In any case, the research lines will depend on the material and patients available.
Somatic dysfunction:
- There are some research lines published by different authors, such as the AOA, but this is an extraordinary line (difficult to follow) to define models and theories about articular somatic dysfunction, understood as a clinical entity which needs treatment.
Manipulation and spine:
- Pain and range of movement, evoked potentials, EMG and temperature have been studied.
- Good research lines about stability (there are some published but not in depth), reflexes, dermalgias, viscera-somatic reflexes, etc. and analytical ones about interventions (the current articles use generic manipulations).
Peripheral manipulation:
- Very fertile field for research, since there is little scientific evidence studied.
- Range of movement, pain, EMG, etc. needs to be studied.
- The drawback is the placing of publications according to the acquired importance of other treatments (e.g. surgery), although there may be place in the medium term.
Visceral manipulation:
- Deserted field in international publications and those concerning the impact of manual therapy (despite the work by Barral and the American school).
- Assessment questionnaires about the quality of life exist in some visceral dysfunctions (e.g. dyspepsia), but they should be supported by more complex analyzes (contrast radiology, pH analyzes, blood tests, etc.).
- The study of viscero-somatic reflexes is interesting, since they have prior medical references. With the appropriate material, this may open possibilities (e.g. eye pumping technique).
Cranial manipulation:
- Field open to all possibilities, but complex in the methods of evaluating the effects and in scientific publication.
- Craniosacral rhythm is under study but there are many detractors worldwide.
- Working with the sensitive points may be more straightforward at first than cranial biomechanics.