Effects of Osteopathy in Autonomic Nervous System

The most important homeostatic regulatory system in the body is the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as it coordinates functions of many organs and tissues, including the cardiac muscle.

ANS regulation in most visceral organs reflects a balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation. In the neural control of the heart, there is a balance between sympathetic excitation and vagal inhibition of sinoatrial node activity, which contribute to fluctuations in heartbeat, known as heart rate variability (HRV).

HRV is considered a valuable non-invasive measurement tool for assessing ANS function, as it is relatively simple and quickly performed.

Previous studies provide evidence that osteopathic treatment is associated with changes in HRV that appear to be indicative of increased cardiac vagal modulation in various conditions.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the osteopathic technique flying buttress on the ANS through HRV.

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteers between 18 and 35 years of age;
• Ability to maintain a supine position for 30 minutes;
• Healthy volunteers.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of acute or chronic pain;
• Recent cranial and/or cervical injury;
• History of cranial and/or cervical surgery;
• Oncological disease;
• Brain injury;
• Cardiovascular pathology;
• Neurological pathology;
• Psychological/emotional disorder;
• Pregnancy;
• Manual therapy treatment in the last month;
• Consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, chocolate, and sodas in the last 48 hours;
• Consumption of caffeine on the day of the study;
• Extreme physical exercise in the last 24 hours;
• Less than 6 hours of sleep on the night preceding the study.