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 117 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022Olfactory identification ability in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.Journal of physical therapy sciencePeople with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease struggled to identify specific odors like gas leaks and curry, but could still smell pungent odors like sweaty socks. This suggests olfactory testing should precede safety guidance or sensory interventions.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Telehealth delivery of paediatric rehabilitation for children with neurodisability: A mixed methods realist evaluation of contexts, mechanisms and outcomes.Child: care, health and developmentTelehealth improved access and scheduling for families of children with neurodisability, but only worked when offered as a choice alongside in-person care. Practitioners lacked training and organizational support, leading to inconsistent delivery and poor documentation of goals.
• PTOTSLPOther2023An immersive virtual reality system for ecological assessment of peripersonal and extrapersonal unilateral spatial neglect.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHealthy adults completed an immersive virtual reality test of spatial attention. They found it comfortable and enjoyable, with the far-space version preferred. However, they showed a natural bias to look left. This tool is not yet validated for detecting neglect in patients.
• PTOTCohort2023Stroke and activity limitation in Chinese adults 65 Years or older.Disability and health journalOlder Chinese adults with stroke had markedly higher rates of needing help with daily tasks than those with other conditions. They were four times more likely to have severe activity limitations than healthy peers. IADL issues were common across all groups.
• PTOTOther2023Test-Retest and Inter-Rater Reliability of the 20-Meter Ambulation Test in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.Journal of rehabilitation medicineManual timing and step counting during a 20-meter walk proved highly reliable in people with Parkinson's disease, even when asked to walk fast or take large steps. Step length was the most consistent measure, offering a simple, equipment-free way to track gait changes.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Structural rehabilitation of the cervical lordosis and forward head posture: a selective review of Chiropractic BioPhysics® case reports.Journal of physical therapy scienceAcross 60 patients, Chiropractic BioPhysics case reports showed an average 14.1° increase in cervical lordosis and a 4.9-point reduction in pain. These improvements occurred alongside other treatments, so the specific contribution of extension traction cannot be separated.
• OTSLPOther2022Motor performance, praxis, and social skills in autism spectrum disorder and developmental coordination disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism and developmental coordination disorder had lower motor and praxis scores than typical peers. Autism was worse than developmental coordination disorder on gesture to command, meaningful imitation, and tool use, and theory of mind was lower only in autism.
• PTOTPilot2022Gait improvement in stroke patients by Gait Exercise Assist Robot training is related to trunk verticality.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients with a Verticality of SIAS score of 1 or higher were more likely to walk independently after GEAR training. Patients scoring 0 may need trunk control work before robot walking.
• OTCohort2022Autism spectrum disorder during French COVID-19 lockdown: The importance of individualized support.Child: care, health and developmentChildren with autism who received regular, individualized support from their existing care team showed no significant worsening in anxiety or behaviour during the French lockdown. Parents reported stable child outcomes, though family anxiety and school work difficulties remained moderate.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Functional activity and communication-social ability of youths with developmental disabilities: a qualitative study.Journal of physical therapy scienceParents reported that although most youths walked independently and had high overall function scores, they struggled with specific tasks like using a knife, managing stairs safely, and understanding deeper meanings. Many needed reminders and supervision to complete self-care activities.
• PTOTPilot2023Using Wearable Technology to Quantify Physical Activity Recovery: Secondary Report From the AFTER (App-Facilitated Tele-Rehabilitation) Program for COVID-19 Survivors Randomized Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStep counts for COVID-19 survivors recovered rapidly, increasing by 930 steps per week during the first three weeks after discharge. Improvements then plateaued. This recovery occurred regardless of whether patients received telerehabilitation or just educational materials.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023'I bring her up with love:' Perspectives of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental delays in western Kenya.Child: care, health and developmentCaregivers in western Kenya described isolation, financial strain and safety fears as their main challenges. Despite community stigma, they reported deep love for their children and found critical support and respite through faith and religious organizations.
• OTSLPSurvey2023Transition to Kindergarten for Children on the Autism Spectrum: Perspectives of Korean-American Parents.Journal of autism and developmental disordersKorean-American parents put child behavior and teacher cooperation first. They named school-system knowledge and teacher relationships as top barriers. First-generation parents, lower income, and self-contained placement were linked to more reported challenges.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Epilepsy and proxy-reported health-related quality of life in children and young people with non-ambulatory cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with severe cerebral palsy and epilepsy who took more anti-seizure medications had lower overall quality of life scores, even after accounting for how often they had seizures. Any days with seizures in the last month also linked to lower quality of life.
• OTCohort2023Longitudinal Analysis of Mental Health in Autistic University Students Across an Academic Year.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMental health scores for autistic students stayed high and stable across the academic year, even through early lockdown. Avoidant coping linked to worse depression and anxiety. Alcohol use dropped significantly. The usual university adjustment benefit seen in other students did not occur.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Prefrontal hemodynamics during forward and backward walking, with and without a cognitive task, in people with multiple sclerosis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineBackward walking increased prefrontal cortex activity in people with MS, similar to adding a cognitive task to forward walking. This suggests backward walking is cognitively demanding, potentially useful for dual-task training, though no clinical outcomes were measured.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2023Characterizing Interoceptive Differences in Autism: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Case-control Studies.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults show lower accuracy on heartbeat counting but higher confidence in that performance. They do not differ from neurotypical controls on heartbeat discrimination or self-reported attention to body sensations. These mixed results suggest interoceptive differences are not a core feature of autism.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Validation of content and structure of the Return-to-work assessment for post-stroke survivors.The South African journal of physiotherapyExperts and post-stroke survivors reached 100% agreement on a new scale to assess return-to-work readiness. The tool covers personal, work, and contextual factors, including communication and employer attitudes, providing a structured way to evaluate barriers and facilitators for employment.
• PTOTCohort2022Relationship between the characteristics of lower extremity function and activities of daily living in hospitalized middle-aged and older adults with subacute cardiovascular disease.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn hospitalized older adults with cardiovascular disease, both lower limb strength and walking endurance correlated with daily independence. Patients aged 75 or older with deficits in both areas had the lowest independence scores. Assessing both may better identify who needs targeted rehabilitation.
• PTOTOther2022Nurses' beliefs about back pain, their coping strategies and participant activation for self-management.The South African journal of physiotherapyA 12-week workplace campaign for nurses in Zambia increased their confidence in managing back pain and reduced sick leave and medication use. However, beliefs about prognosis and exercise did not improve, and actual exercise levels did not change.
• OTSLPPilot2022'Standing up for Myself' (STORM): Development and qualitative evaluation of a psychosocial group intervention designed to increase the capacity of people with intellectual disabilities to manage and resist stigma.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDPeople with intellectual disabilities described a five-session group intervention as helping them challenge stereotypes and stand up for themselves. Participants reported increased confidence, stronger peer connections, and reduced self-blame. Facilitators and families observed these changes, though the study did not measure clinical outcomes.
• PTOTRCT2022Motor function and safety after allogeneic cord blood and cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in cerebral palsy: An open-label, randomized trial.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAllogeneic cord blood infusion showed greater gross motor improvement than natural history at 12 months on the GMFM-66. This was a post hoc finding in an underpowered safety trial. No significant difference was found for cord tissue-derived cells.
• PTOTOther2022Relationships between walking speed, activities and participation in people with chronic stroke in Burundi.The South African journal of physiotherapyWalking speed was related to balance and daily activity limitations in chronic stroke survivors in Burundi, but not to social participation overall. People who walked only at home participated less than those walking farther.
• PTOTPilot2023Technology Assisted Rehabilitation Patient Perception Questionnaire (TARPP-Q): development and implementation of an instrument to evaluate patients' perception during training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA 29-item questionnaire captured how 44 inpatients experienced technology-assisted rehabilitation with exergames. It grouped perceptions into positive attitude, usability, hindrance and distress; distress did not change after training.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023SARS-CoV-2-Related Adaptation Mechanisms of Rehabilitation Clinics Affecting Patient-Centered Care: Qualitative Study of Online Patient Reports.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients felt pandemic hygiene rules threatened their autonomy, especially when communication was inconsistent. However, strong relationships with therapists and peers helped mitigate this. Distinct communication of rehabilitation outcomes supported patient satisfaction.
• OTSLPOther2023Low-Cost Technology-Aided Programs for Supporting People With Motor, Visual, and Intellectual Disabilities in Functional Forms of Occupation and Communication: Proof-of-Concept Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFour adults with severe motor, visual, and intellectual disabilities independently used low-cost smartphone and tablet systems to choose music, send voice messages or video calls, and answer questions about brief stories. Baseline support was withdrawn after practice, and all participants managed these tasks without help.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023The consideration of post-exercise impact on SCAT3 scores in athletes immediately following a head injury.Brain injuryRugby players without head injuries reported significantly more symptoms immediately after a match than at rest, overlapping with those who had head injuries. Clinicians should interpret sideline symptom scores cautiously, recognizing that intense exercise and contact alone can elevate symptom reporting.
• PTOTPilot2023Steering-by-leaning: Feasibility of Utilising Dynamic Backrests to Control Steering in Manual Wheelchairs.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA simple hinged backrest allowed wheelchair users to steer a virtual target more accurately than a complex shifting mechanism. The study found no minimum level of trunk strength or movement range was required to use the device effectively, suggesting broad potential for users with varied disabilities.
• PTOTCohort2023Age-related changes in gait domains: Results from the LonGenity study.Gait & postureAs older adults age, walking pace and step time worsen faster, especially in people with cognitive impairment or mobility disability. Variability rises gradually. This helps PTs and OTs identify at-risk older adults.
• PTOTCohort2023Clinical measures of balance and gait cannot differentiate somatosensory impairments in people with lower-limb amputation.Gait & postureStandard balance and gait tests distinguish people with lower-limb amputation from able-bodied individuals, but they fail to detect differences in somatosensory integrity within the amputation group. Sensation loss was not associated with worse scores on these common clinical measures.
• OTOther2023The systematic and participatory development of a patient decision aid about terminal devices for people with upper limb absence: The PDA-TULA.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalA decision aid for upper limb terminal devices was built into prescribing software after stakeholder feedback. It is designed to help patients compare preferences with device categories, but its effect on choices or acceptance is untested.
• PTOTRCT2022The effectiveness of the median nerve neurodynamic mobilisation techniques in women with mild or moderate bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome: A single-blind clinical randomised trial.The South African journal of physiotherapyMedian nerve gliding combined with carpal bone mobilisation reduced pain and improved hand function more than placebo joint mobilisation in women with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. Both groups improved, but the neurodynamic approach showed greater gains in pain and function.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Age-related High-frequency Hearing Loss Is Not Associated With Horizontal Semicircular Canal Function.Ear and hearingHigh-frequency hearing loss did not predict horizontal semicircular canal function in adults aged 24 to 85. Hearing declined with age, but vestibular responses on caloric and vHIT testing did not. Do not assume age-related hearing loss implies horizontal canal dysfunction.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Barriers and Facilitators to the Adoption of Evidence-Based Interventions for Adults Within Occupational and Physical Therapy Practice Settings: A Systematic Review.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn occupational and physical therapy implementation studies, available resources were the most common barrier, and clinicians' knowledge and beliefs were the most common facilitator. Adoption barriers varied by setting, and the review did not test actual uptake.
• PTOTPilot2023Combined Aerobic Exercise and Virtual Reality-Based Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Intervention for Chronic Stroke: Feasibility and Preliminary Effects on Physical Function and Quality of Life.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTen chronic stroke survivors completed 18 sessions of aerobic exercise plus virtual reality arm training with no dropouts. Arm impairment showed a small change that did not reach the clinical importance threshold, but aerobic capacity and self-reported strength improved substantially.
• OTOther2023Development and 5-year Evaluation of Diagnosis-Specific Protocols for Visual Neuro-Rehabilitation in a Multicenter Inpatient Rehabilitation Network.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationInpatient vision rehab protocols for hemineglect, field cuts, and nerve palsies were feasible for therapists and perceived beneficial for 63% of patients. This describes a service model and survey opinions. It does not prove the treatments work.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Effect of Postoperative Oral Intake Status on Sarcopenia Six Months After Esophageal Cancer Surgery.DysphagiaEsophageal cancer patients who needed tube feeding at discharge were more likely to develop sarcopenia six months after surgery. Low preoperative BMI and weak handgrip strength also predicted muscle loss. Clinicians should prioritize nutritional support and strength monitoring for these high-risk groups.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Alexithymia and intolerance of uncertainty predict somatic symptoms in autistic and non-autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults reported more physical symptoms than non-autistic peers, but this was not caused by autism itself. Instead, difficulty identifying emotions and intolerance of uncertainty predicted the symptoms. Treating these psychological traits may help reduce physical distress in autistic patients.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2023Brain volumes and functional outcomes in children without cerebral palsy after therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren without cerebral palsy after neonatal cooling had smaller whole-brain grey and white matter volumes than controls. Smaller hippocampal and thalamic volumes correlated with lower IQ and motor scores in these children. No significant differences remained when accounting for total brain size.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Factors Predicting Return to Work After Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Follow-up Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke survivors who viewed returning to work as important, had no language impairment, and scored well on walking and thinking tests at rehab discharge were more likely to return to work. Office workers and those with fewer other health problems also had higher odds.
• OTSystematic Review2023Proxy-reported sensory measures for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyOnly the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire had clear evidence its caregiver questions were relevant, complete, and understandable for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Most other sensory questionnaires lacked this evidence, so check the evidence before using them.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023A Systematic Review of Outcomes Measured Following New Wheelchair and Seating-Prescription Interventions in Adults.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationWheelchair and seating studies mostly measured how much the device was used and user satisfaction. Goal attainment, cost, environmental factors and major life events were less commonly measured, and many tools were made just for each study.
• OTSLPQualitative2022Parents' perceptions of children's emotional well-being during spring 2020 COVID-19 restrictions: A qualitative study with parents of young children in England.Child: care, health and developmentParents of preschoolers in England described children losing sleep and having more tantrums when nursery closed. Some children bonded more with family. Parents struggled to create routines without external support. These are reported perceptions, not measured outcomes.
• OTCohort2022Pathways to adaptive functioning in autism from early childhood to adolescence.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchHigher ADHD symptoms in early childhood and adolescence were associated with lower adaptive functioning in autistic teenagers. Autism social communication difficulties also predicted lower functioning, but behavioral and emotional problems did not.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Spreading the word: pediatric pain education from treatment to prevention.Archives of physiotherapyPain education for children shows mixed early results, with some studies finding improvements in knowledge and fear, while others showed no change in pain intensity. It is currently an emerging field requiring further high-quality trials.
• PTOTSLPOther2022A perspective on the use of the cervical flexion rotation test in the physical therapy management of cervicogenic headaches.Archives of physiotherapyThe cervical flexion-rotation test is unreliable for diagnosing cervicogenic headache because its reference standard is flawed. Use it instead to track upper neck movement loss and guide manual therapy, not to confirm the diagnosis.
• PTOTOther2023A core outcome set for lower limb orthopaedic surgery for children with cerebral palsy: An international multi-stakeholder consensus study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyInternational consensus identified 19 outcomes across 8 domains to measure after lower limb surgery in children with cerebral palsy. These include pain, walking, independence, and self-esteem. Adverse events and assistive device use were excluded from the core set.
• PTOTCohort2023Longitudinal development of hand use in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy from 18 months to 18 years.Developmental medicine and child neurologyHand function in unilateral CP stabilizes around age 7 and remains steady through adolescence. Higher-functioning children reach their plateau earlier, but all groups maintain their bimanual ability. Regular follow-ups are essential because individual variation remains large.
• PTOTCohort2023Association of Caregiver Availability and Training With Patient Community Discharge After Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke patients with a willing, able caregiver were more likely to return to the community after inpatient rehab. Caregiver training was also linked to community discharge, but the study cannot separate the two.
• OTSLPOther2023A comparison of the content and nature of worries of autistic and neurotypical young people as they transition from school.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic teens worry about the same things as neurotypical peers but feel more distress and anxiety. They specifically fear unexpected routine changes, social skills, and noise. Use concrete discussion tools to explore these worries before transition.