Updated AOA guidelines for OMT in patients with low back pain

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) released updated guidelines for osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for patients with low back pain in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA)’s August issue.

The AOA’s Task Force on Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines uses a 2014 systematic literature review from the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders as the basis for the updated guidelines, which provide more and stronger evidence proving the effectiveness of OMT.

“The systematic review used for the updated AOA guidelines strengthens the findings that OMT reduces pain and improves functional status in patients with acute and chronic nonspecific low back pain,” says Richard Snow, DO, MPH, who served as the chair of the Task Force on Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines. “In addition, these guidelines also support the use of OMT to treat low back pain in pregnant and postpartum women.”

AOA guidelines for osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for patients with low back pain are updated every five years. These guidelines are currently pending acceptance by the National Guideline Clearinghouse.