Osteopathic manipulative medicine texts and educators advocate a range of
approaches for physical assessment and treatment, but little is known about their use by
osteopathic physicians in the United States. A web-based survey using a 5-point Likert scale was developed and e-mailed to 777
practicing osteopathic physician members of the American Academy of Osteopathy. Responses in
the "frequently" and "always" categories were combined for reporting purposes. Friedman tests
were used to analyze the reported usage of each item. The effect of gender was analyzed using
Mann-Whitney tests. Respondents reported the use of a broad range of assessment and treatment
approaches. Results suggest a higher use of myofascial release and cranial technique and lower use
of high-velocity techniques in this group of physicians compared to previous studies.