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Journal of Education, Health and Sport

Effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in musculoskeletal pain disorders
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  • Effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in musculoskeletal pain disorders
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  3. Vol. 10 No. 9 (2020) /
  4. Review Articles

Effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in musculoskeletal pain disorders

Authors

  • Kacper Pajor Pomeranian Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7280-3254
  • Justyna Szpyt Pomeranian Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1686-069X
  • Agnieszka Turoń-Skrzypińska Pomeranian Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4140-4656
  • Iwona Rotter Pomeranian Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4337-6476

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2020.10.09.112

Keywords

craniosacral therapy, manual therapies, osteopathic manipulative treatment

Abstract

Introduction

Craniosacral therapy is becoming more and more popular among therapists around the world. Its activity is based on primary respiratory mechanism (PSM), a natural craniosacral rhythm consisting of two phases: flexion and extension. During therapy, the therapist, using appropriate manual techniques performed with minimal force, restores the physiological craniosacral rhythm, restores the mobility of the cranial sutures and affects the mobility of the central nervous system. Due to not fully understood mechanisms of action and controversial foundations, the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy is often questioned.

Purpose

The purpose of this research review is to determine the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy on musculoskeletal pain disorders.

Material and methods

The PubMed database was searched using "Craniosacral therapy" for clinical trials and randomized clinical trials. Studies with other forms of therapy or placebo, conducted on newborns and older than 15 years and were excluded. These exclusions narrowed the search results to 5 works.

Results

Each study reported statistically significant improvement in at least one type of perceived pain in intervention group. In all studies, in at least two of the assessed tests (assessing pain and functionality), the difference between the result before the therapy and the result achieved after the therapy improved more for the group undergoing craniosacral therapy. Moreover, a review of studies showed insufficient level of research explaining the physiological foundations of craniosacral therapy.

Conclusions

1. Craniosacral therapy can effectively reduce pain of musculoskeletal origin and increase the functionality of patients.

2. The mechanisms responsible for the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy and its theoretical foundations require further research.

References

Chaitow L. Cranial Manipulation Theory and Practice: Osseous and Soft Tissue Approaches. Toronto: Churchill Livingstone; 1999.

Miszewski W, Miszewska A. Modern methods of physiotherapy – craniosacral therapy. Med Rodz. 2014;3:141-146.

Sommerfeld P, Kaider A, Klein P. Inter-and intraexaminer reliability in palpation of the “primary respiratory mechanism” within the “cranial concept”. Man Ther. 2004;9(1):22-29.

Haller H, Lauche R, Sundberg T, Dobos G, Cramer H. Craniosacral therapy for chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord. 2020;21(1):1-14.

Upledger J. Your inner physician and you: CranioSacral therapy and SomatoEmotional release. North Atlantic Books; 1997.

Bialosky J, Bishop M, George S, Robinson M. Placebo response to manual therapy: something out of nothing?. J Man Manip Ther. 2011;19(1):11-19.

Castro-Sánchez A, Lara-Palomo I, Matarán-Penarrocha G, Saavedra-Hernández M, Pérez-Mármol J, Aguilar-Ferrándiz M. Benefits of Craniosacral therapy in patients with chronic low Back pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2016;22(8):650-657.

Elden H, Östgaard H, Glantz A, Marciniak P, Linnér A, Olsén M. Effects of craniosacral therapy as adjunct to standard treatment for pelvic girdle pain in pregnant women: a multicenter, single blind, randomized controlled trial. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2013;92(7):775-782.

Castro-Sánchez A, Matarán-Peñarrocha G, Sánchez-Labraca N, Quesada-Rubio J, Granero-Molina J, Moreno-Lorenzo C. A randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of craniosacral therapy on pain and heart rate variability in fibromyalgia patients. Clin Rehabil. 2011;25(1):25-35.

Haller H, Lauche R, Cramer H, Rampp T, Saha F, Ostermann T, Dobos G. Craniosacral therapy for the treatment of chronic neck pain: a randomized sham-controlled trial. Clin J Pain. 2016;32(5):441.

Nourbakhsh M, Fearon F. The effect of oscillating-energy manual therapy on lateral epicondylitis: a randomized, placebo-control, double-blinded study. J Hand Ther. 2008;21(1):4-14.

Bialosky J, Bishop M, Penza C. Placebo mechanisms of manual therapy: a sheep in wolf's clothing?. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(5):301-304.

Bialosky J, Bishop M, George S, Robinson M. Placebo response to manual therapy: something out of nothing?. J Man Manip Ther. 2011;19(1):11-19.

Green C, Martin C, Bassett K, Kazanjian A. A systematic review of craniosacral therapy: biological plausibility, assessment reliability and clinical effectiveness. Complement Ther Med. 1999;7(4):201-207.

Rogers J, Witt P, Gross M, Hacke J, Genova P. Simultaneous palpation of the craniosacral rate at the head and feet: intrarater and interrater reliability and rate comparisons. Phys Ther. 1998;78(11):1175-1185.

Sommerfeld P, Kaider A, Klein P. Inter-and intraexaminer reliability in palpation of the “primary respiratory mechanism” within the “cranial concept”. Man Ther. 2004;9(1):22-29.

Billis E, Foster N, Wright C. Reproducibility and repeatability: errors of three groups of physiotherapists in locating spinal levels by palpation. Man Ther. 2003;8(4):223-232.

Flynn T, Cleland J, Schaible P. Craniosacral therapy and professional responsibility. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006;36(11):834-836.

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Published

2020-09-30

How to Cite

1.
PAJOR, Kacper, SZPYT, Justyna, TUROŃ-SKRZYPIŃSKA, Agnieszka and ROTTER, Iwona. Effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in musculoskeletal pain disorders. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 30 September 2020. Vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 915-926. [Accessed 18 May 2025]. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2020.10.09.112.
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Vol. 10 No. 9 (2020)

Section

Review Articles

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The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0

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