Knowing hands converse with an expressive body – An experience of osteopathic touch

BackgroundTouch is the process by which one person physically contacts another individual and as such plays an integral role in osteopathic practice. Osteopathic practitioners use touch in almost every aspect of care including examination, diagnosis and treatment. Although touch is intrinsic to osteopathic practice, there has been no published research to date that qualifies the experience of osteopathic touch within a treatment session.AimThe aim of this phenomenological study was to examine and describe the patient's experience of touch during a consultation with an osteopathic practitioner.MethodsThree osteopaths identified five potential participants from their own practice. Data were recorded during face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and the textual data was analysed using the principles of hermeneutic phenomenology. Themes were identified in the data and a description of the lived experience of osteopathic touch emerged.ResultsThree phenomenological themes were identified in the data and broken down into nine constituent subthemes. Theme [A] The Process – a physical interaction, drew attention to the physical patient-practitioner relationship and the importance of an engaged, bi-directional, supportive interaction. Theme [B] Professionalism – a practitioner's responsibility, explored the role of touch in developing a professional interaction and emphasised the patient's expectations surrounding care, trust and boundaries while Theme [C] Reassurance – a therapeutic necessity, examined the reassuring role of touch and how it illustrated the practitioner's knowledge, technical competence and confidence.ConclusionsThe experience of touch for the participants in an osteopathic session was one of care and security. For the participants touch plays a critical role in the therapeutic relationship by supporting and validating their experiences and by communicating practitioner care and professionalism.