27th September 2016

Dévan Rajendran’s Research

research folders

My research bridges clinical practice, education, and scholarly inquiry, with a focus on manual therapy, biopsychosocial frameworks, and evidence-informed decision-making. I have published in areas including practitioners’ perceptions of pain, validity of palpation methods, shared decision-making in osteopathy, and attitudes to guidelines in low back pain care.

Below you will find a curated selection of peer-reviewed articles and projects that reflect my commitment to translating research into better practice, better outcomes, and integrative healthcare that respects both body and mind.

Selected Publications by Dévan Rajendran

    1. Alexander N, Rastelli A, Webb T, Rajendran D (2020). The validity of lumbo-pelvic landmark palpation by manual practitioners: A systematic review. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.
      This review evaluates how reliably manual practitioners can identify lumbo-pelvic landmarks using palpation versus imaging.

    2. Abrosimoff M, Rajendran D (2019). Tell me your story” – How osteopaths apply the BPS model when managing low back pain. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. 
      Monica and I published this is qualitative study that explores osteopaths’ real-world use of the biopsychosocial model when working with low back pain.

    3. Rajendran D, Beazley J, Bright P (2019). Shared decision making by United Kingdom osteopathic students: An observational study using the OPTION-12 instrument. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 27:42.
      Jane, Phil and I investigated how UK osteopathic students engage in shared decision making with patients, based on a validated measurement tool.

    4. Figg-Latham J, Rajendran D (2017). Quiet dissent: The attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of UK osteopaths who reject low back pain guidance – A qualitative study. Manual Therapy.
      Joanna and I published a qualitative work looks into why some UK osteopaths express resistance or scepticism toward guideline recommendations for low back pain.

    5. Rajendran D, Bright P, Bettles S, Carnes D, Mullinger B (2012). What puts the adverse in ‘adverse events’? Patients’ perceptions of post-treatment experiences in osteopathy – A qualitative study using focus groups. Manual Therapy, 17(4):305–11.
      This team published a study using focus groups to understand how patients interpret and report side effects or adverse events after manual therapy.

To read my research profile and see a full list of my publications, please go to Research Gate and Google Scholar


Selection of my Podium presentations:

  • IX International Medical Congress ASTAOR, Moscow, April 2025,  Is it impingement or can we modify it?
  • VIII International Medical Congress ASTAOR, Moscow, April 2024, Subacromial Impingement – is it time to update the concept?
  • Institute of Osteopathy Conference; London, November 2019, Pain from a BPS approach
  • Formthotics Conference, 2018, Moscow, Lower Limb Biomechanics – research based
  • Formthotics Conference, 2017, Moscow, Biomechanics and foot pain – research based
  • Institute of Osteopathy Conference, 2017, Hip Impingement – current research evidence for diagnosis and management
  • Queen Mary University of London, 2016, Sports Injury and Management MSc Module, ‘Adverse events from manual therapy’ – research synthesis
  • Institute of Osteopathy Conference, 2015, ‘Anxiety and Stress, simple psychological techniques to assist patients’
  • ICROM, Ghent, Belgium,  24th October 2015; Inaugural Keynote address “Stargazing; are we astronomers or astrologists?”
  • ICOAR 10, Sao Paulo Brazil, November 2014: ‘Does muscle compliance predict low back pain? A small scale blinded electro-myotonometric study’
  • Institute of Osteopathy Conference, 2014, ‘Knees: Current approaches to diagnosis and conservative management’
  • ESO Research Event, 2011. ‘Pelvic bony landmarks: How reliably can we palpate these?’
  • Lausanne, Switzerland, 2010. ‘Osteopathic assessment of the shoulder, reliability and validity of our clinical tests’