Can back pain caused by symptom-giving sacroiliac joint relaxation ...

Independent variables:
o Whole group during the test period: period after the first, second and third
osteopathic therapy session (PT1W, PT2W, PT3W)
o Whole group during the control period: period between diagnosis and first
osteopathic therapy session (RW)
The validity and reliability of the variables will be discussed in detail in chapters 3.4.
and 3.5.
3.2. Execution of the study
3.2.1. General information
In June 2006 I presented the idea of my Master’s thesis to four gynaecologists (one
with a contract with the Austrian Health Insurance and three without) in Leoben,
Trofaiach and Bruck an der Mur and asked them to send pregnant women with back
pain to my practice for osteopathic treatment.
The gynaecologists gave the patients an information sheet (see annex A) together
with a business card and a folder of my practice. They issued a referral for
physiotherapeutic and osteopathic treatment.
The patients came to my practice five times:
o Diagnosis & test
o 1 st therapy session
o 2 nd therapy session
o 3 rd therapy session
o Post diagnosis & retest
The patients had to fill in a questionnaire (see annex E) every day (seven days) after
the first consultation and each therapy session (that is 4x7= 28 questionnaires).
Previous experience in osteopathic therapy shows that in pregnant women the
success rates concerning pain and quality of life are highest after three therapy
Master’s Thesis Wolfgang Aspalter 35