The AAO Journal, 2025/06, 35(2):27–28. doi: 10.53702/i2375-5717-35.2.13, type of study: ,rct,

Full text    (https://aaoj.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/aaoj/35/2/article-p13.xml)

Keywords:

OMT [3924]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
randomized controlled trial [947]
sports [158]
sprint [3]

Abstract:

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) has demonstrated effectiveness in improving athletic performance, such as shoulder range of motion in baseball players and balance in soccer players. However, its effects on sprint performance, specifically in competitive environments, have not been adequately explored. Sprinting is a high-intensity activity that relies on factors such as anaerobic capacity, neuromuscular efficiency, and VO2 max. While OMT has shown promise in enhancing VO2 max and muscle function, its immediate impact on 100-meter sprint performance remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether OMT can improve 100-meter sprint times in competitive athletes and inform its potential use in sideline protocols during competitions. Participants were young adults recruited from the community. After obtaining informed consent, participants completed a standardized 10-minute dynamic warm-up before their first timed 100-meter sprint trial. Following this, participants were randomized into two groups: a treatment group receiving a 5-minute lower extremity OMT protocol administered by an osteopathic physician, and a control group receiving 5 minutes of sham therapeutic ultrasound. A second 100-meter sprint was performed under identical conditions to the first trial. Data analysis using paired t-tests revealed a slight improvement in sprint times in both groups, with a mean improvement of 0.07 seconds in the treatment group (p = 0.243) and a 0.03-second improvement in the control group (p = 0.329). However, these improvements were not statistically significant, and between-group analysis showed no significant differences (p = 0.477). In conclusion, while OMT showed a slight improvement in sprint performance, its acute impact on 100-meter sprint times was not statistically significant. Future studies with larger sample sizes and alternative protocols are needed to better understand the potential benefits of OMT in competitive settings.