Biotypes in osteopathy- A study into the existence of biotypes and their relevance in osteopathy
Item
- Title
- Biotypes in osteopathy- A study into the existence of biotypes and their relevance in osteopathy
- Author(s)
- Barber, L
- Abstract
- A comprehensive study into the existence of biotypes and their relevance in Osteopathy was performed using the physiques of 40 healthy students from the European School of Osteopathy in Maidstone, England. The balanced sample of twenty females and twenty males, whom ranged in age from 21 to 41 years, were randomly selected from the student body and analysed according to the scheme proposed by W.H.Sheldon. Anthropometric measurements and the body mass index were utilized to measure physique, - the "Constitution", whilst a short questionnaire about the subject's past medical history and a self assessment of personality, gaged the "Temperament" of each participant. The results of the questionnaire were converted into percentages and statistically analysed against the BMI for a correlation using the Spearman's Correlation CoefBcient test. A weak negative correlation was identified between the two variables, that as the BMI increased from Ectormphy through Mesomorphy to Endomorphy the questionnaire score decreased from Cerebrotonic through Somatotonic and Viscerotonic. Although not statistically significant, a correlation between Constitution and Temperament was apparent. One could overlook accepting the null hypothesis and appreciate the task of biotyping ' the sample had been an overallsuccess. The constitutional differences in anthropometry &BMIcombined with,\questionnaire score (%) allocated each participant into one of the three classicbiotypes or one of the the three mixed type subgroups. The most dominant biotype in the sample was the Mesomorph type (32.5%), closely followed by the Endo/Meso mixed type (30%), and the Endomorph type (17.5%). The least common biotypes in the sample were the Ecto/Meso type (7.5%) and the Ectomorph type (7.5%), leaving the Endo/Ecto mixed type as the lowest ranking biotype with just 5% of the sample being classified into it. There appeared to no gender difference between the biotypes. The study found that the level of pure biotype in the sample was 57.Solo. The remaining 42.5% of the sample was classified into one of the three mixed type categories. The study was successful in somatotyping an entire sample of students both in terms of physique and personality using classical and more updated methods of somatotyping. It failed to find a significant correlation between physique and personality, nonetheless adequate conclusions could be drawn from the trend seen in the descriptive statistics. The concluding chapters of the study reminisced over interesting theories found in the literature that in the context of Osteopathy were highly significant and relevant in the everyday practise of the Osteopath.
- presented at
- European School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2011
- Date Submitted
- 22.1.2013 16:23:35
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 15253
- Inst-Identifier
- 1229
- Keywords
- Biotypes; Traditional Osteopathy
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Barber, L, “Biotypes in osteopathy- A study into the existence of biotypes and their relevance in osteopathy”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 2, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/812