Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40073288›Full record

ArticleJournal of osteopathic medicine2025

Soft tissue manipulation enhances recovery of muscle mass in a disuse model of sarcopenia.

Basil Mustaklem, Mary Terry Loghmani, Abigail K Waterfill, Mackenzie Caron, Daren A Glore, Nathaniel R Meyer, Luke D Shelton, Elicza A Day, Carmela Marciano, Addison Gepfert and 10 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of osteopathic medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Unravelling the Complexity of Sarcopenia Through a Systems Biology Approach.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Basil MustaklemWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Mary Terry LoghmaniDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Abigail K WaterfillDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Mackenzie CaronDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Daren A GloreDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Nathaniel R MeyerDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Luke D SheltonDepartment of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Elicza A DayWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Carmela MarcianoWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Addison GepfertWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Connor C WakefieldWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Hailey BrownWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Sierra StreetWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Madeline M SasseWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Jacob SnyderWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Taylor HilandWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Julia M HumWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
David C ElandWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Tien-Min Gabe ChuIndiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Jonathan W LoweryWood College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9942-2945

Funding

NeuronS_MATTR Network: Neuronal & Systems Mechanisms of Affective Touch & Therapeutic Tissue Manipulation Research NetworkU24AT011970 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · PI Gregory John Gerling, Ellen A Lumpkin · 2022 to 2026
$3.2M
NCCIH NIH HHS U24 AT011970
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextSarcopenia is a disease characterized by low muscle mass and function that places individuals at greater risk of disability, loss of independence, and death. Current therapies include addressing underlying performance issues, resistance training, and/or nutritional strategies. However, these approaches have significant limitations, and chronic inflammation associated with sarcopenia may blunt the anabolic response to exercise and nutrition. This presents an unmet need for treatment strategies that promote gains in muscle function. One such possibility is soft tissue manipulation (STM), which is a noninvasive, nonpharmacological mechanotherapy employed by osteopathic physicians, physiotherapists, and massage therapists, wherein soft tissues are subjected to mechanical forces delivered by hand or by an instrument. However, the molecular effects of STM in sarcopenia remain largely unknown.

objectivesIn the present study, we utilized a rat model of sarcopenia due to disuse atrophy and examined the effects of STM on recovery of muscle mass and regulation of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines.

methodsTen-week-old male Brown Norway rats were subjected to 2-week hindlimb suspension (HLS) and then allowed to re-ambulate for 8 days with or without instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) applied to the right hindlimb. Muscle weights were determined for treated and nontreated hindlimbs, and membrane-based cytokine arrays were performed on treated tissue and serum.

resultsFollowing suspension, IASTM enhanced the effectiveness of re-ambulation (Re-A) on muscle mass recovery in both treated and contralateral limbs. This was associated with changes in numerous cytokines in treated skeletal muscle and sera. Several factors we observe to be regulated were also shown to be regulated by STM in other studies, including ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-13, ICAM-1, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), whereas others are reported for the first time.

conclusionsOur study adds further support for the role of manual therapy in musculoskeletal health and details molecular-level effects in both target tissue and circulation. STM may hold promise for recovering muscle mass and function related in conditions of atrophy such as age-related sarcopenia.

Indexed as

Muscle, SkeletalSarcopeniaTherapy, Soft TissueAnimalsCytokinesDisease Models, AnimalHindlimb SuspensionMaleRatsRats, Inbred BNCytokinesinflammationmanual therapymuscle atrophyrehabilitationsarcopeniasoft tissue

Identifiers

PMID40073288
PMCPMC12353430

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.