Osteopathic touch shows promise for depression relief

NCT ID NCT05065580

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Corewell Health South Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This completed study tested whether osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) – a gentle, hands-on therapy – could help adults with major depressive disorder when added to their usual care. Twenty-five participants received weekly 30-minute OMT sessions for 8 weeks. Researchers measured changes in depression and physical symptom scores before and after treatment. The goal was to see if OMT could be a helpful extra option for managing depression.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: osteopathic manipulative treatment (gentle hands-on techniques)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a drug-free, hands-on therapy to help ease depression symptoms when used alongside standard care.
What could go wrong: This is a very small, early study with only 25 participants and no control group, so results may not be reliable or apply to everyone. The treatment is only an add-on, not a replacement for proven depression therapies.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Lakeland Regional Healthcare

Saint Joseph, Michigan, 49085, United States

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