A survey-based study in osteopathic complaints from women who underwent a hysterectomy

Item

Title
A survey-based study in osteopathic complaints from women who underwent a hysterectomy
Author(s)
Lamberts, J
Abstract
Introduction Using a survey, this study investigated the effects of hysterectomy on women's self reported musculoskeletal complaints. In the UK it is a common procedure, as one woman in five will undergo a hysterectomy at some point in her life. Therefore osteopaths should know whether hysterectomy affects the body. Methods Hysterectomy patients were compared with a control group using of the Medical Outcomes Study Pain Measures questionnaire (Sherbourne, 1992), in order to highlight significant differences in musculoskeletal complaints. Questionnaires were distributed at the ESO clinic and online via SurveymonkeyTM. 127 surveys were collected, from women between 40 and 60 years old. Results were analysed on Excel, using the T-test, Chi2 test and the Mann Whitney U test. Results Following exclusions, the control group (n6) and the hysterectomy group (n-`50) were compared regarding age, smoking habits, employment, exercise habits and children, and the results show no significant differences between groups (p-value >O.05). The results show that the hysterectomy group suffers from significantly increased pain duration, frequency, and intensity, and that pain interferes more with daily activities, compared to the control group. The average and worst pain levels and the number of days per month pain interferes with normal life were significantly increased in the hysterectomy group, compared to the control group. The study shows that pain location is significantly different between groups: hysterectomy patients suffer more from lower back pain (70%) and hip-pelvis pain (48%) than the control group (46% of lower back pain, and 17% of hip pelvis pain). Discussion These results support what has been suggested in the osteopathic literature, regarding surgical trauma and hysterectomy, and their influences on the body. A review of the literature highlighted osteopathic concepts such as viscerosomatic reflexes and facilitation, as well as the myofascial relations between the uterus and surrounding musculoskeletal structures and the postural mechanics they involve. Further research is needed with a larger sample size, in order to reduce the margin of error from 9.98% to Solo, but this study already gives an insight in the relation between hysterectomy and musculoskeletal complaints. This study may therefore help osteopaths integrating hysterectomy effects in their diagnosis, and treatment approach.
presented at
European School of Osteopathy
Date Accepted
2012
Date Submitted
22.1.2013 16:23:35
Type
osteo_thesis
Language
English
Submitted by:
62
Pub-Identifier
15224
Inst-Identifier
1229
Keywords
Osteopathic complaints, Woman, hysterectomy
Recommended
0
Item sets
Thesis

Lamberts, J, “A survey-based study in osteopathic complaints from women who underwent a hysterectomy”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 2, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/841