OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Research for occupational therapy

Papers an occupational therapist can act on, across daily living, mental health, hand therapy, paediatrics and rehabilitation, each read in full rather than from its abstract.

10,853 PAPERS · PAGE 106 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2023Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and the Outcome of Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections for Lumbar Radiculopathy.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationPatients with lower estimated family income had higher baseline pain but experienced a larger reduction in pain scores two weeks after a lumbar epidural steroid injection than those with higher income. Physical activity was linked to lower baseline pain and better outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Evaluating case diagnostic criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): toward an empirical case definition.Disability and rehabilitationCognitive dysfunction, post-exertional malaise, and sleep problems were the core symptoms reported by over 90% of participants. The Canadian Consensus Criteria best matched this symptom structure, while the IOM criteria required revision to make cognitive impairment a mandatory core symptom.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Intra- and interpersonal effects of coping style and self-efficacy on anxiety, depression and life satisfaction in patient-partner couples after stroke.Neuropsychological rehabilitationProactive coping and self-efficacy in stroke patients and their partners predicted lower anxiety and depression in both individuals over the first year. Intrapersonal effects were stronger, but a patient's coping style also reduced their partner's anxiety, supporting early screening of the couple rather than just the patient.
• PTOTCohort2023Occupational engagement, fatigue, and upper and lower extremity abilities in persons with melorheostosis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationIn 45 adults with melorheostosis, high-demand leisure activities were least retained and often given up. Physical fatigue was linked to lower activity retention, and lesion location was linked to extremity-specific function scores. Motivation and mental fatigue were not.
• OTOther2023Person-centered goal setting is feasible in people with Parkinson's disease who have subjective cognitive decline: a mixed methods study.Disability and rehabilitationPerson-centered goal setting was feasible: 30 people with Parkinson's disease and subjective cognitive decline set 166 goals, averaging 5.53 each, and 144 goals were rated seven or higher importance.
• PTOTCohort2023Pain, obesity, and physical function in Mexican American older adults during 20 years of follow-up.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationOlder Mexican Americans with both pain and obesity had 2.31 times the odds of low physical function over 20 years compared to those with neither. Pain alone also increased risk. Obesity alone did not show a significant association in this high-functioning group.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Using Machine Learning to Examine Suicidal Ideation After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationA machine learning model predicted suicidal ideation one year after TBI with excellent accuracy. Depressed mood and guilt were the strongest predictors, followed by anhedonia and concentration difficulties. Demographic and injury severity factors added no predictive value. This suggests screening for specific depression symptoms may be more useful than general risk factors.
• OTSurvey2022Expectations of Mental Illness Disclosure Outcomes in the Work Context: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Dutch Workers.Journal of occupational rehabilitationDutch workers mostly expected that disclosure of mental illness at work could improve authenticity and work adjustments, but many also expected contract renewal or promotion problems. Expectations varied by experience, gender, education and workplace atmosphere.
• PTOTCohort2022Sex and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Within-Stay Readmissions During Inpatient Rehabilitation Among Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn 210,440 adults with traumatic brain injury, within-stay readmission rates were similar for men and women. Readmission was linked to older age, complications, lower admission function, and longer time from injury to rehabilitation; racial/ethnic minority patients had longer delays and stays before readmission.
• OTCohort2022The Association Between Payer Source and Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Outcomes: A TBI Model Systems Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn 8,558 adults under age 64 with moderate to severe TBI, worker's compensation/auto stayed longest in inpatient rehabilitation and had highest discharge independence, while uninsured stayed shortest. The insurance difference in discharge independence was no longer seen when length of stay was included.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Adaptation of the Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation for Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Consensus-Based Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationCancer survivors prioritized mental functions, interpersonal relationships, and workplace support for return to work. Stakeholders confirmed the adapted checklist covers these areas but recommended a single coordinator to manage the multi-disciplinary assessment.
• OTQualitative2022Swedish managers' experience-based understanding of the Capacity to work in employees with Common Mental Disorders: a Focus Group Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationManagers understood employees with depression or anxiety as losing the ability to concentrate, plan over time, work independently, keep up professional appearances, and interact socially. These are managers’ perceptions, not measured work capacity, and not evidence of how all employees with these conditions actually function.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Effects of Exercise Mode on Improving Cardiovascular Function and Cardiorespiratory Fitness After Bariatric Surgery: A Narrative Review.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAerobic exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in bariatric surgery patients, often without additional weight loss. Resistance training alone did not improve fitness but helped maintain muscle. Combining both is recommended to maximize health benefits and prevent muscle loss, though evidence remains limited and protocols need standardization.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Association Between Self-Reported Disability and Lifetime History of Traumatic Brain Injury With Loss of Consciousness Among Veterans and Nonveterans in North Carolina.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans and nonveterans reporting a lifetime history of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness had higher rates of current disability. Cognitive, independent living, and vision disabilities showed the strongest associations. This identifies a group needing careful functional assessment, but does not prove the injury caused the disability.
• OTSurvey2022Employment Consequences of COVID-19 for People with Disabilities and Employers.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA quarter of surveyed people with physical disabilities reported pandemic-related work changes, including pay cuts, reduced hours, or job loss. Nearly all surveyed employers reported business impacts.
• OTQualitative2022"I Felt Supported by the Peers in My Group": Analyzing Experiences of Youths with Mental Health Challenges of a Supported Employment Program in Canada.Journal of occupational rehabilitationYoung adults with mental illness described a 16-week supported employment program as most helpful for building daily routines and peer connections that lasted beyond the course. They found the job application process and workplace stigma remained major barriers after the program ended, suggesting continued support is needed.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Hyaluronan homeostasis and its role in pain and muscle stiffness.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationHyaluronan in muscle tissue may drive pain and stiffness through increased viscosity and pressure on nerves. While animal studies link low-molecular-weight hyaluronan to pain, human data suggests high accumulation causes stiffness. Hyaluronidase injections show promise in small trials, but evidence remains preliminary.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Concussion Evaluation Patterns Among US Adults.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationHalf of adults with a self-reported concussion never saw a doctor or nurse. The main reason was not cost or access, but believing the injury was not serious. Men and those with falls or sports injuries were least likely to seek care.
• PTOTOther2023Assessing wear time and perceptions of wearing an ankle foot orthosis in patients with peripheral artery disease.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMost participants with PAD wore their ankle orthoses about five days a week for eight hours. They reported improved walking distance but faced barriers at home, on stairs, and while driving. Do not assume high adherence or efficacy from this small pilot.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Relationship Between Cachexia and the Functional Progress of Patients With Cancer in Inpatient Rehabilitation.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMost cancer patients in inpatient rehab had cachexia, yet those with moderate weight loss recovered function as well as those without. Only the most severe cases gained less function and had poorer survival, suggesting standard rehab remains effective for many.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Views of in-person and virtual group exercise before and during the pandemic in people with Parkinson disease.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPeople with Parkinson disease who moved from in-person to virtual group exercise reported maintaining or improving mobility and balance. They valued the social connection and convenience of Zoom classes, though few had been referred to the program by a doctor.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyWheelchair service education is rarely integrated into university curricula, with most training occurring in high-income countries. Existing programs often lack standardization and detailed reporting, leaving a gap in evidence for how to effectively teach wheelchair skills globally.
• PTOTPilot2023Disparities in functional recovery after dysvascular lower limb amputation are associated with employment status and self-efficacy.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with dysvascular lower limb amputation who were not working full-time had significantly poorer prosthetic mobility and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of mobility, masking the direct contribution of employment status.
• PTOTCohort2023Prevalence of rapidly progressive osteoarthritis of the hip following intra-articular steroid injections.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationRapidly progressive hip osteoarthritis occurred in 2.8% of patients after steroid injections. Half of these cases appeared within three months, and most required hip replacement. Older age was linked to higher risk, but the study cannot prove the injection caused the joint destruction.
• OTOther2022Demographic Covariates, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Employment Outcomes of Working-Age Adults with Anxiety Disorders: A Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationOnly 38.4% of adults with anxiety disorders in U.S. vocational rehabilitation records achieved competitive employment. Higher education, counseling, maintenance, or other services were linked to employment; supported employment and transportation were linked to lower employment.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Exploring Social Support for Women Coping with a Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme after Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWomen with heart disease often skip rehab to protect families from worry or resume housework. Support from spouses and peers helps them attend. Therapists should assess caregiving burdens and consider women-only groups to address these social barriers.
• PTOTRCT2022Comparison of Six-Minute Walk Test and Modified Bruce Treadmill Test in Paediatric Patients With Severe Burns: A Cross-Over Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe treadmill test pushed children with severe burns to higher heart rates and perceived effort than the six-minute walk. The walk test was easier to complete and remains a useful option for patients who cannot tolerate the treadmill.
• PTOTCohort2022Prediction of bowel management independence after ischemic spinal cord injury.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA single motor strength score taken within 40 days of ischemic spinal cord injury predicted who would regain independent bowel management at one year. The model showed fair accuracy but missed many patients who would not recover, so use it to guide expectations rather than to rule out need for support.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Latent Neuropsychological Profiles to Discriminate Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Active-Duty Service Members.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationStatistical clustering of symptoms and test scores separated service members into five profiles, but diagnostic labels like mild TBI or PTSD did not map cleanly to them. Many with mild TBI plus PTSD showed normal functioning, while others had combined deficits.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Work-related support in clinical care for patients with a chronic disease: development of an intervention.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA new stay-at-work care pathway was developed for chronic disease patients. It uses screening cards and conversation tools to help clinicians discuss work issues during routine visits. The intervention is not yet tested for effectiveness.
• PTOTSurvey2022Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Associated Technology Use in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: An International RIMS-SIG Mobility Survey Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPhysical activity dropped significantly in people with MS during the pandemic, driven by lost access to gyms and pools. Walking increased and remained the top choice. Most people disliked purely remote care, preferring in-person or hybrid support once restrictions lifted.
• PTOTPilot2022Art skill-based rehabilitation training for upper limb sensorimotor recovery post-stroke: A feasibility study.Clinical rehabilitationStroke patients in inpatient rehab completed high-intensity drawing tasks delivered by trained non-clinicians. Participants with severe arm weakness and cognitive impairment tolerated the program well, with 93% satisfaction and no new adverse events. This suggests art-based training is feasible as an adjunct to standard care.
• PTOTCohort2022Five-Year Cumulative Incidence of Axillary Web Syndrome and Comparison in Upper Extremity Movement, Function, Pain, and Lymphedema in Survivors of Breast Cancer With and Without Axillary Web Syndrome.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAxillary web syndrome persisted in 50% of survivors five years after breast cancer surgery. While function and pain did not differ between those with and without the condition, survivors with AWS had significantly reduced shoulder abduction range of motion both early and late post-surgery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Predictors of Postacute Sequelae of COVID-19 Development and Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationNearly half of adults with confirmed COVID-19 developed post-acute sequelae (PASC) defined as new symptoms lasting at least 31 days. Patients with PASC used significantly more rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology, both during and after their initial infection.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Can Outpatient Rehabilitation Be Continued During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Report from a Japanese Regional Medical University Hospital.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationOutpatient rehabilitation at one Japanese hospital fell in spring 2020 but returned to prepandemic daily numbers by 2021 while screening, masking, disinfection, spaced training, and paused swallowing studies were used. No outpatient rehabilitation clusters occurred.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Physical activity and perceived barriers in individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMiddle-aged and older adults with traumatic brain injury were less likely to meet physical activity guidelines than younger adults, yet more often reported no barriers. Younger adults cited fatigue, time constraints, and gym discomfort more frequently.
• PTOTOther2023Assessment of Patient-Reported Physical Function in Persons With Upper Extremity Amputation: Comparison of Short Form Instruments.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationThe 13-item PROMIS Upper Extremity measure scored with amputation-specific calibration outperformed the standard 7-item version. It provided more reliable scores across a wider range of function, though it failed to distinguish between prosthesis users and non-users.
• PTOTCohort2023Impact of Opioid Use on Duration of Time Loss After Work-Related Lower Limb Injury.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers with lower limb injuries who were dispensed opioids took longer to return to work. The effect was strongest for those given both strong and weak opioids, who had a median of 331 compensated days off compared to 31 days for those given no opioids.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Improving shared decision-making for prosthetic care: A qualitative needs assessment of prosthetists and new lower-limb prosthesis users.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalProsthetists and new users want shared decision-making for first prostheses but struggle to align values and options. Users need to know the journey involves socket changes and want to try components. Clinicians need better tools to elicit goals beyond walking.
• PTOTOther2022Multimodal Ambulatory Monitoring of Daily Activity and Health-Related Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Survivors of Stroke: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Validity.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn 40 community-dwelling mild stroke survivors, 7 days of smartphone prompts plus a thigh accelerometer were feasible, acceptable, and appeared to track activity and symptoms. It is not proof that any treatment works.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Barriers and facilitators related to self-management of shoulder pain: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis.Clinical rehabilitationPatients often abandon shoulder self-management because they expect hands-on treatment to 'fix' the problem. Clinicians reinforce this by expressing doubt about self-care. Success requires early education that challenges these beliefs, schedules follow-up support, and aligns exercises with the patient's daily routine.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Associations of Preexisting Vascular Risk Factors With Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationSmoking before head injury predicted worse function and more symptoms at six months. High blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol showed weaker or no links. Patients with any vascular risk factor were less likely to return to baseline function by six months than those with none.
• PTOTOther2022Using Implementation Science to Guide the Process of Adapting a Patient Engagement Intervention for Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder Rehabilitation.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationClinicians and a patient advocate adapted an engagement intervention for spinal cord injury rehab. They changed goal-setting cards and trackers to fit therapy sessions but kept core principles like letting the patient choose goals.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Transcranial direct current stimulation in the management of phantom limb pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAnodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex significantly reduced phantom limb pain intensity in adults with amputation. Multi-session protocols (5-10 sessions) provided longer-lasting relief than single sessions. The effect was seen in both upper and lower limb amputees, regardless of how long ago the amputation occurred.
• OTSLPRCT2022The "Mirror Effect Plus Protocol" for acute Bell's palsy: A randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up.Clinical rehabilitationIn acute Bell's palsy, MEPP added to medication and counselling (mirror feedback, motor imagery, soft-tissue manipulation, mime therapy, neuromuscular retraining, motor learning principles) showed mixed facial symmetry results: House-Brackmann scores favoured it, but Sunnybrook scores did not differ.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Impact of adding scapular stabilization to postural correctional exercises on symptomatic forward head posture: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding scapular stabilization to postural exercises reduced forward head posture angle from 39 to 53 degrees, versus 46 for postural exercises alone. Neck disability scores dropped more with the added exercises. Both groups improved, but the combined approach was superior for posture and pain sensitivity.
• PTOTSurvey2022Perceived impacts of COVID-19 on wellbeing among US working-age adults with ADL difficulty.Disability and health journalWorking-age adults with severe difficulty in daily activities reported much higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and worsened physical health than those without. They also reported more strain on family relationships, but no significant difference in financial impacts or ability to see a doctor.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022Internet-Based Information Sharing With Families of Patients With Stroke in a Rehabilitation Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case-Control Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke patients whose families received video updates on rehabilitation progress improved more in daily living activities than matched controls. However, families chose to participate, so proactive support rather than the videos may have driven the gain.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Predictors of functional outcomes in adults with brain tumor undergoing rehabilitation treatment: a systematic review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation improves physical function and daily living in adults with brain tumors. Outcomes are comparable to those seen in stroke and traumatic brain injury. There are no standardized guidelines for assessment or timing, so treatment must be tailored to each patient's functional status.
• PTOTCohort2022A First View of the Effect of a Trial of Early Mobilization on the Muscle Strength and Activities of Daily Living in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With COVID-19.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 28 mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, starting rehabilitation during intubation or after extubation led to similar functional recovery at discharge. Both groups improved, but most remained functionally dependent. This small study cannot confirm which timing is superior.