NMM/OMTORIGINAL ARTICLE
Abstract
Context: Postural balance (PB) is essential for daily activities, injury prevention, and rehabilitation, and it can be objectively assessed through stabilometric analysis of center-of-pressure (CoP) oscillations. Beyond biomechanical factors, postural control is influenced by fascial function, interoception, and emotional–autonomic states, which may alter postural sway even in asymptomatic individuals. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and other manual therapies have been shown to modify stabilometric parameters, suggesting a potential regulatory effect on balance. Moreover, the insular response to affective touch is modulated by the practitioner’s attentional focus, indicating that an attentive, gentle touch may engage interoceptive networks in a specific way and thereby influence postural control.
Objectives: This study examined whether a biodynamic osteopathic approach (BOA) characterized by a light, attentive touch could enhance postural stability in asymptomatic adults compared to a sham nonattentive touch (NAT) and a no-treatment (NT) control.
Methods: From September to December 2023, a parallel, three-arm randomized controlled trial (1:1:1) was conducted in a private osteopathic clinic. Healthy adults were recruited via mailing lists and collaborating general practitioners, and they randomized to a BOA, an NAT or an NT. All participants underwent stabilometric assessment of CoP sway with eyes open (OE) and eyes closed (CE) immediately before and after the allocated condition. The primary outcome was the change in variance of velocity (VV) of the CoP. Analyses were conducted on absolute and percentage pre–post differences utilizing linear regression models adjusted for relevant covariates.
Results: Only participants receiving BOA demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in CoP velocity variance (p<0.001). In the OE and CE conditions, over 90 % of subjects in the BOA group showed improved stability, whereas this proportion was substantially lower in the NAT and NT groups.
Conclusions: A BOA utilizing light and attentive touch significantly improved PB in a healthy population, highlighting the possible influence of interoceptive and attentional mechanisms. These findings support further exploration of maximalist, perception-focused osteopathic interventions for postural optimization, both for prevention and performance enhancement.