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 131 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTQualitative2024Supportive mobility devices across the lifespan in Cerebral Palsy: a modified Delphi study to establish stakeholder research priorities.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyNine US stakeholders with cerebral palsy, families, and clinicians ranked research priorities for mobility devices. They prioritized trial equipment access, provider training, and shared decision-making. These themes guide future study design, not current clinical practice.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Safety of botulinum toxin injections in children less than one year old: A retrospective chart review.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn 47 infants treated with botulinum toxin, only two reported adverse events. One had transient fever and vomiting, and one had mild weakness. No significant systemic issues occurred at doses below 16 U/kg, suggesting the treatment may be safer than feared in this age group.
• PTOTCohort2024A Single Dermatome Clinical Prediction Rule for Independent Walking 1 Year After Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationNormal pinprick at both lateral heels within 31 days after spinal cord injury was associated with 86% reporting independent walking at 1 year. Any pinprick at either heel was associated with 76%.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"Alone in the dark": A qualitative study of treatment experiences among young adults with a recent concussion and anxiety.Neuropsychological rehabilitationYoung adults with recent concussions and anxiety found provider advice like strict rest and vague instructions isolating and confusing. They wanted clear guidance on pacing activities, early referrals for mental health support, and concrete help with daily life accommodations.
• OTRCT2024Effectiveness of a Stigma Awareness Intervention on Reemployment of People with Mental Health Issues/Mental Illness: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationUnemployed people with mental health issues who used a stigma-awareness decision aid alongside usual vocational support were more likely to find and keep paid work at 12 months. The intervention did not reduce decisional conflict about disclosure.
• OTSystematic Review2024Informal Network Members' Perspectives and Experiences on Work for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Thematic Synthesis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationParents and informal networks describe struggling to find work that fits their relatives' specific needs. They often act as advocates to bypass long waiting lists or create their own opportunities. Many face a conflict between wanting community jobs and fearing exploitation or loss of financial benefits.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for deafblindness. Part I: a systematic review of outcome measures.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineResearchers assessed deafblindness using 314 different outcome measures, but only three were specific to the condition. Most tools measured depression or generic vision and hearing loss. Clinicians should not assume standard hearing or vision tests capture the combined functional impact of deafblindness.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023The impact of sport on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of people with chronic breathlessness: A mixed-methods systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationSports like dance and Nordic walking were safe and had high attendance, improving exercise capacity. However, they did not significantly improve health-related quality of life. Participants valued the social cohesion and enjoyment, which may explain better engagement than standard rehabilitation.
• PTOTRCT2023Multicomponent Home-based Physical Therapy Versus Usual Care for Recovery After Hip Fracture.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationHome-based physical therapy after usual care improved walking speed and physical performance scores more than usual care alone. Both the specific exercise group and the active control group showed similar gains, suggesting that additional therapy sessions themselves may drive recovery.
• PTOTCohort2023ICF framework in cardiac rehabilitation: a real-life implementation in post-cardiac surgery and chronic heart failure patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCardiac rehabilitation improved functioning in both post-surgery and chronic heart failure patients, but those with heart failure started with worse body function impairments and made smaller gains than surgery patients. High comorbidity complexity predicted poorer outcomes at discharge.
• PTOTCohort2023Walking ability of individuals fitted with transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses: A comparative study of gait parameters.Clinical rehabilitationBone-anchored prostheses restored walking speed and cadence to levels similar to able-bodied individuals and conventional socket prostheses. The main difference was a narrower step width and shorter double support time compared to socket users, which may suggest better stability.
• PTOTOther2023Improving physical activity in hospitalized patients: The preliminary effectiveness of a goal-directed movement intervention.Clinical rehabilitationHospitalized patients in usual care with movement sensors and daily goals averaged 50 active minutes per day versus 38 without. Patients also reported less difficulty moving at discharge. This was a pre-post study, so other factors may explain the change.
• PTOTCohort2023aBnormal motION capture In aCute Stroke (BIONICS): A Low-Cost Tele-Evaluation Tool for Automated Assessment of Upper Extremity Function in Stroke Patients.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairA machine learning tool using smartphone video scored 16 of 33 Fugl-Meyer items with 78.1% to 82.7% accuracy compared to expert raters. This shows a low-cost way to assess arm function remotely, though it cannot yet measure all movements or strength.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023Physical functioning factors predicting a return home after stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationHigher independence in motor daily living tasks strongly predicts stroke discharge home. Quick checks like rolling, sitting, standing, transferring, and walking 10m are useful initial indicators. Thresholds of 20 on the Berg Balance Scale and 26 on motor Functional Independence Measure at admission help distinguish patients likely to return home.
• PTOTRCT2023Effectiveness of the home-based training program Tele-UPCAT (Tele-monitored UPper Limb Children Action Observation Training) in unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy who did a 3-week home action observation program had greater improvement in hand use than children receiving usual care, and the improvement was retained at later follow-up.
• PTOTPilot2023The impact of shoulder pathologies on job discontinuation and return to work: a pilot ultrasonographic investigation.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineShoulder surgery and jobs requiring forceful arm movement were linked to taking leave, while full-thickness supraspinatus tears were also associated with job discontinuation. However, ultrasound findings did not predict return to work; pain and disability scores were the borderline factors.
• OTCohort2024Longitudinal neurocognitive effects of nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant among older adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease: A description and comparison with sibling donors.Neuropsychological rehabilitationOlder adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease who had low-intensity stem cell transplant showed no decline in overall thinking, memory or attention. Some processing speed and body-symptom scores improved, but siblings improved too, so transplant alone is not proven.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2024Treatment of oromandibular dystonia with botulinum toxin A improves apnea in a teenager with quadriplegic cerebral palsy: A case report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn one teenager with cerebral palsy, botulinum toxin injections into jaw muscles reduced obstructive sleep apnea episodes from 3-7 nightly to near zero. This allowed a decrease in CPAP pressure from 30 to 5 cmH2O and postponed surgery. This is a single case, not evidence of efficacy.
• OTSurvey2024Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Symptom Associations With Community Participation in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn adults with chronic TBI, self-reported executive dysfunction was linked to less productive, social, and community participation. Asking about everyday planning, organization, and follow-through may reveal barriers that brief phone cognitive testing may not capture.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"You want them to be partners in therapy, but that's tricky when they're not there": A qualitative study exploring caregiver involvement across the continuum of care during the early COVID pandemic.Clinical rehabilitationCaregivers excluded from hospitals during acute COVID care felt unprepared when their loved ones came home. They lacked practical training on daily tasks and safety, while community services were scarce. This sudden shift from distant phone contact to full-time home care caused significant distress and burden.
• PTOTOther2024Efficacy of rehabilitation after provision of ICRC lower limb prostheses in low-income and middle-income countries: A quantitative assessment from Myanmar.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalIn 35 Myanmar amputees using basic ICRC prostheses, higher physical mobility scores correlated with better quality of life. Transtibial users achieved higher mobility than transfemoral users. Social engagement and inclusion were strongly linked to perceived well-being.
• PTOTRCT2024Virtual reality as a telerehabilitation strategy for people with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 quarantine scenario: physical activity, motor performance and enjoyment.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyA short home-based virtual reality game session improved motor timing accuracy and raised physical activity intensity to moderate levels for children with autism. Most participants found the game fun. This shows the game is feasible for telerehabilitation but does not prove it improves long-term health or daily skills.
• PTOTPilot2024Effect of crutch and walking-boot use on whole-body angular momentum during gait.Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNAHealthy adults walking with a hands-free crutch showed significantly lower whole-body angular momentum than with standard axillary crutches, suggesting better dynamic balance control. Most participants preferred the hands-free device, though it did not reduce pain or increase comfort compared to standard crutches.
• PTOTSurvey2024Validating a fear-of-falling-related activity avoidance scale in lower limb prosthesis users.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationThe mSAFE appeared usable to measure how much lower-limb prosthesis users avoid activities because of fear of falling. A 6-item version may also work. The evidence comes from 59 people who could walk in the community.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024The use of home-based digital technology to support post-stroke upper limb rehabilitation: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationHome digital tools like VR and robots are widely used for post-stroke arm rehab, with studies mainly reporting feasibility and user satisfaction rather than proven effectiveness. Evidence on whether these tools match clinic-based therapy remains inconsistent and limited.
• PTOTQualitative2024Exploring attitudes of people with chronic health conditions towards the use of group-based telerehabilitation: A qualitative study.Clinical rehabilitationPeople with chronic conditions valued telerehabilitation for convenience, safety and connection, but reported technology problems, limited hands-on care and reduced social contact. 14 participants preferred hybrid programmes with live classes, recordings and professional guidance.
• PTOTOther2023Validating the measurement of upper limb sensorimotor behavior utilizing a tablet in neurologically intact controls and individuals with chronic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA tablet reaching test produced largely similar movement scores to a robot test in controls and chronic stroke, and some tablet scores related to Fugl-Meyer scores. It is a measurement tool, not a treatment.
• PTOTQualitative2023Improving access to prosthetic limbs in Germany: An explorative review.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalProsthesis users described reimbursement delays causing health decline and a need to fight for access. Stakeholders blamed bureaucratic complexity, inconsistent assessments, and lack of clarity on what is reimbursable. These are reported experiences, not evidence of specific causes.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Effects of an Acute High Intensity Exercise Bout on Retention of Explicit, Strategic Locomotor Learning in Individuals With Chronic Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairA brief bout of high-intensity exercise after learning a new walking pattern did not improve 24-hour retention in people with chronic stroke. This null result held for both a five-minute continuous protocol and a 15-minute interval protocol. Exercise priming did not help.
• PTOTCase Series2023A bidirectional fabric-based soft robotic glove for hand function assistance in patients with chronic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn eight chronic stroke patients, hand task scores were higher with the soft robotic glove module and thumb splint than unassisted in one session. Grip strength did not change.
• OTCase Report2023Effect of bihemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation on distal upper limb function and corticospinal tract excitability in a patient with subacute stroke: a case study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne subacute stroke patient showed larger wrist and finger function gains and lower forearm co-contraction during bihemispheric tDCS than during anodal tDCS. With no control period, this cannot show the stimulation caused the change.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Inequities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage for adolescents with and without disability, national immunization Survey-Child COVID module, July 22, 2021-February 26, 2022.Disability and health journalAdolescents with disabilities had lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage than those without. The gap was widest for those with cognitive difficulties or trouble running errands alone. Parents of unvaccinated adolescents with disabilities reported more difficulty accessing vaccines despite higher intent to vaccinate.
• PTOTCohort2023Factors affecting association between pain severity and physical activity among people with low back pain.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationFor most people with low back pain, higher pain means less activity. But those with moderate or severe disability showed the opposite: worse pain linked to more activity. Age, education, weight and general health also influenced this link, while sex and occupation did not.
• OTQualitative2023"They had the lunch lady coming up to assist": The experiences of menarche and menstrual management for adolescents with physical disabilities.Disability and health journalParents of adolescent girls with physical disabilities said period management was hard because products require both hands, school help is often unavailable, and they wanted more anticipatory guidance from providers.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Nutrition-associated health levels in persons with cancer: item response modelling based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA 32-item scale based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health accurately reflects nutrition-associated health levels in cancer inpatients. It correlates strongly with established nutritional assessments and identifies specific functioning deficits to guide rehabilitation.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Group-based cardiac telerehabilitation interventions and health outcomes in coronary patients: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationGroup-based cardiac telerehabilitation often improved physical fitness and social support, but showed no significant change in quality of life or traditional risk factors. Evidence is limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up periods, meaning long-term health benefits remain unproven.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Reducing Physical Therapy Consults for Patients With High Functional Mobility in the Acute Medical Inpatient Setting: A Difference-in-Difference Analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationEmbedding a mobility score alert in physician notes reduced physical therapy consults for high-mobility patients by 7% without worsening their functional recovery. This suggests clinicians can safely withhold PT referrals for these patients if they use objective mobility data to guide decisions.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2024A case series on the effect of dynamic neoprene orthosis on lower limb kinematic variables in children with cerebral palsy.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineFive children with crouch gait wore custom neoprene pants for six weeks. Hip and knee flexion decreased during walking, but responses varied widely. No group-level improvement was proven. Results are individual, not generalizable.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Characteristics of goal-setting tools in adult rehabilitation: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationMost goal-setting tools in adult rehabilitation lack strong evidence for improving outcomes. While many exist to help choose or document goals, only seven were tested in randomized trials, and most of those did not isolate the tool's effect from the wider therapy programme.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Exercise treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis: A systematic review and intervention component analysis of randomised controlled trials.Clinical rehabilitationExercise helped some patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, but results varied widely across trials. Cycling, strength work, and psychologically informed approaches appeared in more successful interventions, while manual therapy and passive modalities did not separate winners from losers. No single component was proven essential.
• PTOTCohort2024Multi-joint Assessment of Proprioception Impairments Poststroke.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke survivors showed significantly worse proprioception at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist compared to healthy controls. Wrist sensation was the most impaired, often accompanied by errors in identifying which joint moved or its direction. Four participants could not detect movement at all.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Off to the park: a geospatial investigation of adapted ride-on car usage.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyChildren with disabilities drove adapted ride-on cars for longer and further when outdoors. Usage depended heavily on neighborhood accessibility, with children sticking to safe, walkable routes and avoiding inaccessible areas. Assessing local driving paths is essential for successful device provision.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Effects of Virtual Reality Exercises on Chronic Low Back Pain: Quasi-Experimental Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesCombining two virtual reality games with back-strengthening exercises reduced pain and disability more than using the games alone in patients with chronic low back pain. The VR games were delivered via Xbox Kinect alongside standard heat and electrical stimulation.
• OTSystematic Review2023Assessing the implementation of user-centred design standards on assistive technology for persons with visual impairments: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAssistive technology developments for people with visual impairments often claimed user-centred design, but only five papers referenced the international design standard. Users were mostly involved late, at usability testing, not throughout design, and context, needs, and multidisciplinary teams were often missing.
• PTOTCase-Control2023Children With Bilateral Cerebral Palsy Exhibit Bimanual Asymmetric Motor Deficits and EEG Evidence of Dominant Sensorimotor Hemisphere Overreliance During Reaching.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChildren with bilateral cerebral palsy showed slower, curved reaches and poor hand dexterity with both hands, worse on the non-dominant side. EEG revealed the dominant brain hemisphere worked harder than normal during these movements.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2023Use of artificial intelligence large language models as a clinical tool in rehabilitation medicine: a comparative test case.Journal of rehabilitation medicineChatGPT-4 produced rehabilitation prescriptions and ICF codes for one textbook stroke case. The 3-digit codes were reported as accurate, but one body-structure code listed the left hand instead of the right precentral gyrus, so clinician checking is needed.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Assessment of activities and participation of people by rehabilitation-focused clinical registries: a systematic scoping review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineMost rehabilitation registries track mobility and basic self-care but miss broader life participation. Clinicians should not assume registry data capture a patient’s full functional picture, especially regarding advanced daily activities and social roles.
• OTOther2023EMG feedback improves grasping of compliant objects using a myoelectric prosthesis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVibrating the arm to signal muscle activation helped participants open clothespins with a prosthetic hand more often than relying on sight alone. It did not make them faster. The benefit was largest for the softest objects.
• OTNarrative Review2023Integration of proprioception in upper limb prostheses through non-invasive strategies: a review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNon-invasive feedback for upper-limb prostheses can improve position and force tasks in lab studies, but results are mixed and mostly able-bodied. It is not proven to change everyday prosthesis use.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Sex/gender differences in service use patterns, clinical outcomes and mortality risk for adults with acquired brain injury: a retrospective cohort study (ABI-RESTART).Journal of rehabilitation medicineWomen entered post-acute brain injury care with lower motor function than men but made equivalent functional gains. However, women were significantly more likely to require multiple episodes of care, suggesting they face greater barriers to community integration after discharge.