NCT05895149

Effects of Osteopathy in Autonomic Nervous System

Effects of Osteopathy in Autonomic Nervous System: a Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 41 (actual)
• Sponsor: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The most important regulatory system in the body is the autonomic nervous system. There are several studies that evaluate the effect of techniques applied at the base of the skull on the autonomic nervous system. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the flying buttress technique on the autonomic nervous system.

Detailed description

The most important homeostatic regulatory system in the body is the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as it coordinates functions of many organs and tissues, including the cardiac muscle. ANS regulation in most visceral organs reflects a balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation. In the neural control of the heart, there is a balance between sympathetic excitation and vagal inhibition of sinoatrial node activity, which contribute to fluctuations in heartbeat, known as heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is considered a valuable non-invasive measurement tool for assessing ANS function, as it is relatively simple and quickly performed. Previous studies provide evidence that osteopathic treatment is associated with changes in HRV that appear to be indicative of increased cardiac vagal modulation in various conditions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the osteopathic technique flying buttress on the ANS through HRV.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Flying buttress technique	With the volunteer in a supine position, the researcher who applied the technique positioned himself standing at the head of the massage table, supporting the patient's head. He contacted the occipital region, near the occipital-mastoid suture, with the thenar and hypothenar region of his right hand. He contacted the mastoid process of the contralateral temporal bone with the thenar and hypothenar region of his left hand. The forearms were positioned in a straight line. After a slight initial compression, the researcher applied a rhythmic pumping motion with both upper limbs in a convergent direction. The pressure applied was due to the rhythmic movement of the researcher's body. The technique was performed bilaterally and each one lasted for 2 minutes
OTHER	Placebo technique	With the volunteer in a supine position, the researcher placed the palms of their hands on the patient's shoulders. The palm of the hand rested on the acromioclavicular joint with the rest of the hand relaxed. The placebo technique was performed for 4 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-09-01
• Primary completion: 2024-05-01
• Completion: 2024-07-31
• First posted: 2023-06-08
• Last updated: 2025-02-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal