Evaluation of Osteopathic Protocol on Rachialgia, Bis (PO2S (2))

Second Study on the Osteopathic Protocol in 2 Sessions (PO2S) for Patients Suffering From Acute or Subacute Non-specific Back Pain: a Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial

Rachialgia are among the most common reasons for consultation with the general practitioner in Europe. Most of the guidelines recommend spinal manipulation. This study attempts to propose a solution with 2 parts: tests of induced pain that have a greater sensitivity than palpatory tests of movements and a comprehensive musculoskeletal treatment protocol. The objective of this bicentric study is to reevaluate the effectiveness of the two-session osteopathic protocol (PO2S), this time by another osteopath, as part of a multicenter validation program.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Spine Injuries and Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Osteopathic Protocol in 2 Sessions (PO2S)

Detailed Description

Rachialgia, whether it is cervicalgia, chest pain or low back pain, are among the most common reasons for consultation with the general practitioner in Europe.

In 2018, the therapeutic strategies for non-specific acute and subacute spine are diverse based on country clinical practice guidelines. Recommendations are rest or maintenance of normal activity, medications, surgery, psychological support, physiotherapy, acupuncture and manipulations.

Most of the guidelines, notably from Germany, Belgium, France, England and the United States, recommend spinal manipulation. In general, it can be recommended alone, or accompanied by usual care, or integrated into a multimodal treatment program. May be recommended in acute, chronic or not recommended.

The strength of osteopathy is that it tries to understand the musculoskeletal balance as a whole.

However, the differences in recommendations can be explained by the weaknesses of osteopathy, which are related to a technical and methodological problem.

The first technical problem is at the level of osteopathic clinical examination. While much of this clinical examination is based on palpatory tests, there is evidence that these range of motion palpatory tests have low sensitivity regardless of the examiner's experience.

The second methodological problem is the use of protocols. study addresses two major challenges: first, by proposing clinical examination tests based on induced pain, which demonstrate greater sensitivity than traditional palpatory movement tests; and second, by applying a structured and reproducible musculoskeletal treatment protocol. This approach is designed to ensure both reliability and validity, in line with core osteopathic principles, while meeting the standards of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM).

The objective of this bicentric study is to reassess the effectiveness of the Osteopathic Protocol in 2 Sessions (PO2S), as part of a broader multicenter validation process, this time applied by a different osteopath.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• New Caledonia
  • South
    • Noumea, South, New Caledonia, 98800
      • Cabinet d'ostéopathie 23 quai Jules Ferry 98800 Nouméa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with acute or subacute cervico-dorsalgia or lumbo-dorsalgia (less than 3 months)
• Patients who gave their informed consent to participate in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients whose specific spine is caused by inflammatory, tumor, infectious disease or back trauma in the past 3 months
• Patients with a history of back surgery and/or vertebral fracture in the past 6 months
• Patients with a motor disability related to the reason for consultation
• Pregnant women over six months.
• Patients not communicating or unable to understand the course of the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: PO2S - Control; This arm will start with PO2S, followed by Control. The PO2S consists of two sessions of 30 minutes each, one week apart, composed of normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions . Control is a treatment in 2 sessions that is like PO2S but is not an active osteopathic treatment. A light touch will be made for fictitious normalizations.	Other: Osteopathic Protocol in 2 Sessions (PO2S); PO2S works on the principle that there is a concordance between the author's Preferential Torsion Pattern (PTP) and the rotatory direction of osteopathic dysfunctions. The PO2S consists of two sessions of 30 minutes each, one week apart. A 13-item clinical examination is performed at the first session. It focuses on caused pain tests, and classifies patients in left or right PTP. During the first session 14 normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions are performed systematically. During the second session 10 normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions are performed . PO2S is an innovative osteopathic protocol for back pain.
Experimental: Control - PO2S; This arm will start with Control, followed by the PO2S. PO2S consists of two sessions of 30 minutes each, one week apart, composed of normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions . Control is a treatment in 2 sessions that is like PO2S but is not an active osteopathic treatment. A light touch will be made for fictitious normalizations.	Other: Osteopathic Protocol in 2 Sessions (PO2S); PO2S works on the principle that there is a concordance between the author's Preferential Torsion Pattern (PTP) and the rotatory direction of osteopathic dysfunctions. The PO2S consists of two sessions of 30 minutes each, one week apart. A 13-item clinical examination is performed at the first session. It focuses on caused pain tests, and classifies patients in left or right PTP. During the first session 14 normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions are performed systematically. During the second session 10 normalizations of joint, muscular, ligament and visceral dysfunctions are performed . PO2S is an innovative osteopathic protocol for back pain.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline of pain level after 2 sessions	Pain level will be collected using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (from 0 to 10, where 10 means maximal intensity) before the first session of each protocol and one week after the second session (14 days).	Baseline and 2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of pain improvement since previous visit	The percent improvement will be used to assess the degree of improvement in pain experienced since the first visit. It will be expressed in %, the caregiver asking the patient to quantify the percentage of pain improvement on a virtual scale ranging from 0 for no improvement to 100 for complete pain disappearance.	Week 1 and week 2
Patient satisfaction	The satisfaction score will be used to assess patient satisfaction with treatment and management. It will be calculated on a virtual scale ranging from 0 for zero satisfaction to 10 for a total satisfaction	Week 2

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cabinet d'ostéopathie Michel Boeuf

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 18, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 25, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 18, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Osteopathic Pain PO2S
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: PO2S (2)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No