Immediate effect of osteopathic techniques on human resting muscle tone in healthy subjects using myotonometry: A factorial randomized trial

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are highly prevalent, burdensome, and putatively associated with an altered human resting muscle tone (HRMT). Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is commonly and effectively applied to treat MSDs and reputedly influences the HRMT. Arguably, OMT may modulate alterations in HRMT underlying MSDs. However, there is sparse evidence even for the effect of OMT on HRMT in healthy subjects.MethodsA 3x3 factorial randomised trial was performed to investigate the immediate-term effect of myofascial release (MRT), muscle energy (MET), and soft tissue techniques (STT) on the HRMT of the corrugator supercilii (CS), superficial masseter (SM), and upper trapezius muscles (UT) in healthy subjects in Hamburg, Germany. Participants were randomised into three groups (1:1:1 allocation ratio) receiving treatment, according to different muscle-technique pairings, over the course of three sessions with one-week washout periods. Primarily, we assessed the effect of osteopathic techniques on muscle tone (F), biomechanical (S, D), and viscoelastic properties (R, C) from baseline to follow-up (main effect) and tested if specific muscle-technique pairs modulate the effect pre- to post-intervention (interaction effect) using the MyotonPRO (at rest). Data were analysed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation, quantiles, and simple effect) and inductive statistics (Bayesian ANOVA).Results59 healthy participants were randomised into three groups and two subjects dropped out from one group (n=20; n=20; n=19 and n=17, respectively). The CS produced frequent measurement errors and was excluded from analysis. The main effect changed significantly for F (-0.163 [0.060]; p=0.008), S (-3.060 [1.563]; p=0.048), R (0.594 [0.141]; p<0.001), and C (0.038 [0.017]; p=0.028) but not for D (0.011 [0.017]; p=0.527). The interaction effect did not change significantly (p>0.05). No adverse events were reported.ConclusionOMT modified the HRMT in healthy subjects which may inform future research on MSDs. In detail, MRT, MET, and STT reduced the muscle tone (F), decreased biomechanical (S not D), and increased viscoelastic properties (R and C) of the SM and UT (CS was not measurable) at immediate term. However, the effect on HRMT was not modulated by muscle–technique interaction.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00020393).