Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Influences Muscle Tone and Biomechanics

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect a large portion of the population, causing significant burdens and discomfort. These disorders have been linked to changes in human resting muscle tone (HRMT). Osteopathic manipulative treatment has emerged as an effective approach to managing musculoskeletal pain, with claims that it can influence HRMT. However, the evidence for this claim, even in healthy individuals, is limited. To shed light on this matter, a recent randomized trial was conducted in Hamburg, Germany, investigating the effects of various osteopathic techniques on the HRMT of specific muscles in healthy subjects. The study was published in Scientific Reports

The researchers examined the impact of myofascial release (MFR), muscle energy techniques (MET), and soft tissue techniques (STT) on the HRMT of three key muscles: the corrugator supercilii (CS), superficial masseter (SM), and upper trapezius (UT). A total of 59 healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups, and each group underwent three sessions with one-week intervals in between to allow for washout periods. The primary objective was to assess changes in muscle tone (F,
Oscillation frequency ), biomechanical properties (S –
Dynamic stiffness , D- elasticity), and viscoelastic properties (R –
Mechanical stress relaxation time , C-
Ratio of deformation and relaxation time ) from baseline to follow-up. Additionally, the study aimed to explore potential differences in these effects between males and females.

During the analysis, the CS muscle produced frequent measurement errors and was subsequently excluded from the study. However, the results revealed significant changes in muscle tone (F) , biomechanical properties (S) , and viscoelastic properties (R) and (C) . Surprisingly, there was no significant change in biomechanical properties (D).

Interestingly, the effect of osteopathic treatment on HRMT was not significantly influenced by specific muscle-technique pairings . However, subgroup analysis did reveal sex-specific differences in muscle tone (F) from baseline to follow-up.

The findings showed that MFR, MET, and STT effectively reduced muscle tone (F), improved biomechanical properties (S), and enhanced viscoelastic properties (R and C) of the supperficial masseter and upper trapezius muscles. Importantly, no adverse events were reported, highlighting the safety of OMT.

In conclusion, this study has shed light on the potential of osteopathic treatment to modify HRMT in healthy individuals.