Integrative medicine
- Pediatric healthcare
- Evidence-based practice
Background:
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is frequently utilized for various pediatric health issues.
- Existing research on OMT's efficacy in children is fragmented across numerous conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of OMT for pediatric complaints.
- To assess the quality of evidence for OMT in managing childhood conditions.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted in July 2020.
- Studies were evaluated for risk of bias, and data were synthesized using GRADE methodology.
Main Results:
- Forty-seven RCTs covering 37 pediatric conditions were analyzed.
- Moderate evidence supported OMT for 13 comparisons, notably for preterm infant hospital stay, but no high-quality evidence emerged.
- Fifteen studies had low risk of bias, while 12 had high risk.
Conclusions:
- While some studies suggest positive outcomes, limited research exists for most pediatric conditions.
- High-quality evidence for OMT's effectiveness in pediatric care is currently lacking.
- Further large-scale, high-quality RCTs focusing on specific conditions are recommended.
Background:
Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is commonly used by osteopaths and osteopathic physicians to manage a large variety of pediatric complaints.
Objective:
The current study reviewed the literature to determine the effectiveness of OMT for all pediatric complaints.
Methods:
A systematic literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) unrestricted by language or publication status was performed in July 2020 in electronic and ongoing trials databases. Included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) instrument. Mean difference or standard mean difference and overall effect size were calculated. Data were synthesized using the GRADE approach.
Results:
Forty-seven RCTs examining 37 pediatric conditions were reviewed. Twenty-three studies reported significant favorable outcomes for OMT relative to the control intervention, and 14 additional studies reported non-significant outcomes, which suggested potential favorable effects of OMT. Fifteen of the studies were judged to have a low RoB, 12 had high risk, and the remainder had unclear RoB. Using GRADE, there was moderate evidence for the effectiveness of OMT for 13 of the 43 comparisons, particularly for length of hospital stay for preterm infants, but no high-quality evidence for any condition.
Conclusions:
Although a number of studies indicated positive results with use of OMT, few pediatric conditions have been investigated in more than one study, which results in no high-quality evidence for any condition. Additional research may change estimates of effect, and larger, high-quality RCTs focusing on a smaller range of conditions are recommended.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO ID: CRD42020162479.
