J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2025 Oct;44:625-631. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.06.033. Epub 2025 Jul 2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sports injuries are a significant burden to the health care system. Osteopaths situated in New Zealand regularly treat such injuries, yet little is understood about the practise characteristics of those who treat sports injuries often.

METHODS: The results were derived from a secondary analysis of data from a New Zealand practice-based research network (ORC-NZ). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to identify pertinent demographic, patient, practice and management characteristics associated with often managing sports injuries. Binary logistic regression with backward elimination was used to identify statistically significant practice characteristics associated with often treating sports injuries.

RESULTS: One hundred and forty-one osteopaths (n = 141, 50.9 %) reported often to managing patients with sporting injuries. Statistically significant practice characteristics associated with often managing sport-related injuries were: often using sport taping (ORa 7.10), exercise prescription (ORa 2.51) and dry needling (ORa 7.59), as well as often treating work-related injury (ORa 8.00) and post-surgery (ORa 3.60) patients.

CONCLUSION: This work is the first to provide insight into the practise characteristics of New Zealand osteopaths who often treat sports injuries. These findings are important to guide future research and policy, as well as inform specific professional development and education programs.

PMID:40954639 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.06.033