The AAO Journal, 2022/06, 32(2):15. doi: 10.53702/2375-5717-32.2.15, type of study: ,cr,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://meridian.allenpress.com/aaoj/article/32/2/15/482674/LBORC-NUFA-Poster-Abstracts-2022-Students)

Keywords:

agriculture [1]
back pain [623]
case report [736]
farmworkers [1]
OMT [3925]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3946]

Abstract:

Introduction/Background: The United States Bureau of Labor Statistic consistently ranks the agriculture industry as the highest risk for occupational injuries and fatalities, and farmworkers may delay treatment related to socioeconomic barriers. There is little research regarding osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in farmworkers and this case serves as an introduction to the effectiveness and suitability of OMT in this population. Case: A.M. is a 57-year-old female who presented with back pain and abdominal complaints. Her electric-type pain radiated anteriorly from the posterior mid-thorax. Pain was 4/10 at baseline and 7/10 while wearing an apple-picking bag. Previous chiropractic treatments and medications slightly decreased discomfort, but she stopped working because of persistent and function-limiting pain. Over the course of two visits, somatic dysfunctions were found in the thoracic spine, ribs, respiratory diaphragm, viscera, and sacrum. Treatment methods included balanced ligamentous tension, counterstrain, facilitated positional release, fascial distortion model, muscle energy, myofascial release, and soft tissue. Results: OMT was well tolerated, and A.M.’s back pain was markedly decreased at the end of the second visit with lifestyle modifications helping to eliminate abdominal complaints. Two months after the second treatment, A.M. had returned to work and symptoms had resolved. An in-person, three-month follow-up appointment has been scheduled to reassess longer-term impact of treatment. Discussion: For many farmworkers, cost-effective and long-lasting treatments that enable return to work are especially imperative. A.M.’s case demonstrates that OMT—even within a few visits and without additional medications—may fill this role. A case series would provide more generalizable evidence for the use of OMT in farmworkers beyond this single case.