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 144 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2024The use of accelerometer bracelets to evaluate arm motor function over a stroke rehabilitation period - an explorative observational study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChange in wrist movement over stroke rehab did not track change in clinical arm function, although readings matched arm function scores at the start and were still related at the end. Ten of 18 patients did not change their self-reported arm use.
• PTOTCohort2024Improving physical movement during stroke rehabilitation: investigating associations between sleep measured by wearable actigraphy technology, fatigue, and key biomarkers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 18 stroke inpatients, no sleep link was found for affected-side movement. More night wakings tracked with weaker non-affected grip, and longer time to fall asleep tracked with better non-affected block performance. Fatigue was common but not linked to movement.
• OTQualitative2024Clinical Utility and Usability of the Digital Box and Block Test: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFour occupational therapists rated a digital Box and Block Test prototype as more professional and easier to evaluate than the wooden version, though bulkier to transport. They suggested softer block edges and audible end-of-test signals.
• PTOTCohort2024The independence of impairments in proprioception and visuomotor adaptation after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with impaired position sense still adapted to visual distortions at normal rates. Proprioceptive deficits and visuomotor adaptation impairments occur independently, so a patient’s poor body awareness does not predict their ability to learn from visual feedback.
• PTOTQualitative2024Managers' perceptions on the implementation of community-based rehabilitation in KwaZulu-Natal.The South African journal of physiotherapyManagers in KwaZulu-Natal said community-based rehabilitation was held back by poor coordination, lack of training and weak monitoring. Where active programmes existed, they described better access to services and support for parents.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Barriers to healthcare and a 'triple empathy problem' may lead to adverse outcomes for autistic adults: A qualitative study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described a 'triple empathy problem' where communication breaks down due to autism-specific differences, general doctor-patient mismatches, and medical culture. Barriers like sensory overload and phone-only appointments led to healthcare avoidance and severe, self-reported adverse outcomes.
• PTOTOther2024An enhancement of the Genium™ microprocessor-controlled knee improves safety and different aspects of the perceived prosthetic experience for unilateral and bilateral users.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn upgraded microprocessor knee reduced stumbles by 85% and pain scores overall, but did not change standard mobility or balance test results. Bilateral users reported significantly greater ease and safety in daily activities than unilateral users, though no physical performance gap closed.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Prevalence and nature of prior developmental and medical concerns in toddlers who screen positive for autism in primary care.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNearly 80% of toddlers who screened positive for autism already had documented developmental concerns. Motor delays appeared earliest, often before one year. Clinicians should view a positive screen as confirmation of existing concerns rather than a sudden new finding.
• PTOTCohort2023Age-Specific Probability of 4 Major Health Outcomes in Children with Spina Bifida.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPContinence improves with age, but mobility and skin integrity worsen. For children with spina bifida, expect bladder and bowel incontinence to decrease from ages 5 to 19, while the risk of pressure sores and loss of walking ability increases steadily. These trends hold regardless of sex or race.
• PTOTOther2024People with degenerative cervical myelopathy have impaired reactive balance during walking.Gait & posturePeople with degenerative cervical myelopathy showed impaired reactive balance during walking, with larger body sway and delayed gluteus medius muscle responses compared to controls. These deficits did not correlate with standard clinical balance scales, suggesting current assessments may miss walking-specific instability.
• PTOTCohort2024Unmet rehabilitation needs in the first 6 months post-injury in a trauma centre population with moderate-to-severe traumatic injuries.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAlmost 60% of trauma patients had unmet community rehabilitation needs in the first 6 months, especially rehabilitation and social support. Less central residence, profound injury, severe head injury, and direct discharge to specialized rehabilitation were linked to higher unmet needs.
• PTOTCohort2024Lumbopelvic movement coordination during walking improves with transfemoral bone anchored limbs: Implications for low back pain.Gait & postureSelf-reported low back pain disability dropped significantly 12 months after bone-anchored limb implantation. Walking coordination between the trunk and pelvis also changed, moving toward patterns seen in able-bodied people. The study was small and lacked a control group.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Elucidating the Perspectives of Autistic Youth About Their Health Care Experiences: A Qualitative Study.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPAutistic youth prioritized sensory accommodations, clear communication, and patient involvement in care decisions. They valued clinicians who offered choices, used visual prompts, and built trust over time. Waiting rooms and unexpected procedures were common barriers to comfort.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024The use of noninvasive brain stimulation techniques in autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNoninvasive brain stimulation shows mixed results for autism, with some studies reporting improvements in social symptoms and others finding no benefit. Safety data are limited for children. Current evidence is insufficient to support routine clinical use.
• PTOTCohort2024Quantifying the effects of sleep on sensor-derived variables from upper limb accelerometry in people with and without upper limb impairment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearing wrist sensors overnight barely changed arm-use time summaries. Sleep added 19 minutes to dominant or unaffected arm time and 17.4 minutes to non-dominant or affected arm time over 48 hours.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Assistance force-line of exosuit affects ankle multidimensional motion: a theoretical and experimental study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThe IS exosuit cable routing produced the smallest unintended sideways and rotational ankle movements, making it the most similar to natural plantarflexion. This suggests cable placement near the subtalar joint axis minimizes the risk of introducing harmful inversion moments.
• PTOTRCT2024Effectiveness of action observation treatment based on pathological model in hemiplegic children: a randomized-controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with hemiplegia who watched videos of a hand with similar movement patterns and then copied the actions improved more in spontaneous bimanual hand use immediately after 8 hours of therapy than those who watched typically developed hands. This advantage disappeared by follow-up.
• PTOTCohort2024Age and period of ventilator use are related to walking independence at the time of discharge in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: a single-center retrospective observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who were previously independent walkers, older age and longer ventilator use predicted whether they could walk unaided at discharge. The cutoffs for likely dependence were age 56 years and 7.5 days on the ventilator.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Hope as experienced by people with acquired brain injury in a rehabilitation-or recovery process: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHope after brain injury is a double-edged sword: it drives recovery but can cause despair when unfulfilled. Patients need therapists to make small progress visible, set realistic goals, and balance honesty with support. The therapeutic alliance is crucial for maintaining hope.
• PTOTSurvey2024Effects of remote classes on the physical health of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of physical therapy scienceRemote classes were linked to more new neck and back pain in students who sat on the floor compared to chairs. Female students reported significantly more new symptoms and worsening of existing pain than male students.
• PTOTOther2024Measurement properties of movement smoothness metrics for upper limb reaching movements in people with moderate to severe subacute stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSPARC was the most dependable and best tracked upper-limb reaching improvement after subacute stroke. LDLJ was also dependable, but all three time-based smoothness measures were more affected by movement time.
• PTOTOther2024Effects of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation on everyday life physical activity and gait in patients with multiple sclerosis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMultidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation improved walking capacity and self-reported mobility in people with multiple sclerosis, but these gains did not translate into faster or longer walking at home. Mildly disabled patients walked slightly more, while severely disabled patients showed no change in daily activity.
• OTSLPOther2024Cognitive emotion regulation difficulties increase affective reactivity to daily-life stress in autistic adolescents and young adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth reported higher daily negative affect and more activity-related stress than non-autistic peers. They also used fewer adaptive and more non-adaptive emotion regulation strategies. These difficulties may increase vulnerability to mental health symptoms.
• PTOTNarrative Review2024Integration of music-based game approaches with wearable devices for hand neurorehabilitation: a narrative review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable devices paired with music-based games can make hand rehabilitation more engaging and measurable. Across 16 small studies, these systems tracked finger movements and provided feedback that improved motor outcomes in stroke and spinal cord injury patients, though the evidence remains preliminary.
• PTOTRCT2024Motor imagery-based brain-computer interface rehabilitation programs enhance upper extremity performance and cortical activation in stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding motor imagery brain-computer interface training to standard therapy improved upper limb function in stroke patients more than standard therapy alone. Brain scans showed increased activation in motor and visual processing areas, which correlated with the physical improvements.
• PTOTCohort2023Changes in pain and disability in patients with shoulder pain after three months of digitally delivered exercise and patient education.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with shoulder pain who completed three months of digital exercise and education reported significant reductions in pain and disability. However, nearly half did not achieve a satisfactory symptom state, and outcomes were better in those with high adherence and shorter symptom duration.
• PTOTCohort2024Motor adaptation in deaf and hearing native signers.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationCongenitally deaf native signers adapted their arm movements as well as hearing controls when visual feedback was rotated or when a robotic force field resisted them. They also estimated their hand position accurately. Deafness did not impair these motor learning skills.
• OTQualitative2024Playing online videogames-more than just entertainment? A qualitative study of virtual social participation in persons with spinal cord injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSeven men with spinal cord injury said online videogames helped them stay in touch with friends and family when physical barriers stopped face-to-face contact. They preferred meeting in person, but called gaming better than no social contact.
• OTCohort2024Well-designed manufacturing work improves some cognitive abilities in individuals with cognitive impairments.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWorkers with cognitive impairments improved on assembly learning, sustained attention, and visual recognition memory over two years. Finger dexterity, verbal memory, and abstract reasoning did not improve. This was observational work, not a tested intervention.
• PTOTCohort2024Perturbation-based dual task assessment in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOlder adults with mild cognitive impairment fell more often during reactive balance tests than cognitively intact peers, regardless of whether they performed a simultaneous visual task. Adding the visual task did not worsen their balance recovery, suggesting they prioritized staying upright over the secondary task.
• PTOTQualitative2024"I Feel Like I Have Lost Part Of My Identity" - A Qualitative Study Exploring The Impact Of Chronic Ankle Instability.International journal of sports physical therapyNine patients with chronic ankle instability described fear of re-spraining, confusion from conflicting advice, and a loss of identity when sport stopped. They wanted clear explanations, realistic goals, and rehab that fit daily life.
• OTSurvey2024Attention challenges in Kabuki syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRTwenty of 41 children with molecularly confirmed Kabuki syndrome scored in the clinical range for attention problems, and the group's adaptive functioning was low. Adults did not show clinically significant attention problems.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Sex differences in the age of childhood autism diagnosis and the impact of co-occurring conditions.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 1438 children diagnosed with autism, boys were diagnosed earlier than girls, but that sex difference did not remain after other diagnoses were included. Speech, audiology, and physical or occupational therapy visits were linked to earlier diagnosis.
• OTSLPOther2024Health Narratives as a Therapeutic Tool for Health Care Access for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.Occupational therapy in health carePeople with intellectual disabilities used co-constructed health narratives to prepare for appointments, share sensory needs with providers, and influence policy. Three case studies show these stories helped them advocate for themselves, but no outcomes were measured.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Checks and balances: a meta-analysis on the known-groups validity of functional postural control tests in children.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineTest batteries like the Pediatric Balance Scale best distinguish children with postural deficits from typical peers, while single tasks like the Functional Reach Test often miss them. However, evidence quality is low for all tests, so no single tool is definitive without clinical judgment.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A scoping review on examination approaches for identifying tactile deficits at the upper extremity in individuals with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCurrent stroke touch tests rely on subjective patient responses at rest, often missing the active exploration used in daily life. They rarely compare against healthy controls or check peripheral nerves, limiting their ability to pinpoint where sensory pathways break down.
• PTOTRCT2024Exoskeleton rehabilitation robot training for balance and lower limb function in sub-acute stroke patients: a pilot, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding REX exoskeleton training to standard care improved balance scores more than standard care alone in sub-acute stroke. However, this was a small pilot study of 24 patients, so the results are preliminary and require confirmation in larger trials.
• PTOTCohort2024Cross-Frequency Coupling as a Biomarker for Early Stroke Recovery.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairEarly after stroke, brain activity shows stronger coupling between frontal and motor areas during movement. This elevated coupling linked to better motor scores and recovery, suggesting it may be a compensatory mechanism that decreases as function improves.
• OTSLPSurvey2024Mindreading beliefs in same- and cross-neurotype interactions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic and non-autistic people both believe they read their own group better than the other. They also believe others from their own group understand them better. Contact with autistic people did not improve non-autistic participants' belief in their ability to read them.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Evaluating the impact of virtual reality game training on upper limb motor performance in children and adolescents with developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review using the ICF framework.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual reality games for upper limb skills in children with DCD mostly showed no significant improvement. However, children consistently reported high enjoyment. The evidence is limited by small, varied studies that rarely targeted upper limbs specifically.
• OTSystematic Review2023Current Trends in Occupational Therapy for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy in health careOccupational therapy evidence for cancer survivors diagnosed between 15 and 39 is thin: only eight articles were found. Some small studies reported gains from self-management, exercise, ADL training, and app-based coaching, but this is not proof they work.
• OTSLPOther2023Cognition, academic achievement, and adaptive behavior in school-aged girls with fragile X syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesParent-reported adaptive behavior did not differ between school-aged girls with fragile X syndrome and verbal IQ-matched peers. They had weaker attention, working memory, nonverbal reasoning, spatial skills, and math.
• PTOTOther2024Automated, IMU-based spine angle estimation and IMU location identification for telerehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA two-sensor system estimated spine angles during ten rehab exercises with an average error of 2.59 degrees and identified sensor placement with 92.97% accuracy. It ran on a smartphone in under 100 milliseconds. Tested only on twelve healthy young men.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Telerehabilitation in Physical Therapist Practice: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American Physical Therapy Association.Physical therapyTelerehabilitation matches in-person care for patient satisfaction and often improves attendance. It is safe with low adverse event rates. However, evidence for diagnostic accuracy and physical outcomes is weak or inconsistent, and cost savings depend heavily on patient travel distance.
• PTOTOther2024Performance of Dietary Behaviors in Chronic Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Study.Occupational therapy in health careStroke survivors rate dietary tasks as highly important but perform them less often and need assistance. Rehabilitation training on meal preparation and shopping is often insufficient. Survivors rely on adaptive equipment and strategies, though many find these underutilized or hard to access.
• PTOTCohort2024Psychosocial reintegration post-traumatic spinal cord injury in Rwanda: An exploratory study.The South African journal of physiotherapyTraumatic spinal cord injury survivors in Rwanda reported poor community reintegration. Men and those with paraplegia fared better than women and those with tetraplegia. These findings highlight the need for rehabilitation services that address gender-specific barriers and support those with higher-level injuries.
• PTOTCohort2024Characterizing ambulatory function in children with PPP2R5D-related neurodevelopmental disorder.Gait & postureChildren and adults with PPP2R5D-related disorder walk slower and with a wider base of support than peers. They increase speed by lengthening steps rather than stepping faster, suggesting balance deficits limit how they adapt to walking demands.
• OTSLPCohort2024Social motivation by self- and caregiver-report: Reporter concordance and social correlates among autistic and neurotypical youth.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic children’s self-reports of social motivation matched their actual social skills better than caregiver reports did. Caregivers and children disagreed specifically about motivation with peers, suggesting clinicians should ask the child directly rather than relying solely on parent observation.
• PTOTCohort2024Physical strain of walking in people with neuromuscular diseases is high and relates to step activity in daily life.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFor people with neuromuscular diseases, comfortable walking uses about 73% of their peak capacity, far higher than the 34–49% seen in healthy adults. This high strain was linked to fewer daily steps, but not to less time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity.
• OTOther2023Review and Consultations of Canadian Financial Education Programs for Individuals with Disabilities.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieMost Canadian financial education programs for people with disabilities are hard-to-read online guides about tax credits, not interactive coaching. Few programs address broader financial skills or support therapists. Clinicians should refer patients to specialized services that offer one-on-one help, not just web information.