Baroni F, Ruffini N, D'Alessandro G, Consorti G, Lunghi C. The role of touch in osteopathic practice: A narrative review and integrative hypothesis.
Complement Ther Clin Pract 2021;
42:101277. [PMID:
33348305 DOI:
10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101277]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Osteopathy relies on a touch-based approach to promote health. This narrative review aims to analyze the role of touch in clinical osteopathic practice.
METHODS
A database search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PEDro and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed papers without specifying limits on dates and design were included.
RESULTS
47 articles met the inclusion criteria and were used to elucidate two main themes: Biological and psychological effects of touch; Touch in the context of osteopathic clinical reasoning.
DISCUSSION
Touch is one of the tools to achieve a collaborative interaction with the patient, to substantiate clinical information, and to detect somatic dysfunctions: neuro-myofascial active areas that might act as an osteopath-patient interface to transmit the biological and physiological effects of touch.
CONCLUSION
The findings of the review support a shared decision-making process, in which touch is one of the osteopath-patient dyad 's leading communication tools to develop a tailor-made osteopathic approach.
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