Allied Health Discipline
Evidence-Based Practice for
Osteopathy in Australia
Osteopaths in Australia are registered with AHPRA under the Osteopathy Board of Australia. Australian osteopathic practice is grounded in musculoskeletal and neuromusculoskeletal principles, with primary evidence drawn from systematic reviews of manual therapy, spinal manipulation, and soft tissue techniques. The evidence base continues to mature, with Australian-based RCTs contributing to the international literature. OpenBook Clinical enables osteopaths to search PubMed, Cochrane Musculoskeletal, and Osteopathy Australia guidelines in seconds.
Key Clinical Conditions
- Low back pain — acute and chronic
- Neck pain and whiplash-associated disorders
- Tension-type and cervicogenic headache
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
- Rib and thoracic pain
- Infant colic and positional plagiocephaly
- Hip and pelvis pain including sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- Shoulder girdle dysfunction
Key Assessment Tools
- Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
- Neck Disability Index (NDI)
- Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
- Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)
Databases Searched
- Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group
- PubMed / MEDLINE (manual therapy and osteopathy)
- Index to Chiropractic Literature (musculoskeletal overlap)
- NHMRC Clinical Practice Guidelines
Australian Guidelines
- NHMRC Management of Low Back Pain (2022)
- Osteopathy Australia Professional Practice Standards
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality — Spinal Care Standards
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners — Musculoskeletal Pain Guidelines
Ready to search the Osteopathy evidence base?
OpenBook Clinical searches 35 million papers across PubMed, Cochrane, and Australian guidelines. AI-synthesised summaries. Evidence graded by quality. Free to try.