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 115 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2022Alterations to plantar loading and ankle range of motion of the contralateral foot during assisted walking in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.Gait & postureWheeled knee walkers reduced whole-foot and forefoot loading on the healthy foot compared to crutches and walkers, while maintaining faster walking speeds and greater ankle movement. This suggests they may better protect the non-injured foot in diabetic patients.
• PTOTOther2022Validation of the North Star Assessment for Limb-Girdle Type Muscular Dystrophies.Physical therapyThe North Star Assessment for Limb-Girdle Type Muscular Dystrophies reliably measures motor function across 14 different LGMD subtypes. It works for both ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients, with high agreement between different therapists scoring the same video.
• PTOTOther2022Differences in Balance Confidence, Fear of Falling, and Fall Risk Factors Among White and Black Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)In 84 high-functioning older adults, Black participants had objectively worse fall risk markers but reported less fear of falling than White participants. Race and gait speed predicted fear, but the sample was too small to explain why White adults fall more often.
• PTOTOther2023Mechanical testing of transtibial prosthetic sockets: A discussion paper from the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Socket Guidance Workgroup.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalCurrent standards do not test the whole prosthetic socket, so new designs cannot be checked for strength before use. A workgroup identified four key gaps in testing methods and proposed consensus and new research to create a standard that prevents overfabrication and failure.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2023Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy as an Unexpected Mimic of Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction: The Case for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Otolaryngology.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationA competitive runner with diagnosed vocal fold obstruction and exercise-induced asthma was found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial flutter via cardiopulmonary exercise testing. His exertional dyspnea did not improve with asthma or reflux medication, highlighting the need to screen for cardiac mimics.
• PTOTQualitative2023Implementing functional electrical stimulation clinical practice guidelines to support mobility: A stakeholder consultation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesClinicians reported that functional electrical stimulation guidelines are often too vague to guide practice. They cited inconsistent access, lack of confidence, and poor post-training support as key barriers. A tiered training model with ongoing peer support was identified as essential for successful implementation.
• PTOTOther2023The multi-grip and standard myoelectric hand prosthesis compared: does the multi-grip hand live up to its promise?Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThe multi-grip hand did not improve dexterity or reduce compensatory movements compared to the standard hand. It was slower for some tasks, and users reported more pain, noise, and fragility. The standard hand performed better on most measures.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Do Autism-Specific and General Developmental Screens Have Complementary Clinical Value?Journal of autism and developmental disordersCombining autism-specific and general developmental screens at 18 months did not reach acceptable sensitivity and specificity levels for both conditions. The ordinally scored Q-CHAT-10-O showed better sensitivity than the M-CHAT-R/F, while a failed communication subscale was a strong red flag for autism or delay.
• PTOTCohort2023Stroke Lesion Volume and Injury to Motor Cortex Output Determines Extent of Contralesional Motor Cortex Reorganization.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn 35 people with subacute stroke, no single corticospinal tract measure was related to contralesional motor cortex reorganization overall. In participants with no measurable motor output, larger stroke volume was linked to more reorganization, and hand function was worse with more damage.
• PTOTOther2022Differences in gait kinetics and kinematics between patients with rotating hinge knee and cruciate-retaining prostheses: a cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceGait mechanics for rotating hinge knee implants matched cruciate-retaining ones, not healthy knees. This suggests the restrictive implant corrects alignment to normal load levels, but small sample size and all-female cohort limit generalizability.
• PTOTOther2022Reliability of Bluetooth inertial sensors for assessing lower limb segment angles and stride length during gait.Journal of physical therapy scienceA custom Bluetooth sensor system tracked leg angles and stride length with moderate agreement to lab cameras. It missed the mark on stride length and shank angles, especially when the foot landed. Use it for spotting general movement patterns, not for precise clinical measurement.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Physiotherapeutic evaluation of patients with post COVID-19 condition: current use of measuring instruments by physiotherapists working in Austria and South Tyrol.Archives of physiotherapyMost physiotherapists agree assessments are useful, but fewer than one in five uses them. The main barriers are not time or lack of instruments, but insufficient experience and knowledge of which tools to choose. Standardized measures remain largely unimplemented in outpatient care.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Concurrent Validity Between Potential Screening Tests for Early Mobility Decline in Independent Community Dwellers.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)New screening tests for mobility decline correlated strongly with standard physical therapy measures in adults aged 40 to 75. Scores from both test sets clearly distinguished three stages of functional decline, suggesting these tools can identify early mobility issues in community-dwelling adults.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023What is the concordance between parent- and education professional-reported adaptive functioning in autistic children using the VABS-II?Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents rated autistic children's adaptive skills higher than school staff did, particularly in socialisation and motor domains. Agreement was poor overall, meaning a child's function looks different at home than at school. Both perspectives are needed for accurate assessment.
• PTOTCohort2023Predicting later categories of upper limb activity from earlier clinical assessments following stroke: an exploratory analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEarly arm strength and function scores best predicted later daily arm use categories in people with stroke. However, models were poor at accurately predicting these categories for new patients, with high error rates suggesting many other factors are involved.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Literature review of stroke assessment for upper-extremity physical function via EEG, EMG, kinematic, and kinetic measurements and their reliability.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic sensors can measure upper-limb movement more precisely than clinical scales, but they are not yet ready for routine use. Biomechanical data is reliable, while brain and muscle signals lack consistent reliability data for stroke patients.
• PTOTSurvey2023Telerehabilitation Delivery in Canada and the Netherlands: Results of a Survey Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost therapists in Canada and the Netherlands adopted telerehabilitation during the pandemic and plan to continue, despite feeling unprepared and facing technology issues. Access to appropriate devices and confidence with the technology were the primary drivers of successful delivery.
• OTSLPCohort2023Early Social Behavior in Young Children with Sex Chromosome Trisomies (XXX, XXY, XYY): Profiles of Observed Social Interactions and Social Impairments Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with extra X or Y chromosomes showed less social interaction and more independent play than peers, especially when social demands were high. They also had elevated autism-related social impairments in daily life. These patterns appeared early and persisted after accounting for cognitive and language differences.
• PTOTCohort2022Changes in physical function in older females over a 5 year period.Journal of physical therapy scienceOver five years, physical function did not significantly decline in either age group. However, the 65–74 year olds showed improved walking speed, balance, and functional reach, while those aged 75 and over showed declines across all measures. The older group started with lower baseline balance.
• PTOTOther2022Association between age and phase angle in "old" and "super-old" nursing home residents.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn women aged 75 to 100 from one nursing home, a body composition measure called phase angle was lower in those 90 or older than in those 75 to 89. Older age was associated with lower phase angle and lower daily independence scores.
• PTOTOther2022The subtypes of developmental coordination disorder.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with developmental coordination disorder fall into four distinct performance profiles. Some show broad difficulties across motor, cognitive, and visual skills, while others have isolated gross or fine motor issues. This means a single test score can hide very different needs.
• OTSLPRCT2023Reexamining Pathways Early Autism Intervention in Children Before and After the Third Birthday: A Randomized Control Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children under 3 whose parents were coached in Pathways made larger social communication gains than services as usual when tested by an unfamiliar adult. For over 3, gains were smaller and the study did not show a clear benefit.
• PTOTRCT2023Effects of bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation on motor recovery in subacute stroke patients: a double-blind, randomized sham-controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding bihemispheric tDCS to task-oriented training helped subacute stroke patients recover upper limb function better than sham. This benefit persisted at three months and appeared even in patients with severe damage to the motor pathways.
• OTSLPSurvey2023Shining a Light on a Hidden Population: Social Functioning and Mental Health in Women Reporting Autistic Traits But Lacking Diagnosis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersWomen who scored high on an autism screening test but lacked a diagnosis showed better social functioning than diagnosed autistic women, yet still scored lower than non-autistic women. They reported similar levels of anxiety and depression to diagnosed autistic women. This suggests undiagnosed autistic women face real social difficulties and mental health risks.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Health system access challenges of people with disabilities increased during Covid-19 pandemic.Disability and health journalPeople with disabilities in Ghana reported worsening barriers to care during the pandemic, including unaffordable transport, insurance bureaucracy, and stigma. Therapists should anticipate that economic hardship and fear of discrimination may cause patients to miss appointments or abandon rehabilitation.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2022Early intervention for very young children with or at high likelihood for autism spectrum disorder: An overview of reviews.Developmental medicine and child neurologyEarly interventions for children under three improved development, but the evidence quality was critically low. Gains were largest on specific skills targeted in therapy, not on standardized tests. Current guidelines recommending 25 to 40 hours weekly are not supported by high-quality evidence.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Screening and Assessment of Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Clinical Practice Guideline for Health Care Providers.Physical therapyScreening for cancer-related fatigue is inconsistent. The EORTC-QLQ-C30 is the only Grade A screening tool. For assessment, use the Piper Fatigue Scale-Revised, FACIT-F, or PROMIS Fatigue Short Forms. Choose tools based on the patient's stage of survivorship and language needs.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Incidence and Outcomes of Laryngeal Complications Following Adult Cardiac Surgery: A National Analysis.DysphagiaLaryngeal complications after cardiac surgery affect 1.7% of patients. They do not increase mortality but are linked to more pneumonia, longer stays, and higher costs. Risk rises with age, female sex, and complex valve operations, while high-volume hospitals see fewer cases.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022An interdisciplinary nationwide complex intervention for lifespan neurodevelopmental service development: Underpinning principles and realist programme theory.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStakeholders identified seven practitioner-level mechanisms for successful service change: being action-oriented, providing concise evidence-informed information, and being an accessible team. These principles guided the National Autism Implementation Team in Scotland.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Changes in cerebral blood flow before, during, and after forward and backward walking in stroke patients trained using virtual reality walking videos with deliberately induced inaccuracies in walking speed estimations.Journal of physical therapy scienceWatching backward-walking VR videos increased brain activity in the right prefrontal cortex during the video and during subsequent backward walking. Forward walking showed no significant change. This suggests backward walking may engage more cognitive control, but clinical functional gains were not measured.
• PTOTCohort2022Daily-Living Freezing of Gait as Quantified Using Wearables in People With Parkinson Disease: Comparison With Self-Report and Provocation Tests.Physical therapyWearable monitoring of freezing of gait in daily life did not correlate with self-reported scores, but matched off-medication provoking tests. This suggests questionnaires miss real-world frequency, while wearables capture objective data that clinics may not.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022A Novel Balloon Catheter-based Dilation Intervention for Patients with Cricopharyngeus Achalasia After Stroke: A Randomized Study.DysphagiaA novel balloon catheter shortened dilation duration to 9 days versus 14 days for standard catheters. It improved swallowing function scores and reduced pain without increasing complications. Both groups also received routine swallowing training and electrical stimulation.
• PTOTOther2022Analysis of sagittal thoracolumbar spine and hip joint movements during sit-to-stand using a 2D image analysis freeware.Journal of physical therapy scienceFree 2D video software matches 3D motion capture for overall trunk angles and hip-spine coordination during sit-to-stand, but individual spine and hip angles differ before standing up. It reliably detects the altered movement patterns in late pregnancy that total trunk angle misses.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Bimanual movements in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review of instrumented assessments.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMotion capture tools distinguish children with CP from typically developing peers during bimanual tasks, but their reliability and ability to track therapy change remain unproven. Lab protocols fail to capture real-world movement, limiting their use as standalone clinical measures.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Patient experiences receiving rehabilitation care via telehealth: Identifying opportunities for remote care.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients at a rehabilitation hospital reported high satisfaction with telehealth, rating visits as easy, safe, and effective. This positive experience was consistent across neurological, pain, and musculoskeletal conditions, including multidisciplinary team visits.
• PTOTCase Report2023Improving functional outcomes and quality of life in an elderly woman with sarcopenia and spinal Tuberculosis: A case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn elderly woman with spinal tuberculosis and sarcopenia improved her independence and quality of life after a three-month multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. Her ability to perform daily activities increased, but this single case cannot prove the treatment works for others.
• PTOTOther2023Smartphone Global Positioning System-Based System to Assess Mobility in Health Research: Development, Accuracy, and Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAn open-source smartphone GPS system correctly labelled 97.40% of all samples. 9 older adults tested it, and results indicated easy integration into daily life. It measures out-of-home mobility, not a treatment.
• OTSLPPilot2023Appropriateness, Acceptability, and Feasibility of a Neurodiversity-Based Self-determination Program for Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disorders31 autistic adults found a multi-component self-determination program acceptable and feasible, and most reported goal progress, but no control group means the program was not shown to cause change.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Italian Version of the Dysphagia Handicap Index (I-DHI).DysphagiaThe Italian Dysphagia Handicap Index is a reliable 25-item questionnaire that takes under ten minutes to complete. It accurately tracks how swallowing problems affect quality of life in adults with neurological and cancer diagnoses.
• PTOTOther2022Comparison of the effective intensity of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation contralateral to a pain site for analgesia.Journal of physical therapy scienceApplying strong TENS to the opposite wrist eased experimental heat pain more than doing nothing, but it was no better than a comfortable intensity. No change in heart-rate variability was seen. This is a small lab study in healthy women.
• PTOTOther2022Evaluation of autonomic nervous system responses during isometric handgrip exercise using nonlinear analysis of heart rate variability.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 15 healthy young adults, autonomic responses to handgrip exercise did not differ between 30% and 50% of maximum strength. Pulse rate rose and heart rhythm regularity increased during gripping regardless of intensity, with no interaction effect.
• PTOTPilot2022Effects of half-body and foot baths on peripheral circulation in healthy adult males: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 10 healthy men, a 20-minute low-leg bath at 42°C increased earlobe blood flow by 1.7 times baseline and kept it elevated after bathing. Half-body baths caused a larger initial spike but a rapid drop and a significant rise in pulse rate, while foot baths showed no significant change.
• PTOTOther2022The Role of Exercise Self-Efficacy in Exercise Participation Among Women With Persistent Fatigue After Breast Cancer: A Mixed-Methods Study.Physical therapyFor breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue, low confidence in their ability to exercise predicts less actual exercise. Survivors with higher confidence viewed exercise as a fatigue management tool and had strong support systems, while those with lower confidence felt unsupported and struggled with commitment.
• PTOTSurvey2022A survey of physical and occupational therapists' views on lumbar loading movements.Journal of physical therapy sciencePhysical and occupational therapists in Japan most often listed lifting heavy objects while bending forward, trunk rotation, and holding heavy objects while standing as lumbar-loading. Grabbing high places and picking up floor items were also common.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2022Speech and Swallowing Outcomes Following Surgical Resection with Immediate Free Tissue Transfer Reconstruction for Advanced Osteoradionecrosis of the Mandible Following Radiation Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer.DysphagiaIn ten patients with severe jaw bone death, surgery and reconstruction left swallowing and speech outcomes split. Half kept or improved their diet, while half declined. Most speech stayed stable, but two patients became less understandable. Expect mixed functional results.
• OTQualitative2022Lived experiences of adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFour adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder described anxiety as a primary barrier to daily activities. They identified routines, supportive relationships, and using personal talents as key factors that helped them overcome this anxiety and participate.
• PTOTCohort2023Dystonia in individuals with spastic cerebral palsy and isolated periventricular leukomalacia.Developmental medicine and child neurologyDystonia was found on expert video review in 50 of 85 ambulatory children and adults with spastic cerebral palsy and isolated periventricular leukomalacia. It was more common with higher gross motor impairment, and often affected the fingers or hips.
• PTOTCohort2023More Physical Activity Is Correlated With Reduction in Kinesiophobia for Adolescents With Persistent Symptoms After Concussion.Journal of sport rehabilitationFor adolescents with persistent concussion symptoms, taking more steps and exercising more often during recovery correlated with a moderate reduction in fear of movement. This link was not seen in those who recovered quickly, and intensity or duration did not matter.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Ultrasound-based Neuropathy Diagnosis in COVID-19 Patients in Post-intensive Care Rehabilitation Settings: A Retrospective Observational Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationUltrasound scans of the common fibular nerve showed a larger nerve size in patients with severe foot drop compared to those with mild weakness. A cross-sectional area above 0.20 cm2 was proposed as a potential screening threshold for nerve injury in post-ICU patients.
• OTSurvey2023COVID-19 Induced Environments, Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes and Problematic Behaviors: Evidence from Children with Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with syndromic autism, caregiver reports linked lower child quality of life to reduced parent mental health appointments and TV at least 3 hours daily. Outdoor time was linked to fewer angry outbursts and daze, but not clearly to total quality of life.