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 134 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2023Hospital admission is associated with disability and late musculoskeletal pain in individuals with long COVID.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHospitalized long COVID patients reported more musculoskeletal pain and worse balance, fatigue, and walking speed than those not hospitalized. Days in intensive care and on mechanical ventilation predicted higher pain intensity, suggesting severe acute illness drives late physical symptoms.
• PTOTQualitative2023Use of Virtual Reality in Interdisciplinary Multimodal Pain Treatment With Insights From Health Care Professionals and Patients: Action Research Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians and patients with chronic pain described VR as an addition to multimodal pain treatment, not a replacement. They used it to observe fear and beliefs, guide graded exposure and activity, and make exercise more fun.
• PTOTCase-Control2023In-depth quantification of bimanual coordination using the Kinarm exoskeleton robot in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy showed impaired bimanual coordination compared to typically developing peers. The ball-on-bar task best distinguished coordination deficits and related them to manual ability, while the object-hit task primarily reflected differences between the hands.
• PTOTPilot2023Effects of overground gait training assisted by a wearable exoskeleton in patients with Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEight patients with Parkinson's disease trained with a wearable hip exoskeleton. They walked faster and with longer strides immediately after training and one month later. However, standard clinical tests for motor symptoms and balance did not show significant improvement.
• PTOTOther2023Applications of wearable sensors in upper extremity MSK conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost upper limb musculoskeletal wearable sensor studies measured joint motion, not whether treatments helped. Clinical studies were mostly observational, with no randomized trials, so they do not show whether sensors improve care.
• PTOTCohort2023Accelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months as a predictor of symptoms of depression and anxiety 1 year after stroke: a multicentre prospective cohort study in central Norway.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAccelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months post-stroke did not predict depression or anxiety at 1 year after adjusting for stroke severity and other factors. Sedentary time, light, and moderate activity levels showed no significant link to mood outcomes.
• PTOTOther2023Multi-Site Identification and Generalization of Clusters of Walking Behaviors in Individuals With Chronic Stroke and Neurotypical Controls.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWalking patterns after stroke fall into four distinct, reproducible clusters, not just a single average profile. Fast walkers show marked asymmetry, while slow walkers split into two groups with different force deficits. Identifying which cluster a patient belongs to allows for targeted rehabilitation strategies rather than generic gait training.
• PTOTSurvey2024Preferences for risks and benefits of treatment outcomes for chronic low back pain: Choice-based conjoint measure development and discrete choice experiment.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients with chronic low back pain valued walking at least 1 mile, walking outside for short distances, and accomplishing basic household routines most strongly. Avoiding much difficulty with thinking was also a strong preference.
• PTOTOther2024Disparities in Access to Spasticity Chemodenervation Specialists in the United States: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMedicare beneficiaries in nonurban areas and communities with large Hispanic populations face greater difficulty accessing spasticity chemodenervation specialists. Urban areas had significantly fewer beneficiaries per provider, while regions with at least 25% Hispanic beneficiaries had significantly more beneficiaries per provider.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering a stroke Early Supported Discharge service - An example from Ireland.Clinical rehabilitationStroke home rehabilitation teams in Ireland were unevenly resourced, with staff shortages and limited psychology access constraining delivery. Most teams dropped telerehabilitation after COVID, while families needed clearer information and support.
• PTOTCohort2024Clinical prediction model for interdisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation in osteoarthritis patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA prediction model identified factors like fewer pain locations, higher disability, and higher self-efficacy as predicting success in interdisciplinary rehabilitation. With an AUC of 0.71, the model discriminates well but requires external validation before clinical use.
• PTOTSurvey2024Performance of the Physical Functioning Activities of Daily Living Scale in the 2020 Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe 8-item PFADL scale reliably measures physical function in Medicare patients. It is best for identifying limitations, as 26% of respondents scored at the maximum, leaving little room to detect differences among those with higher function. Use it to screen for disability, not to grade top performers.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Mixed methods, single case design, feasibility trial of a motivational conversational agent for rehabilitation for adults with traumatic brain injury.Clinical rehabilitationTwo adults with traumatic brain injury and four clinicians found a conversational agent helpful for maintaining rehabilitation goals between appointments. Participants reported good usability and motivation, though the small sample and short duration limit conclusions about clinical effectiveness.
• PTOTPilot2023Movement Component Analysis of Reaching Strategies in Individuals With Stroke: Preliminary Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with mild-to-moderate stroke rely heavily on trunk flexion and shoulder elevation to reach, rather than using their arm joints. This method visualizes these compensatory strategies, helping therapists set specific goals to reduce inefficient movement patterns.
• PTOTOther2023Muscle redundancy is greatly reduced by the spatiotemporal nature of neuromuscular control.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesComputer modeling shows that because muscles cannot change force instantly, the brain has far fewer coordination options than previously thought. This explains why minor strength changes can force patients to adopt entirely new movement patterns.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Recovery of activities of daily living in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit or medical care unit: an observational study on the role of rehabilitation in the subacute phase.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-ICU patients arrived with worse function but recovered to the same level as medical ward patients. Independence improved from a Barthel score of 10 to 70. This proves early rehab helps severe cases catch up, but without a control group, we cannot separate the treatment's effect from natural recovery.
• PTOTQualitative2023Clinicians' Perspective on Implementing Virtual Hospital Care for Low Back Pain: Qualitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians worry virtual care for back pain misses serious pathology and worsens inequity for older or culturally diverse patients. They fear losing the therapeutic relationship and face liability for falls at home, but support it if hybrid visits and clear safety nets are used.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2023Survival and causes of death in adults with spina bifida in Sweden: a population-based case-control study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdults with spina bifida died at a rate 7.3 times higher than matched controls over 25 years. While most died from their congenital condition, they also had higher rates of death from urinary system diseases and genitourinary cancers compared to the general population.
• PTOTPilot2023Prediction of Physical Activity Patterns in Older Patients Rehabilitating After Hip Fracture Surgery: Exploratory Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesIn this small exploratory analysis, a machine learning model correctly predicted two physical activity patterns for all seven patients in the test set using only the first week of wearable data. This suggests early activity levels may forecast recovery trajectories, but the tiny sample size makes these results preliminary.
• PTOTPilot2023Mixed methods usability evaluation of an assistive wearable robotic hand orthosis for people with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive people with spinal cord injury tried a wearable robotic hand for grasping. Four improved their hand function scores, but one got worse because the device blocked their existing tenodesis grasp. Donning took almost five minutes and required assistance, which users disliked.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Establishing a Clinical Care Pathway to Expedite Rehabilitation Transitions for Stroke Patients With Dysphagia and Enteral Feeding Needs.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationA clinical pathway using PM&R consultation to identify stroke patients likely to recover swallowing allowed transfer to rehab with a nasogastric tube. This group achieved oral diet significantly faster than those receiving early PEG placement.
• PTOTRCT2024Peripheral artery disease causes consistent gait irregularities regardless of the location of leg claudication pain.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicinePeople with peripheral artery disease showed similar gait impairments and walking distances regardless of whether their claudication pain was in the calf, thigh, or buttock. The location of pain did not predict specific muscle group dysfunction.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Outcomes following intensive day rehabilitation for young people in Western Australia.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYoung people in intensive day rehab improved in function and goal attainment, with gains maintained at six months. But with no control group, natural recovery or community therapy may explain some progress, so do not assume the programme alone caused the change.
• PTOTOther2024Paired DBS and TMS Reveals Dentato-Cortical Facilitation Underlying Upper Extremity Movement in Chronic Stroke Survivors.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDirect stimulation of the cerebellum in stroke survivors with severe arm weakness facilitated motor cortex activity at short intervals. This excitatory effect was stronger in those with more severe impairment, suggesting the cerebellum may compensate for lost brain function in these patients.
• OTSurvey2024Age-related smartphone use patterns among individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.Brain injuryMost respondents with moderate-to-severe TBI owned a smartphone, but those aged 45 and older used fewer functions beyond calls and fewer apps. Therapists should check what clients actually use before recommending phone-based reminders.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Achieving Functional Goals During a Skilled Nursing Facility Stay: A National Study of Medicare Beneficiaries.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFewer than half of skilled nursing facility residents met their documented discharge goals for self-care and mobility. Residents aged 90+, those with cognitive impairment, amputations, or incontinence had significantly lower odds of meeting these goals compared to younger, orthopedic patients.
• PTOTCohort2024Comparison of Upper Extremity Function and Daily Use in Individuals with and without Post Stroke Depression.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDepression did not affect arm function during early rehabilitation but was linked to significantly worse arm use and independence at six months. Clinicians should monitor mood closely when patients transition home, as depression may hinder the carryover of therapy gains to daily life.
• PTOTNarrative Review2024Functional Brain Changes Following Burn Injury: A Narrative Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairBurn injuries cause measurable changes in brain function and plasticity, but treatments targeting these changes have not yet proven effective. Evidence suggests that early intervention may help, but current clinical recommendations remain speculative and require further testing.
• OTProtocol2023Co-designing a Canadian adaptation of a lifestyle-oriented intervention aimed to improve daily functioning of individuals living with chronic pain: a multi-method study protocol of REVEAL(OT) Canada.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper describes a plan to adapt a Danish occupational therapy intervention for Canadian chronic pain clinics. It outlines how researchers will co-design and test the program's feasibility with patients and clinicians, but reports no results or outcomes yet.
• PTOTOther2023Spatial mapping of posture-dependent resistance to passive displacement of the hypertonic arm post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPost-stroke arm stiffness is not uniform. It depends heavily on where the hand is in space, with strong forces pulling toward a central equilibrium and less resistance in the middle of the workspace. This pattern is driven by muscle activity, not just tight tissues.
• PTOTQualitative2023Stakeholders' Perspectives, Needs, and Barriers to Self-Management for People With Physical Disabilities Experiencing Chronic Conditions: Focus Group Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with physical disabilities, caregivers, and experts described self-management as physical activity, nutrition, medication, and mental health. They wanted accessible digital programs with peer support, education, and ways to identify symptom triggers; fatigue, pain, cost, and medication complexity were barriers.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Figuring Out Life After Covid-19: a Qualitative Study From Sweden.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients hospitalized for COVID-19 reported feeling abandoned by the healthcare system one year post-discharge. They struggled to navigate follow-up care, often pushing themselves to exhaustion or avoiding exercise due to fear, while highlighting the critical need for structured rehabilitation support.
• PTOTOther2023Reduced physical activity level was associated with poorer quality of life during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a sub-study of the last-long trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors who reported less physical activity during lockdown were significantly more likely to report poorer quality of life. This association remained after adjusting for loneliness, mental health, and social activity. No participants reported improved activity or quality of life.
• PTOTOther2023The impact of lesion side on bilateral upper limb coordination after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRight hemisphere stroke made alternating two-hand circles harder to coordinate. Left hemisphere stroke made simultaneous circles harder, especially the weaker hand's path. This pattern could help choose two-hand practice.
• PTOTCohort2023Agreement Between Single Raters and Team Rating When Applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health's Rehabilitation Set.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA multidisciplinary team assessing patients with the ICF Rehabilitation Set reached the same conclusions as a single rater and took the same amount of time. This suggests teams can share the assessment burden without losing accuracy or slowing down care.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Quality of life, exercise capacity, cognition, and mental health of Chilean patients after COVID-19: an experience of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at a physical and rehabilitation medicine unit.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-COVID patients completing an 8-week multidisciplinary program showed significant gains in walking distance, strength, and mental health. However, nearly one-third dropped out. Baseline balance and fatigue scores helped predict who would leave early, allowing for targeted support.
• PTOTRCT2023The Effect of Group Training or Spinal Orthosis on Quality of Life and Potential Plasma Markers of Pain in Older Women With Osteoporosis. A Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationNeither group exercise with home exercises nor an activating spinal orthosis produced no clear quality-of-life benefit over 6 months in 113 older women with osteoporosis and back pain. Mobility scores were worse in the orthosis group than controls.
• PTOTQualitative2023Delivery of a community-based peer mentorship program for people with spinal cord injury at a rehabilitation center.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeer mentors were on site with a rehab team that included PTs and OTs. Patients sometimes confused mentors with clinicians. Shared workspace, informal talks, and a written agreement on boundaries were described as important for collaboration.
• PTOTRCT2023Cost-utility of a multicomponent intervention for fibromyalgia versus usual care: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA multicomponent programme improved quality-adjusted life years significantly compared with usual care, with costs rising slightly but staying well below the standard willingness-to-pay threshold. Adherence was high, and excluding those who attended fewer than 8 sessions showed cost savings.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Perceived stress and pain interference in acute rehabilitation following spinal cord injury: Resilience as a moderator.Rehabilitation psychologyDuring acute spinal cord injury rehab, high resilience did not stop stress from worsening pain intensity. But for patients with low resilience, every point of stress increased pain interference. Screening for resilience may help identify those most vulnerable to stress-related disability.
• PTOTOther2024Effects of enriched task-specific training on sit-to-stand tasks in individuals with chronic stroke.NeuroRehabilitationAfter a three-week package of task-specific exercise, socialization, and sensory and cognitive stimulation, 41 people with chronic stroke averaged 2.1 more 30-second chair stands, still present at six months. There was no control group. Weight-bearing changes were inconsistent in three participants.
• PTOTOther2024The impact of a novel musculoskeletal consult service in an inpatient rehabilitation facility: A descriptive analysis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationInpatients with refractory musculoskeletal pain saw significant pain reduction after sports medicine consults, especially those receiving injections. Functional improvement was greater in patients who did not need injections, suggesting those treated with procedures had more severe underlying impairments.
• OTOther2024Preliminary assessment of a standardized vision screening guideline in a pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineVision skills and standardized tests were documented more often after a pediatric inpatient rehab unit added a vision screening guideline, but fewer children had any vision screen at initial evaluation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024The association of multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury to acute and long COVID-19 outcomes.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients with MS, TBI, or SCI had no higher risk of death or longer stays than matched controls, but those with SCI were hospitalized more often. Across all three groups, MS and TBI patients showed higher odds of post-COVID weakness, mobility issues, and cognitive dysfunction.
• PTOTCohort2024Reduced oxygen desaturation in the vastus lateralis of chronic stroke survivors during graded muscle contractions.Topics in stroke rehabilitationStroke survivors show reduced oxygen use in both legs compared to healthy controls. The non-paretic leg also has impaired oxygen handling, even when strength is normal. This suggests muscle physiology changes affect the whole body, not just the weak side.
• PTOTQualitative2023Competing discourses as barriers to change in rehabilitation nursing: a discourse analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNurses in a spinal cord injury unit described patient dialogue as central to participation, but tight task routines left little time. The analysis found a dominant biomedical task culture that blocked time for dialogue.
• PTOTCohort2023Oxygen Therapy During Activities of Daily Living Rehabilitation and Outcome in Patients With Severe-to-critical COVID-19.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationShowering took the longest to wean off supplemental oxygen, averaging 47.7 days, compared to 38.4 days for dressing. Mechanical ventilation was the strongest predictor of prolonged oxygen need. Most patients still had low leg strength scores at follow-up.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Outcome Prediction Using Machine Learning Methods.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationModels using therapy records and patient factors predicted TBI discharge and 9-month outcomes. Effort during OT, PT and speech therapy, age, injury severity and time to rehab were strongest clues. They do not show which treatment caused recovery.
• PTOTCohort2023Excellent Recanalization and Small Core Volumes Are Associated With Favorable AM-PAC Score in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Secondary to Large Vessel Occlusion.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn acute large-vessel stroke, smaller core volumes, younger age, milder initial stroke, and excellent vessel reopening were associated with favorable discharge AM-PAC mobility and daily-activity scores. This is an association from records, not proof of treatment effect.
• PTOTOther2023Quality of sexual life in Mexican men after spinal cord injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMexican men with thoracic spinal cord injuries reported significantly lower sexual life quality than those with lumbar injuries. Higher education levels were also linked to greater sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight specific risk factors for sexual dysfunction in this population.