Sensory motor training for active completion of osteopathic treatment

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sensory motor training (realised by an unstable shoe construction) on the iliosacral Standing Flexion Test (SFT) in several investigation groups. In a pre-phase study, the functional improvement of the iliosacral Suspension system in a patient group with low back pain treated by a combined osteopathic and sensory motor training approach was verified in comparison to controls. Methods: A single blinded randomised controlled trial was designed for two groups of subjects: a reference group comprising 41 subjects with no history of recent musculo-skeletal problems and a group of 46 diabetic patients with known mild to moderate polyneuropathy. Approximately half of each of the reference and control groups underwent a six week period of sensory motor training with an unstable shoe construction. The remainder acted as controls. The SFT was carried out prior to treatment and after six weeks. Results: The SFT results indicated that there was a positive effect of sensory motor training on iliosacral function. After a six week period of training, initially positive SFTs were negative in 50% of the reference intervention group and 62% of diabetic intervention cases. There were no SIFT changes in either of the control groups. Conclusion: Sensory motor function is important in the treatment of the iliosacral suspension system. A combination of osteopathic treatment and sensory motor training with an unstable shoe construction seems to improve the long-term results for the SFT in over 30% of cases.