The effect of osteopathic techniques on skin temperature of the upper limb
Item
- Title
- The effect of osteopathic techniques on skin temperature of the upper limb
- Abstract
- RESEARCH TITLE: A randomized placebo-controlled single blind trial about the effect of a set of osteopathic techniques on skin temperature of the upper limb and the self-perception of Raynaud’s attacks with subjects with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon. BACKGROUND: People suffering Raynaud’s Phenomenon have periods of disturbed blood flow in their fingers. Dysfunction of the autonomous nerve system can be at the origin. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of osteopathic techniques on the autonomous nervous system by measuring skin temperature. METHOD: Skin temperature was recorded at 10 subjects at 8 spots on the upper left and upper right limb, before and after intervention. The measurements of the treatment-group (N = 6) were compared with those of the placebo-group (N = 4). The measurements were recorded with a Visiofocus Infrared Thermometer. RESULTS: In the treatment-group there was a decrease of mean skin temperature (-0.1333°C) of the left upper limb and a decrease of mean skin temperature (-0.0616°C) of the right upper limb. In the placebo-group there was an increase of mean skin temperature (+0.03°C) of the left upper limb and a decrease of mean skin temperature (-0.21°C) of the right upper limb. The changes in skin temperature showed no significance for the treatment-group (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.6) and no significance in the placebo group (Wilcoxon test, p = 0.593). No significant treatment or placebo on post-measurements has been shown (ANCOVA test left upper limb, p = 0.673; right upper limb, p = 0.841). No significant differences of the means of pre-measurements (left upper limb, p = 1.0; right upper limb, p = 0.381), and of the means of post-measurements (left upper limb, p = 0.548; right upper limb, p = 0.548) between the placebo- and the treatment-group have been shown (Mann-Whitney U Test). The self-perception of Raynaud’s attacks, as measured by Raynaud’s Condition Score, showed an inhomogeneous study population with a wide variety in number, duration, and perceived severity (VAS-Scale). DISCUSSION: These results are based on a small test group. The small quantity of participants in this study is due to the weak inflow and to the specifications of measurements during this study. To make conclusions about significance the sample size should be larger (N = 140). The Visiofocus infrared thermometer did not record skin temperature below 34°C and therefore is not suitable for subjects suffering Raynaud’s Phenomenon. For future research a more homogeneous study population has to be selected. CONCLUSION: No significant changes in skin temperature was measured between pre- and post-measurement in the treatment-group and in the placebo-group, and of the means of pre- and post-measurements between the treatment-group and the placebo-group. KEYWORDS: Raynaud’s phenomenon, autonomous nervous system, skin temperature, infrared thermometer
- presented at
- FICO
- Date Accepted
- 2018
- Date Submitted
- 5.9.2018 08:47:31
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Number of pages
- 90
- Submitted by:
- 4417
- Pub-Identifier
- 16203
- Inst-Identifier
- 1169
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
“The effect of osteopathic techniques on skin temperature of the upper limb”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 6, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/1697