{"id":{"repo_id":"vu-aus","oai_identifier":"oai:eprints.vu.edu.au:906"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vu-aus/oai:eprints.vu.edu.au:906","repository":{"repo_id":"vu-aus","name":"Victoria University (Australia)","base_url":"https://vuir.vu.edu.au/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"Influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function: a pilot study","abstract":"The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function. Fourteen participants (6 male and 8 female volunteers, age range 20-23 years) completed this study. An osteopathic screening examination of the thoracic spine, involving the assessment of the active, passive, active resisted and accessory ranges of motion and palpation of adjacent soft tissues. The placebo condition involved the examiner standing behind the seated participant. The examiner placed their hands on the participant's thoracic spine for a period of 5 minutes. The control condition involved examiner standing behind the seated participant with no physical contact between them. This was maintained for a period of 5 minutes. Examination condition produced a statistically significant 6.8% decrease in skin conductance. Control and placebo conditions did not produce a significant change in skin conductance. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly following the examination, control or placebo conditions. Osteopathic palpatory examination of the thoracic spine influences sympathetic nervous system function, significantly reducing electrical skin conductance. This minor thesis was written by a post-graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program.","abstract_html":"The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function. Fourteen participants (6 male and 8 female volunteers, age range 20-23 years) completed this study. An osteopathic screening examination of the thoracic spine, involving the assessment of the active, passive, active resisted and accessory ranges of motion and palpation of adjacent soft tissues. The placebo condition involved the examiner standing behind the seated participant. The examiner placed their hands on the participant's thoracic spine for a period of 5 minutes. The control condition involved examiner standing behind the seated participant with no physical contact between them. This was maintained for a period of 5 minutes. Examination condition produced a statistically significant 6.8% decrease in skin conductance. Control and placebo conditions did not produce a significant change in skin conductance. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly following the examination, control or placebo conditions. Osteopathic palpatory examination of the thoracic spine influences sympathetic nervous system function, significantly reducing electrical skin conductance. This minor thesis was written by a post-graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Boyd, Ross"],"institution":"Victoria University","degree_name":null,"degree_level":"cmaster","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003","date_published":"2003","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:33:00Z","subjects":["320000 Medical and Health Sciences","School of Biomedical and Health Sciences"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Boyd, Ross"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2003"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["School of Health Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["Victoria University"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/906/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["cmaster"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["320000 Medical and Health Sciences","School of Biomedical and Health Sciences"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/906/1/Boyd_et.al_2003.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function. Fourteen participants (6 male and 8 female volunteers, age range 20-23 years) completed this study. An osteopathic screening examination of the thoracic spine, involving the assessment of the active, passive, active resisted and accessory ranges of motion and palpation of adjacent soft tissues. The placebo condition involved the examiner standing behind the seated participant. The examiner placed their hands on the participant's thoracic spine for a period of 5 minutes. The control condition involved examiner standing behind the seated participant with no physical contact between them. This was maintained for a period of 5 minutes. Examination condition produced a statistically significant 6.8% decrease in skin conductance. Control and placebo conditions did not produce a significant change in skin conductance. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly following the examination, control or placebo conditions. Osteopathic palpatory examination of the thoracic spine influences sympathetic nervous system function, significantly reducing electrical skin conductance. This minor thesis was written by a post-graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function: a pilot study"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Boyd, Ross"],"dc:date":["2003"],"dc:date.issued":["2003"],"dc:description.abstract":["The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function. Fourteen participants (6 male and 8 female volunteers, age range 20-23 years) completed this study. An osteopathic screening examination of the thoracic spine, involving the assessment of the active, passive, active resisted and accessory ranges of motion and palpation of adjacent soft tissues. The placebo condition involved the examiner standing behind the seated participant. The examiner placed their hands on the participant's thoracic spine for a period of 5 minutes. The control condition involved examiner standing behind the seated participant with no physical contact between them. This was maintained for a period of 5 minutes. Examination condition produced a statistically significant 6.8% decrease in skin conductance. Control and placebo conditions did not produce a significant change in skin conductance. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly following the examination, control or placebo conditions. Osteopathic palpatory examination of the thoracic spine influences sympathetic nervous system function, significantly reducing electrical skin conductance. This minor thesis was written by a post-graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program."],"dc:format":["text"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/906/1/Boyd_et.al_2003.pdf"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["School of Health Sciences"],"dc:publisher.institution":["Victoria University"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://vuir.vu.edu.au/906/"],"dc:subject":["320000 Medical and Health Sciences","School of Biomedical and Health Sciences"],"dc:title":["Influence of osteopathic palpatory examination on sympathetic nervous system function: a pilot study"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["cmaster"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:33:00Z"}