Exploring manual therapy in the management of irritable bowel syndrome in adults: A scoping review
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language: IBS, explained
IBS is a prevalent gut-brain interaction disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, significantly affecting quality of life (QoL). IBS contributes to substantial work absenteeism and economic burdens and often coexists with other somatic and psychiatric conditions, with psychological well-being being a critical determinant of QoL. IBS sufferers often turn to MT due to dissatisfaction with conventional treatments. However, no comprehensive review has assessed the evidence for MT in treating IBS. The objective of this review is to identify and map the available evidence on the effects of various manual therapy (MT) techniques on the biopsychosocial functioning, well-being, and QoL of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Studies involving adults with IBS and investigating the effects of MT on biological, psychological, and social outcomes, well-being, or QoL were included. A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Study quality was assessed using The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Study Quality Assessment Tools. The protocol for this review was registered with the Open Science Framework and is available at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/QN4WU. Of 730 records identified, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria (9 trials, 21 reviews). The interventions reviewed included osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, traditional Chinese spinal orthopaedic manipulation, and Tuina. The most frequently assessed outcomes were biological and psychological variables, as well as QoL, with well-being being the least commonly examined. Although the results suggest potential benefits of MT in IBS treatment, they should be interpreted with caution due to the lack of robust trials, inconsistent findings, and occasional adverse events. High-quality randomized controlled trials and standardized outcome measu
Key Findings: what this systematic review found about IBS
- ✓Irritable bowel syndrome is a prevalent gut-brain interaction disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits that significantly affects quality of life and contributes to substantial work absenteeism and economic burden.
- ✓IBS patients frequently seek manual therapy treatment due to dissatisfaction with conventional treatments, despite the lack of comprehensive evidence assessing the effectiveness of manual therapy for IBS.
- ✓This scoping review systematically mapped available evidence on the effects of various manual therapy techniques on the biopsychosocial functioning, well-being, and quality of life outcomes in adults with irritable bowel syndrome.
What This Means for You
Manual therapies may help with IBS symptoms and well-being based on current evidence, but the quality of research varies, so discuss with your healthcare provider which approaches have the strongest evidence for your specific symptoms.
What This Means for Practitioners
This scoping review identifies multiple manual therapy modalities with potential benefit for IBS clients, providing a foundation to understand which techniques are being studied and where evidence gaps exist in your practice.
IBS: common questions
What does this study say about IBS?
Manual therapies may help with IBS symptoms and well-being based on current evidence, but the quality of research varies, so discuss with your healthcare provider which approaches have the strongest evidence for your specific symptoms.
What did this study find?
Irritable bowel syndrome is a prevalent gut-brain interaction disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits that significantly affects quality of life and contributes to substantial work absenteeism and economic burden. IBS patients frequently seek manual therapy treatment due to dissatisfaction with conventional treatments, despite the lack of comprehensive evidence assessing the effectiveness of manual therapy for IBS. This scoping review systematically mapped available evidence on the effects of various manual therapy techniques on the biopsychosocial functioning, well-being, and quality of life outcomes in adults with irritable bowel syndrome.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence moderate. It was published in Complementary therapies in medicine, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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