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

5.2.4. Outlier
The results graph of VAS and RMQ of test person TP13 (see annex H) shows a
contrary development to the graph indicating the mean values. Her symptoms
worsened considerably. This can also be seen clearly on the test sheet, since the
number of positive provocation SIJ tests increase notably. Also, the number of tender
palpation points rose. However, since there was only one outlier, these results do not
influence the mean values of the test group.
5.3. Conclusion
The intention of this study was to analyse whether and how pregnant women with
instable SIJs react differently when receiving osteopathic treatment or not by using
measurable parameters. Since in pregnancy the discomfort rises up to the point of
giving birth [2, 17, 27, 29, 45], the test persons can serve as their own control group.
They are observed during one week without receiving any treatment. This time frame
serves as a reference week. Subsequently, the test persons are treated three times
at an interval of at least one week. During these periods of time they also undergo
observation. As a last step, the observation week after the third treatment is
compared to the reference week. We speak of a within-subject study with 14 test
persons.
A series of tests consisting of six pain provocation tests following Laslett serves as
inclusion criterion. [31]
The primary dependent variables are quality of life, analysed on the basis of the
RDQ, and pain, measured with the Visual Analogue Scale. Further variables are the
pain provocation SIJ tests, palpation tests and the indication of pain areas.
I do not elaborate in detail the osteopathic treatment used in this study; it is only
mentioned as a black box.
The study showed therapeutic success in pregnant women due to the application of
OMT. Both dependent variables, pain and quality of life, showed a very significant (α
≤ 0.01) improvement after the therapy. Manual tests, especially the provocation SIJ
Master’s Thesis Wolfgang Aspalter 66