{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,17]],"date-time":"2026-10-17T05:40:44Z","timestamp":1792215644553,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"Walter de Gruyter GmbH","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]],"date-time":"2026-10-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792368000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Context<\/jats:title>\n Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the most prevalent causes of disability globally, contributing significantly to diminished quality of life and rising healthcare costs. While pharmacological treatments and physical therapy remain standard, alternative modalities such as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) have emerged as promising nonpharmacologic options. However, public awareness of OMM remains limited, and misconceptions persist, particularly regarding its distinction from chiropractic care. This study aimed to assess public perception of OMM and its effectiveness in treating MSDs, with the goal of informing strategies to enhance understanding and utilization of osteopathic principles.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objectives<\/jats:title>\n The objectives of this study were to evaluate the public\u2019s perception, awareness, and experiences with OMM in the treatment of MSDs, and to identify knowledge gaps that can be addressed through educational outreach. This study also examined how demographic and socioeconomic factors influence awareness and utilization of OMM. Insights gained will guide the development of targeted educational materials to enhance public understanding, to promote the distinctiveness of osteopathic medicine, and to clarify the role of OMM in MSD\u00a0care.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A nationwide, web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting US adults aged 18\u00a0years and older. Demographic data collected included age, location, race, ethnicity, income, marital and employment status, and number of children. The survey, administered through Random Device Engagement (RDE) methodology, was distributed within mobile apps to a randomized sample of users who opted in through nonmonetary incentives. Questions assessed knowledge of OMM, previous experiences with osteopathic care, perceived effectiveness in managing MSDs, and interest in nonpharmacological treatments. Quantitative analysis included frequency distributions and descriptive statistics to characterize awareness, perceptions, and utilization of\u00a0OMM.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n A total of 174 valid responses were analyzed after\u00a0the exclusion of incomplete entries. Respondents represented a demographically diverse population across the United\u00a0States. The most frequently cited uses of OMM were for back pain (n=70, 40.2\u202f%), neck pain (n=58, 33.3\u202f%), arthritis (n=38, 21.8\u202f%), and chronic pain (n=33, 19.0\u202f%). Regarding effectiveness, 68 respondents (39.1\u202f%) rated OMM as \u201cVery Effective,\u201d and 30 (17.2\u202f%) rated it as \u201cExtremely Effective.\u201d The key benefits included pain relief, improved mobility, reduced medication use, and noninvasiveness. Awareness of osteopathic distinctiveness remained low, with many respondents conflating OMM with chiropractic\u00a0care.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Findings highlight a favorable perception of OMM among those familiar with its use in MSD management, yet widespread knowledge gaps persist among the general public. The data support the need for targeted educational efforts that promote OMM as a safe, effective, evidence-based alternative to pharmacologic interventions. This work strengthens the case for broader integration of osteopathic principles in mainstream care and underscores the importance of outreach in reinforcing osteopathic distinctiveness. Future steps will involve the development of\u00a0educational materials to address misconceptions and improve access to OMM services.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1515\/jom-2025-0174","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,17]],"date-time":"2026-10-17T04:57:20Z","timestamp":1792213040000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Public perception of osteopathic manipulative medicine as an effective treatment for musculoskeletal disorders"],"prefix":"10.1515","author":[{"given":"Krina D.","family":"Patel","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research , Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine , Winter Garden , FL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-0648-5878","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nadiya Amanda","family":"Persaud","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Research , Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine , Winter Garden , FL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sapna","family":"Rama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Primary Care , Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine , Orlando , FL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"374","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Smith, E, Hoy, DG, Cross, M, Vos, T, Naghavi, M, Buchbinder, R, et al.. The global burden of other musculoskeletal disorders: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. Ann Rheum Dis 2014;73:1462\u20139. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/annrheumdis-2013-204680.","DOI":"10.1136\/annrheumdis-2013-204680"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_002","unstructured":"National Academies Press (US). Musculoskeletal disorders. Selected health conditions and likelihood of improvement with treatment\u00a0\u2013\u00a0NCBI bookshelf; 2020. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK559512\/."},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_003","unstructured":"Ullman, K. Osteopathic medicine and pain. American Osteopathic Association. https:\/\/osteopathic.org\/index.php?aam-media=\/wp-content\/uploads\/pain-free-living-osteopathic-medicine-2018.pdf."},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roberts, A, Harris, K, Outen, B, Bukvic, A, Smith, B, Schultz, A, et al.. Osteopathic manipulative medicine: a brief review of the hands-on treatment approaches and their therapeutic uses. Medicines 2022;9:33. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/medicines9050033.","DOI":"10.3390\/medicines9050033"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bohlen, L, Eggart, M, M\u00fcller-Oerlinghausen, B, Lorenz, J, Schleip, R, Liem, T, et al.. Effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on comorbid depressive symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2025;15:e094747. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-094747.","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2024-094747"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ansari, AZ, Mokodanski, NA, Ahmed, F, Fairooz, A, Hafeez, S. Significant improvement of fibromyalgia symptoms with osteopathic manipulative treatment: a case report. Cureus 2025;17:e85471. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7759\/cureus.85471.","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.85471"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pelletier, J, Capistrant, T, Nordt, SP. Osteopathic manipulation and its applicability in the emergency department: a narrative review. Am J Emerg Med 2024;84:74\u201380. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ajem.2024.07.050.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajem.2024.07.050"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_008","unstructured":"Licciardone, JC, Herron, KM. Characteristics, satisfaction, and perceptions of patients receiving ambulatory healthcare from osteopathic physicians: a comparative national survey. J\u00a0Am Osteopath Assoc 2001;101:374\u201385."},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sajjadi, NB, Ottwell, R, Shepard, S, Bray, N, Dyer, R, Wilson, J, et al.. Assessing the United\u00a0States\u2019 most frequently asked questions about osteopathic medicine, osteopathic education, and osteopathic manipulative treatment. J\u00a0Osteopath Med 2022;122:219\u201327. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/jom-2021-0281.","DOI":"10.1515\/jom-2021-0281"},{"key":"2026101704571874468_j_jom-2025-0174_ref_010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Darby, A, Parascando, JA, Lipinski, M, Lipinski, C, Mendez-Miller, M, Berg, A, et al.. Awareness and interest in osteopathic manipulative treatment in allopathic medical students. J\u00a0Osteopath Med 2023;123:379\u201384. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/jom-2022-0232.","DOI":"10.1515\/jom-2022-0232"}],"container-title":["Journal of Osteopathic Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.degruyterbrill.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/jom-2025-0174\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.degruyterbrill.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/jom-2025-0174\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,17]],"date-time":"2026-10-17T04:57:22Z","timestamp":1792213042000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.degruyterbrill.com\/document\/doi\/10.1515\/jom-2025-0174\/html"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]]},"references-count":10,"alternative-id":["10.1515\/jom-2025-0174"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/jom-2025-0174","relation":{},"ISSN":["2702-3648"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2702-3648","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,19]]}}}