Protocol: Neurophysiological Effects of Craniosacral Treatment on Heart Rate Variability v1

Craniosacral treatment is an osteopathic technique grounded in the assumption that there is an intrinsic, fine movement of the cerebrospinal fluid. This rhythmic movement can be utilized for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes by palpation and manipulation of the skull, spine, and associated connective tissues. Therapeutic benefit is likely due to action on the autonomic nervous system, specifically through the vagus nerve. Current literature on the neurophysiological effects of craniosacral treatment is extremely limited, which has contributed to controversy regarding the effectiveness of this technique. Due to this, heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure of cardiovascular stress and autonomic system activity is proposed as a tool to evaluate the neurophysiologic effects of craniosacral treatment. HRV can be analyzed in two different bands, high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) power. HF is associated with a parasympathetic response while LF is generally associated with a sympathetic response.In this meta-analysis, we will analyze the effect of craniosacral therapy on heart rate variability.