Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2020/07, 24(3):21-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.02.009, type of study: ,rct,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(20)30032-2/fulltext)

Keywords:

osteopathic medicine [2109]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
OMT [3924]
shoulder pain [30]
effectiveness trial [1]
randomized clinical trial [27]

Abstract:

Background Shoulder complaints are common in the general population. Typically, the diagnosis of a specific pathology is lacking. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of an osteopathic treatment in patients suffering from shoulder pain. Results A total of 70 patients aged 25–70 years (average age 45.6 ± 13.4 years) were included, 36 in the intervention group and 34 in the control group. The inter-group comparison of changes revealed clinically relevant improvements in favor of the intervention group for the main outcome parameters maximal pain intensity (VAS: between group difference of means 41.5; 95% CI: 34.6 to 48.3; p < 0.005) and average pain intensity (VAS: between group difference of means 40.4; 95% CI: 33.2 to 47.5; p < 0.005). The proportion of participants with a low frequency of pain increased in the osteopathic group only (from 7 to 34 vs. 9 to 6 in the control group, p = 0.006), and the number of patients with a high frequency decreased in the osteopathic group only (from 29 to 2 vs. 25 to 28, p < 0.0005). Shoulder specific pain and disability also improved. The follow-up assessment in the intervention group showed further improvements. Conclusions Five osteopathic treatments over a period of eight weeks led to statistically significant and clinically relevant positive changes of pain and disability in patients suffering from shoulder pain.