An osteopathic perspective of the importance of naturopathy in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a pilot clinical trial

Item

Title
An osteopathic perspective of the importance of naturopathy in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a pilot clinical trial
Author(s)
Craven Tessa
Abstract
The objective of the study was to determine whether there was a significant difference in pain, stiffness and lifestyle interference in people with osteoarthritis of the hips and/or knees, after three months treatment with the combined modalities of osteopathy and naturopathy, compared to people treated with osteopathy alone, for the same period of time. Thirty patients were recruited from the clinic of the British College of Naturopathy, all above the age of forty-five. Each subject completed a pain and disability questionnaire prior to commencement of treatment. Twenty subjects (Control Group) were treated for three months with osteopathy alone, ten subjects (Experimental Group) were treated, for the same time period, with osteopathy and selected self-administered naturopathic modalities (exercise, dietary advice, hydrotherapy and relaxation). Pain and disability questionnaires were completed after one month and again after three months of treatment. Using one and two-tailed t-tests, results werefound to be significant at a 95% confidence interval (P<0.05) for a decrease in pain and disability, in both the Control and Experimental groups. T-tests showed a significant difference (P<0.05) between the two groups - the Naturopathic Osteopathy groupdemonstrated significantly greater improvements than the group treated with Osteopathy alone. Results indicate that Osteopathy combined with Naturopathy creates superior results compared to Osteopathy alone, in the treatment of Osteoarthritis of the hips and knees. This suggests naturopathic modalities to be a valuable and worthwhile tool in the enhancement of Osteopathic techniques for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
Date Accepted
2002
Date Submitted
1.11.2003 00:00:00
Type
undergraduate_project
Language
English
Number of pages
69
Submitted by:
62
Pub-Identifier
12986
Inst-Identifier
1076
Keywords
Naturopathy,Low Back Pain
Recommended
1
Item sets
Thesis

Craven Tessa, “An osteopathic perspective of the importance of naturopathy in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a pilot clinical trial”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed April 22, 2025, https://library.wso.at/s/orw/item/1348