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 116 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2023Mobile Robotic Balance Assistant (MRBA): a gait assistive and fall intervention robot for daily living.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA prototype robot slowed walking speed and step length in users but detected 94% of simulated falls in healthy adults with no false alarms. It has not been tested on patients with balance impairments, so its real-world safety and effectiveness remain unknown.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Urgent computed tomography angiography in paediatric stroke.Developmental medicine and child neurologyUrgent CT angiography quickly identified large vessel strokes, enabling timely endovascular therapy. Children with atypical symptoms like seizures or vomiting were diagnosed much slower, missing treatment windows. CT angiography is a useful first step when MRI is not immediately available.
• PTOTPilot2023Gamified Physical Rehabilitation for Older Adults With Musculoskeletal Issues: Pilot Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAdding a gamified exercise machine to standard physiotherapy did not change functional outcomes compared to standard care alone. The study was too small to prove the device is as effective as usual therapy, and no significant differences were found in strength, mobility, or daily living skills.
• OTSurvey2022Community participation and staying home if you want: US adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDOnly 42.0% of adults in US staffed group settings could stay home when others went out. Those who could stay home did not participate less; they went out more often for shopping and errands and had more variety in who they went out with.
• PTOTOther2022Using crutches during walking possibly reduces gait imagery accuracy among healthy young and older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults overestimated how fast they would walk with crutches, and this error was larger in older adults. Without crutches, older adults underestimated their speed. This suggests crutch use disrupts movement prediction, potentially increasing fall risk.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Prioritizing risk factors and identifying target areas to address with interventions to improve sustainable employment of persons with a brain injury or a spinal cord injury - A multi-stakeholder consensus process.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStakeholders prioritized a lifelong contact person for work issues as the top intervention for brain and spinal cord injuries, with 73% agreement. However, they rated the feasibility of implementing this and other proposed changes very low.
• PTOTQualitative2023Development of a tailored intervention targeting sedentary behavior and physical activity in people with stroke and diabetes: A qualitative study using a co-creation framework.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors with diabetes rejected generic home exercises as overwhelming. They wanted movement woven into daily tasks, not added on top. Fatigue was the main barrier to activity. They asked for early, tailored plans that respect their energy limits and help them stay independent.
• PTOTCase Report2023Practical approaches of PULSE Racing in training their athlete for the Cybathlon Global Edition Functional Electrical Stimulation bike race: a case report.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor one spinal cord injury athlete, a year-long plan mixing FES cycling with strength work and rest weeks led to a gold medal. Skin irritation and illness forced constant adjustments, showing that flexible monitoring is more critical than sticking to a rigid schedule.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Clinical Outcomes Following Exercise Rehabilitation in People with Multimorbidity: A Systematic Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise rehabilitation improved walking distance and quality of life in people with two or more chronic conditions. It did not consistently improve peak oxygen consumption or blood sugar control. Most trials lacked blinding, and the specific mix of exercise types varied widely across studies.
• PTOTOther2023Motor point heatmap of the calf.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMotor point locations on the calf vary greatly between people. A heatmap identifies two specific areas with a 50% chance of containing a motor point, offering a faster starting point for electrode placement than random guessing.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023Physical training in adults with asthma: An integrative approach on strategies, mechanisms, and benefits.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPhysical training improves asthma control, quality of life, exercise capacity, and sleep while reducing anxiety, depression, and medication use. Breathing exercises offer similar benefits to aerobic training. Both are safe and effective non-pharmacological therapies, though exercise-induced bronchoconstriction does not consistently improve.
• PTOTPilot2022Exploring the Effects of a Neck Strengthening Program on Purposeful Soccer Heading Biomechanics and Neurocognition.International journal of sports physical therapySix weeks of neck strengthening improved some neck strength in college soccer players but did not change head impact forces during heading. Visual memory scores dropped in the control group, while the training group maintained theirs. This suggests strength gains alone do not mitigate impact mechanics.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Influence of Surveillance Methods in the Detection of Sports Injuries and Illnesses.International journal of sports physical therapyA weekly questionnaire asking about any complaint found 3.1 times more health problems than traditional time-loss tracking in university athletes. This gap was largest for overuse injuries, which often do not stop play but still cause symptoms.
• OTCohort2023The role of moment-to-moment dynamics of perceived stress and negative affect in co-occurring ADHD and internalising symptoms.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYoung adults with higher ADHD traits reported more daily stress and negative mood. However, when researchers accounted for sex, family background, and socio-economic status, the link between ADHD traits and moment-to-moment stress reactivity disappeared.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Sports participation reduces the progression of idiopathic scoliosis and the need for bracing. An observational study of 511 adolescents with Risser 0-2 maturation stage.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdolescents with idiopathic scoliosis who played non-competitive sports regularly had a lower risk of curve progression and needing a brace. The risk decreased further as weekly sports frequency increased from one to four times. This observational data supports encouraging activity, not replacing specific exercises.
• PTOTPilot2023Telerehabilitation Initiated Early in Post-Stroke Recovery: A Feasibility Study.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairEarly telerehabilitation added to usual post-stroke care was feasible: 16 patients completed the 6-week program, with 100% session compliance. Arm scores improved, but no control group means natural recovery cannot be ruled out.
• OTQualitative2023In Their Own Words: Mothers Narrate the Lived Experience of Raising Children with Developmental Disorders Who Engage in Socially Disruptive Conduct.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with disruptive behaviors described feeling overwhelmed by conflicting roles and isolated by a lack of emotional and financial support. Journal writing provided a private outlet for these feelings, with many reporting a shift from distress to calm after short writing sessions.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Needs of an uninsured equity-deserving minority patient cohort with physical disabilities during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesUninsured patients with physical disabilities reported unmet medical needs, broken equipment, and isolation most frequently. Rent and job worries peaked early in the pandemic, while equipment problems persisted longer. These findings highlight gaps in care for vulnerable populations during crises.
• PTOTCohort2022Responsiveness of the German version of the Neck Disability Index in chronic neck pain patients: a prospective cohort study with a seven-week follow-up.Archives of physiotherapyA change of 2 points on the German Neck Disability Index reliably identifies patients who feel better. This small shift distinguishes improved from non-improved patients in chronic neck pain, supporting its use for tracking treatment response.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022A Comparison of Factors Associated with Running-Related Injuries between Adult and Adolescent Runners.International journal of sports physical therapyBoth adult and adolescent runners with a history of injury reported intentional weight loss and scored lower on movement quality tests than uninjured runners. These factors appear relevant across age groups, though the cross-sectional design cannot prove they caused the injuries.
• PTOTRCT2023Assessment of muscle fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients in electromyographic examinations.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineDuring wrist fatigue tests, healthy people increased muscle signal amplitude to maintain force, but people with MS decreased it. This suggests their muscles cannot recruit new units effectively. Therapists should not assume standard EMG fatigue patterns apply to MS patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Sociocultural variables have a major impact on participation in patients treated for paediatric posterior fossa tumours.Child: care, health and developmentChildren treated for posterior fossa tumours face high rates of school and social difficulties. These barriers were linked to a cumulative load of risk factors, including maternal education level, lack of regular physical activity, and treatment side effects like cerebellar mutism.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Standardized tools for assessing balance and mobility in stroke clinical practice guidelines worldwide: A scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke guidelines worldwide rarely agree on which balance tests to use. When they do, they mostly list the Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go, and walk tests. These common tools miss reactive balance and cognitive challenges, and half the guidelines don't explain how they chose them.
• OTOther2023'They ask no questions and pass no criticism': A mixed-methods study exploring pet ownership in autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults were less likely to have owned pets, but pet owners reported higher life satisfaction. Interviews described pets helping calm, routine, social contact and identity; housing, cost and care worries remained barriers.
• PTOTRCT2022Pre-operative physiotherapy for elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery.The South African journal of physiotherapyNo significant differences emerged between groups for any clinical outcome. The intervention group had fewer postoperative pulmonary complications and walked further when first mobilising, but these were secondary observations in a 12-person pilot. Do not change practice based on this.
• OTSLPOther2022Proxy-report in individuals with intellectual disability: A scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDProxy and self-report agreed in some studies but disagreed in others, and no study compared them in Down syndrome. Self-report was possible with interviewer administration, visuals, caregiver support, and pretests.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Exploring the association of staff characteristics with staff perceptions of quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDHigher staff education and team self-efficacy linked to better resident well-being and self-determination. Unexpectedly, higher staff-to-resident ratios associated with lower self-determination and social inclusion. These are correlations from proxy reports, not proof that changing staff traits improves outcomes.
• PTOTOther2022Comprehensive cardiopulmonary profile of individuals with Down syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIndividuals with Down syndrome showed much lower peak oxygen uptake, heart rate, and oxygen pulse than matched controls. This broad deficit suggests fitness limits stem from multiple body systems, not just one. Exercise prescriptions should account for these combined cardiovascular and ventilatory constraints.
• PTOTSLPCohortIntersectionality of Systemic Disadvantage on Mortality and Care Following TBI.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOlder adults with TBI had significantly lower survival and less access to inpatient rehabilitation than younger White English speakers. Racial disparities in survival and opioid prescribing narrowed or disappeared after adjusting for injury severity, suggesting these gaps were driven by more severe injuries rather than bias.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Clinicians' Experiences of Implementing a Telerehabilitation Toolkit During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Descriptive Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians reported that telerehabilitation success depended on organizational support, adequate equipment, and dedicated space. The toolkit helped validate rehabilitation as an essential service and fostered a community of practice, but participants requested more practical guidance on virtual assessments and liability.
• OTNarrative Review2023Mapping frameworks and approaches to measuring the quality of transition support services for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwenty disability service quality frameworks mapped to eight quality-of-life domains, and 47 subjective and 68 objective indicators were proposed. It offers OTs a way to judge transition support beyond jobs or college.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure Dynamics as a Bedside Test in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury to Assess Surgical Spinal Cord Decompression: Safety, Feasibility, and Proof-of-Concept.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairBedside cerebrospinal fluid pressure measurements were safe in 11 spinal cord injury patients. The test identified restricted fluid circulation in some cases, matching imaging findings. This small pilot suggests the method is feasible, but does not yet prove it improves clinical decisions or patient outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2023Movement smoothness during dynamic postural control to a static target differs between autistic and neurotypical children.Gait & postureAutistic children moved jerkily and slowly during a balance task. They often stepped instead of leaning, unlike neurotypical peers. However, they were equally accurate. Small sample size limits generalizability to children with lower IQs.
• PTOTCohort2023People with mild Parkinson's disease have impaired force production in upper limb muscles: A cross-sectional study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyPeople with mild Parkinson's disease have significantly weaker upper limb muscles than healthy age-matched adults, averaging 78% of normal force. Extensor muscles were the weakest. This deficit persists even when patients are physically active and on medication.
• PTOTCohort2023Principles into Practice: An Observational Study of Physiotherapists use of Motor Learning Principles in Stroke Rehabilitation.PhysiotherapyRoutine stroke physiotherapy sessions were short but mostly active. Therapists spoke constantly, averaging a new statement every ten seconds, and rarely used external focus or specific feedback. High repetition was uncommon except during walking, leaving little quiet time for learning.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Vision function in children 10 years after grade 3 or 4 intraventricular haemorrhage with ventricular dilation: A masked prospective study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyTen years later, every child tested had at least one visual impairment, averaging four per child. Parents reported normal vision for most, missing eye movement and processing deficits linked to lower cognitive scores and extra school support.
• OTPilot2023Pediatric tele-coaching fidelity evaluation: Feasibility, perceived satisfaction and usefulness of a new measure.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new checklist helped track how well coaches stuck to a tele-health program for families waiting for child development services. All four coaches met the 85% fidelity target within the first few sessions, and the coaches found the tool useful for spotting areas to improve.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023A scoping Review of Tools to Evaluate Existing Playgrounds for Inclusivity of Children with Disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo single tool captures playground inclusion well. Most check physical access but miss social play and user input. Australian government tools covered the most criteria. Use these to audit spaces, but remember they are not validated and often ignore the child's experience.
• PTOTOther2022Measurement of hand grip strength: A cross-sectional study of two dynamometry devices.The South African journal of physiotherapyThe inexpensive Camry dynamometer matched the gold-standard Jamar in hospitalized patients, with excellent agreement. It is a valid alternative for resource-limited settings. However, measurements differed more in left-handed participants, so caution is needed when assessing this group.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Patient Reported Outcome Measures in Dysphagia Research Following Stroke: A Scoping Review and Qualitative Analysis.DysphagiaMost stroke dysphagia trials ignore patient experience. The two common tools miss environmental barriers like support and attitudes. Use them with caution, knowing they do not capture the social impact of swallowing problems.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Participation of children and young people with cerebral palsy in activities of daily living in rural Uganda.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy in rural Uganda attended fewer daily activities than peers and were less involved when present. Community activities showed the largest gaps. Severe motor limitations predicted lower participation, but age and sex did not.
• PTOTCohort2023Validating stroke-induced bilateral ankle coordination deficits using bilateral ankle measure relationship with motor functions in lower limbs.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with chronic stroke showed unstable bilateral ankle coordination on a novel sensor task. Poorer coordination correlated with slower walking and worse balance, suggesting that assessing and training coordination in both paretic and non-paretic ankles may be relevant to lower-limb function.
• PTOTOther2023Validity of Novel Outcome Measures for Hand Function Performance After Stroke Using Egocentric Video.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairHand use ratios from head-mounted cameras correlated strongly with self-reported hand function in stroke survivors. However, hand role ratios did not correlate with any clinical measures. The camera method validates how much the hand is used, but not how it is used.
• OTSLPQualitative2023The experiences of parents raising children with developmental disabilities in Ethiopia.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEighteen Ethiopian parents described stigma, poverty, and missing services shaping daily care for children with developmental disabilities. They sought medical, traditional, and religious help, while faith and attention to children's strengths sustained hope.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Transition to adult services experienced by young people with cerebral palsy: A cross-sectional study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost young people with cerebral palsy did not experience key transition practices. Only 13% had a written plan, 16% met the adult team, and 10% knew their GP got a discharge letter. Services reported providing these practices more often than young people experienced them.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Patient-Reported Outcomes After Swallowing (SWOARs)-Sparing IMRT in Head and Neck Cancers: Primary Results from a Prospective Study Endorsed by the Head and Neck Study Group (HNSG) of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO).DysphagiaPatients with head and neck cancer who had poor swallowing before treatment reported better quality of life after chemoradiotherapy. Those with good swallowing before treatment reported worse swallowing afterwards. Overall scores stayed similar because these two groups moved in opposite directions.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Clinical Predictors of Dysphagia Recovery After Stroke: A Systematic Review.DysphagiaPenetration or aspiration on instrumental assessment, older age, bilateral lesions, high NIHSS stroke severity, and initial low Functional Oral Intake Scale scores consistently predict persistent dysphagia after stroke. Intubation and tracheostomy also predict poor recovery. The evidence is limited by heterogeneous definitions of recovery and mostly retrospective designs.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Functional connectivity of proximal and distal lower limb muscles and impact on gait variability in stroke.Gait & postureStroke survivors with stronger brain-to-muscle signals to the thigh compared to the shin showed more inconsistent step lengths. These brain signals did not predict variability in step timing. This links specific neural patterns to spatial gait instability.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022'It's working together with what you've got': Healthcare professionals' experiences of working with people with combined intellectual disability and personality disorder diagnoses.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDClinicians working with people who have both intellectual disability and personality disorder traits often found the diagnosis hard to make and risky to apply. They focused on the person's story rather than the label, used clear boundaries to manage dependency, and relied on team cohesion to handle the emotional demands.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Influence of Initial Health Care Provider on Subsequent Health Care Utilization for Patients With a New Onset of Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review.Physical therapyStarting new low back pain care with a physical therapist or chiropractor was linked to fewer opioid prescriptions and less imaging than starting with a doctor. However, costs varied, and no study proved these providers improved patient recovery or satisfaction.