Table 4 Intervention characteristics
From: Osteopathic empirical research: a bibliometric analysis from 1966 to 2018
Characteristics | n (%) |
|---|---|
Techniquesa | |
Musculoskeletal techniques | |
 Myofascial release | 164 (42.2) |
 Muscle energy | 127 (32.6) |
 High velocity low amplitude (HVLA) | 118 (30.3) |
 Soft tissue | 99 (25.4) |
 Strain counterstrain | 75 (19.3) |
 Balanced ligamentous tension (BLT) | 68 (17.5) |
 Mobilization | 59 (15.2) |
 Articulatory | 58 (14.9) |
 Diaphragm release | 51 (13.1) |
 Rib raising | 29 (7.5) |
 Facilitated positional release | 29 (7.5) |
 Muscle inhibition | 28 (7.2) |
 Still technique | 16 (4.1) |
 Trigger points | 8 (2.1) |
 General osteopathic treatment (GOT) | 4 (1.0) |
 Spencer technique | 3 (0.8) |
Cranial techniques | |
 Suboccipital decompression | 55 (14.1) |
 Cranial – nonspecific | 47 (12.1) |
 Cranio-sacral and cranio-sacral therapy | 35 (9.0) |
 Balanced membranous tension (BMT) | 32 (8.2) |
 Compression of the fourth ventricle (CV4) | 31 (8.0) |
 Sutural techniques | 23 (5.9) |
 Sacral rocking, release or decompression | 22 (5.7) |
 Spheno-basilar synchondrosis decompression | 18 (4.6) |
 Mobilization temporal | 16 (4.1) |
 Parietal and frontal lift | 14 (3.6) |
 Dural tube traction | 9 (2.3) |
 V-Spread | 9 (2.3) |
 Venous sinus drainage | 7 (1.8) |
 Eustachian tube drainage | 5 (1.3) |
Visceral techniques | |
 Lymphatic | 37 (9.5) |
 Organ mobilization | 34 (8.7) |
 Visceral fascial release | 24 (6.2) |
 Visceral – nonspecific | 19 (4.9) |
 Plexus techniques (mesenteric and coeliac plexus) | 5 (1.3) |
 Chapman points | 4 (1.0) |
 Recoil | 2 (0.5) |
 Viscero-somatic reflex | 1 (0.3) |
Osteopathic manipulative techniques (OMT) | 9 (2.3) |
Non-classified techniques | 5 (1.3) |
Body part/system targeted by the intervention | |
 Vertebral | 139 (35.8) |
  Cervical | 51 (13.1) |
  Lumbar | 36 (9.3) |
  Dorsal | 26 (6.7) |
  Pelvis | 25 (6.4) |
  All spine | 1 (0.3) |
 Thoracic, abdominal and pelvic visceral tissues | 95 (24.4) |
  Cardiorespiratory | 33 (8.5) |
  Digestive | 34 (8.7) |
  Urinary/gynecological | 16 (4.1) |
  Lymphatic | 12 (3.1) |
 Musculoskeletal other than vertebral | 74 (19.0) |
  Upper body | 27 (6.9) |
  Lower body | 30 (7.7) |
  Not specified or general | 17 (4.4) |
 Cranium or craniosacral | 62 (15.9) |
 Cannot assess | 13 (3.3) |
 Stress and mental health | 6 (1.5) |