The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 2006/08, 106(8):509-510. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2006.106.8.471, type of study: ,css,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7556/jaoa.2006.106.8.471/html)

Keywords:

cross sectional study [894]
OMT [3924]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
osteopathic medicine [2109]
teaching [83]
undergraduate medical education [80]
USA [1752]

Abstract:

Little research has been done among the osteopathic profession to assess the effectiveness of OMT provided by osteopathic medical students. Our null hypothesis is that undergraduate teaching fellows (UTF) in the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Department are not able to effectively treat patients using OMT as measured by a visual analog pain scale. To research this hypothesis, we performed a retrospective survey review from patients seen at an on campus osteopathic free clinic, in which faculty, staff and students of Western University are offered three free OMM treatments per semester. During a one hour session a patient receives an abbreviated history and physical related to the chief complaint by a UTF. The case is then presented to an OMM faculty member and a management plan is decided. The UTF treats the patient using OMT. Three days following treatment the patient is emailed a survey to report their pretreatment, immediate post-treatment and 72 hour post-treatment pain level using a visual analog pain scale from 0–10. Data was gathered from the returned surveys from patients seen during the Fall Semester of 2005 and the Spring Semester of 2006. There were 356 patients seen in clinic and 61 (17%) returned anonymous surveys. Using a 2-tailed paired T-test in SPSS, there was a significant difference between pretreatment pain (mean 4.5) and immediate post-treatment pain (mean 2.2; P=0.00) and 72 hour post-treatment pain (mean 2.3; P=0.00). There was no significant statistical difference between the immediate post-treatment pain scale and the 72 hour post-treatment pain scale, P=0.73. From the results obtained, we were able to reject our null hypothesis. After treatment by a UTF, patients had an average reduction of pain of approximately 50% not only immediately following treatment, but also sustained reduction of pain at least 72 hours after treatment. Our data supports the alternative hypothesis that undergraduate teaching fellows are able to effectively treat patients using OMT as measured by a visual analog pain scale.