APRIL 1, 1999

HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER ESTABLISHES RESEARCH INSTITUTE

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Research into the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative medicine for the treatment and prevention of neuromusculoskeletal disease is under way through the newly established Physical Medicine Institute at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

Under the direction of Dr. Scott Stoll, interim chair of osteopathic manipulative medicine at the UNT Health Science Center, the Physical Medicine Institute (PMI) will provide research, education, patient care and community outreach programs in the prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation of neuromusculoskeletal diseases. The neuromusculoskeletal system is the brain’s influence on certain muscular and skeletal functions, and disorders can include sinus problems, lower back pain and migraines. The PMI has been funded largely through private donations.

"Our research is already focusing on such areas as how osteopathic manipulative treatment helps in recovery of hip and knee replacements; in alleviating lower back pain and in facilitating recovery from asthma, pneumonia and heart disease," said Dr. Stoll.

"Future research areas we will explore include depression, cancer and post-heart bypass surgery. Osteopathic manipulative treatment is a hands-on diagnosis and treatment tool used to assess illness and injury in order to relieve muscle pain, musculoskeletal abnormality or other discomfort."

Seed funding for the research projects of the institute has come from the Osteopathic Medical Center Guild, Houston Osteopathic Hospital Foundation, Carl Everett Osteopathic Research Fund and a West Texas foundation.