Valid and Invalid Indications for Osteopathic Interventions: A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Practices and French Healthcare Society Recommendations
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10756711/
Cureus. 2023 Nov; 15(11): e49674.
1
The main aim of this study was to determine the level of evidence in the literature for the main indications of osteopathy as recommended by the French osteopathy societies...
A total of 51 articles and nine recommendations from the HAS and its affiliates met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Analysis of the studies revealed 41 osteopathic indications from French osteopathy societies for musculoskeletal, neurosensory, psychological, pediatric, gynecological, digestive, and pulmonary disorders...
Table 1
GER - gastroesophageal reflux, ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
| Musculoskeletal | Neurosensory | Pediatric | Gynecological | Digestive | Pulmonary |
| Low back pain, neck pain, disc herniation and sciatica, cervical radiculopathy, occipital radiculopathy, intercostal neuralgia, ankle sprains, knee sprains, wrist sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis, temporomandibular joint disorders | Headaches, migraines, vertigo, adult ADHD, sleep disorders – insomnia, professional burnout | Plagiocephaly, torticollis, GER in children, infant colic, low back pain, childhood ADHD, functional abdominal pain, premature infants, breastfeeding facilitation | Fertility disorders, endometriosis, low back pain and pelvic pain during pregnancy, breech presentation, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy | Gastroesophageal reflux, transit disorders, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome | Asthma |
In conclusion, this systematic review shows that osteopathy has evidence-based benefits for numerous conditions, in particular for musculoskeletal and neurosensory indications. However, more high-quality studies are needed to evaluate and validate the effectiveness of this technique for other indications.