ArticlePloS one2022
Osteopathic practice in the United Kingdom: A retrospective analysis of practice data.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mechanisms of manipulation: a systematic review of the literature on immediate anatomical structural or positional changes in response to manually delivered high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2024Pooled it
- Twenty years of university-graduated osteopaths in Belgium: A cross-sectional survey.PloS one · 2026Article
- Assessing content validity of the Osteo-TAQ(Aus) using cognitive interviews: cross-jurisdictional evidence from UK osteopathic practice.BMC research notes · 2025Article
- Differences in practice among osteopaths in the UK with more than or less than 10 years of experience: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Characteristics of Australian and New Zealand osteopaths who treat patients presenting with non-musculoskeletal complaints: outcomes from two practice-based research networks.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2025Article
- Development of a national osteopathic Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN): the NCOR Research Network.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- A national survey of osteopaths' conceptions of practice in France: structural validity of the Osteo-TAQfr and the tendency toward technical rationality.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Therapeutic approaches and conceptions of practice of osteopaths in Australia - a national cross-sectional study and exploratory factor analysis of the Osteo-TAQ.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- The Profile of Belgian Osteopaths: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- The Austrian Osteopathic Practitioners Estimates and RAtes (OPERA): A cross-sectional survey.PloS one · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study describes osteopathic practise activity, scope of practice and the osteopathic patient profile in order to understand the role osteopathy plays within the United Kingdom's (UK) health system a decade after our previous survey.
methodWe used a retrospective questionnaire survey design to ask about osteopathic practice and audit patient case notes. All UK registered osteopaths were invited to participate in the survey. The survey was conducted using a web-based system. Each participating osteopath was asked about themselves, their practice and asked to randomly select and extract data from up to 8 random new patient health records during 2018. All patient related data were anonymised.
resultsThe survey response rate was 500 osteopaths (9.4% of the profession) who provided information about 395 patients and 2,215 consultations. Most osteopaths were self-employed (81.1%; 344/424 responses) working alone either exclusively or often (63.9%; 237/371) and were able to offer 48.6% of patients an appointment within 3 days (184/379). Patient ages ranged from 1 month to 96 years (mean 44.7 years, Std Dev. 21.5), of these 58.4% (227/389) were female. Infants <1 years old represented 4.8% (18/379) of patients. The majority of patients presented with musculoskeletal complaints (81.0%; 306/378). Persistent complaints (present for more than 12 weeks before appointment) were the most common (67.9%; 256/377) and 41.7% (156/374) of patients had co-existing medical conditions. The most common treatment approaches used at the first appointment were soft-tissue techniques (73.9%; 292/395), articulatory techniques (69.4%; 274/395) and high velocity low amplitude thrust (34.4%; 136/395). The mean number of treatments per patient was 7 (mode 4).
conclusionOsteopaths predominantly provide care of musculoskeletal conditions, typically in private practice. To better understand the role of osteopathy in UK health service delivery, the profession needs to do more research with patients in order to understand their needs and their expected outcomes of care, and for this to inform osteopathic practice and education.
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