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 169 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2025Development, Urdu translation, and validation of a lifestyle modification manual for patients post-total knee replacement.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new home-based manual for knee replacement recovery in Pakistan was rated as clear and relevant by experts and patients. It covers exercises, diet, and education. The study validated the content but did not test if the manual improves patient outcomes.
• OTQualitative2025Children's Risky Play and Resilience: Perspectives of Emergency Care Practitioners.Child: care, health and developmentParents who work in emergency care described minor falls and scrapes in children's play as chances to practise coping. They said they intervened when play seemed likely to cause serious injury, not just a minor scrape.
• OTOther2025Lessons Learned From the Integration of Ambient Assisted Living Technologies in Older Adults' Care: Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOlder adults living alone reported feeling safer and calmer after ambient sensors were installed in their homes. However, some experienced fewer in-person caregiver visits and felt isolated. The technology improved perceived security but risked reducing the human connection they valued most.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Co-Designed Digital Device for Tracking Rehabilitation Dosage in a Clinical Environment After Stroke: Mixed Methods Validity and Feasibility Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA co-designed NFC tracker logged stroke rehabilitation time similarly to staff manual notes with no meaningful difference, and users found it easy to use and feasible for stroke inpatients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Factors Associated With Alzheimer's Dementia Diagnosis and Survival in Down Syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDREarlier baseline assessments and living with family predicted earlier dementia diagnosis in Down syndrome. Median survival post-diagnosis was 4 years, with older age, epilepsy, and hospital residence linked to shorter survival. Anti-dementia medication showed no significant survival benefit.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pelvic floor signs and symptoms: a scoping review of the literature.Archives of physiotherapyScoping 104 studies, researchers found high prevalence of pelvic floor symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Diarrhea was the most common indirect symptom, while lower urinary tract symptoms were the most frequent direct issue. These findings suggest clinicians should ask about COVID history during assessments.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Aetiopathogenesis of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome and mechanisms of action of adrenocorticotrophin hormone/corticosteroids in children: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAcross 124 studies, genetic testing identified a cause in 22% of all infantile spasms cases. No consistent biological mechanism explains why ACTH or steroids work, and current evidence is too limited to guide treatment choices.
• PTOTOther2025Validation of Gait Kinematics With Ramp and Stair Ascent and Descent Revealed by Markerless Motion Capture in Simulated Living Space: Test-Retest Reliability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTheia3D markerless motion capture reliably measured joint angles during level walking, ramp ascent, ramp descent, stair ascent, and stair descent. Measurement errors were generally below 5 degrees, which is considered acceptable for clinical interpretation. This supports its use for assessing complex gait tasks in a simulated living environment.
• PTOTOther2025Patients' Expectations for App-Based Therapy in Knee Osteoarthritis: User-Centered Design Approach.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients with knee osteoarthritis valued exercise videos, goal setting, and physiotherapist contact most. Higher motivation predicted wanting detailed disease info and longer sessions. Men rated app ease of use higher than women. Barriers included unclear instructions and inaccurate information.
• PTOTSLPOther2025A pediatric rehabilitation therapy audit study: A brief report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia, 47.4% of simulated families had pediatric therapy appointment access problems. Hispanic and Black families got fewer appointments than White and Muslim families; insurance type did not predict access.
• OTOther2025Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAmong adults with depression or anxiety, the 12-item WHODAS tracked meaningful improvement best. A 3-point change may be the smallest worth noting. SDS and SOFAS needed 4 and 6 points, but did not track improvement as well under stricter criteria.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Can hearing handicap be linked to frailty? A cross-sectional study.CoDASHearing handicap was associated with physical frailty, but not with cognitive or social frailty, in older adults from low-income areas. Emotional hearing difficulties linked to physical frailty, while social frailty was tied to cognitive decline rather than hearing loss.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Relationship between visuospatial working memory and fine and gross motor skills in children with developmental disabilities: a preliminary study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 30 children with autism, visuospatial working memory correlated with fine motor skills but not gross motor skills. The study was underpowered, so these links are preliminary and do not prove that memory training improves motor function.
• PTOTSLPOther2025The Effect of the Addition of Core Exercises to Supervised Physiotherapy in Patients With Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 34 patients with subacromial impingement, adding core exercises to five weeks of supervised physiotherapy increased lateral rotator strength by 9.2 kg and grip strength by 10.6 kg. However, without a control group, it is impossible to separate the effect of the core exercises from the standard physiotherapy they also received.
• PTOTQualitative2025Stakeholders and Contextual Factors in the Implementation of Assistive Robotic Arms for Persons With Tetraplegia: Deductive Content Analysis of Focus Group Interviews.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStakeholders described a prototype arm as potentially enabling autonomy, eating, dressing and hobbies. They also named high cost, poor wheelchair fit, safety, and insurance gaps as barriers. This is stakeholder feedback, not evidence the arm works.
• PTOTQualitative2025Self-perceived barriers to returning to work among employees with a low educational level on long-term sick leave: the "NOW WHAT" large-scale interview study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineEmployees with low education on long-term sick leave reported barriers far beyond their diagnosis. They described mental fatigue, pain, and physical demands, but also cited struggling with welfare paperwork, waiting lists, and employers refusing to adjust work.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Concurrent validity in language and motor domains on the Vineland-3 and Mullen Scales of Early Learning in young children with Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesFor young children with Down syndrome, parent-reported Vineland-3 scores closely matched direct Mullen assessment scores in language and motor domains. This suggests remote parent interviews can effectively monitor developmental progress when in-person testing is difficult or impossible.
• OTNarrative Review2025The Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance approach in childhood-onset disabilities.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA review of 38 studies finds the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach helps children achieve personal goals, but evidence is weak. Most studies were small, had unblinded raters, and rarely measured if skills transferred to new tasks. Large trials are needed.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Enhancing lower-limb rehabilitation: a scoping review of augmented reality environment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost AR lower-limb rehab systems rely on visual cues and headsets in small, lab-based trials. They map tasks like gait and balance to virtual overlays, but evidence of patient benefit is absent.
• PTOTCohort2025A Multicenter, Retrospective, Real-World Study of Treatment Outcomes Following on-label AbobotulinumtoxinA Injections for Adult Focal Spasticity in the United Kingdom.NeuroRehabilitationIn UK routine care, on-label abobotulinumtoxinA doses averaged 540.8 units at first injection and intervals averaged 153.8 days. Goals were recorded for 31 patients, and 71 of 82 goals were achieved, but no comparison group was used.
• PTOTPilot2025A Method for Custom-Contoured Cushion Fabrication Based on Pressure Mapping for Wheelchair Users to Prevent Pressure Ulcers: Feasibility Quasi-Experimental Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA low-cost custom cushion made from pressure maps reduced peak pressure and increased contact area compared to flat foam and two commercial cushions in 10 wheelchair users. This method offers a feasible, affordable alternative for pressure relief.
• PTOTOther2025Identification of needs for an assistive robotic arm in individuals with tetraplegia: a mixed-methods approach.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with tetraplegia wanted a wheelchair robotic arm for repeated daily one-handed tasks like adjusting glasses, scratching, picking up items, and drinking. They preferred voice control, but worried about cost, weight, and space. This reports wants, not device effectiveness.
• OTSurvey2025Understanding Music Participation for Adults With Down Syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCare partners reported 25 of 27 adults with Down syndrome listened to music weekly or daily, and 20 could listen unaccompanied. Nine of 27 played weekly or daily, and 13 could play unaccompanied. Playing varied by race, not age or disability level.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Efficacy of Robot-assisted Training on Upper Limb Motor Function After Stroke: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationRobot-assisted training added to conventional stroke rehabilitation improved upper limb motor function and daily living ability. The motor benefit was not clear in trials of 6 weeks or longer, and the evidence was intermediate to low.
• PTOTCohort2025Spasticity Management with Botulinum Toxin in Post-stroke and Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Retrospective, 'Real-world', Multicenter Study.NeuroRehabilitationReal-world data from 149 patients shows botulinum toxin injection patterns differ substantially between stroke and multiple sclerosis. Stroke patients often received injections in both limbs at lower doses, while MS patients were primarily treated in the lower limbs with higher doses of one specific formulation.
• OTCase-Control2025Slow but Steady: Similarities and Differences in Executive Functioning Between Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults were often slower to respond, but several core executive-function measures showed little group difference. Age and co-occurring ADHD did not change this pattern.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Enhancing patient rehabilitation outcomes: artificial intelligence-driven predictive modeling for home discharge in neurological and orthopedic conditions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA computer model predicted whether rehab patients would go home using admission data. It was 83% accurate for neurological and 90% for orthopedic patients. Age and functional independence were the strongest predictors. This is a tool for resource planning, not a clinical decision-maker.
• PTOTCohort2025Relationship between post-stroke trunk function and brain lesion locations: A support vector regression lesion-symptom mapping study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineRight hemisphere damage to specific motor and sensory pathways predicted poor trunk control at stroke admission. This link disappeared by discharge because most patients recovered trunk function. Lesions in the right hemisphere may signal a need for early trunk-specific training.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Association between older people's health literacy and sociodemographic aspects, functioning, happiness, and perception of the COVID-19 pandemic: a preliminary study.CoDASIn 37 older adults, lower health literacy was linked to less education and more difficulty with cognition and self-care. It was also associated with feeling less calm. However, health literacy did not influence how they perceived the pandemic or their overall happiness.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Gaming in the intervention and support process: A realist evaluation of a gaming-based programme.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers and therapists described a Minecraft-based programme as working because it placed autistic youth in an "expert" role. Leveraging their gaming knowledge boosted confidence and motivation, allowing therapists to coach social skills implicitly rather than through direct instruction.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025Integration of resistance exercise into a multimodal approach to prehabilitation for patients with sarcopenia prior to surgery: a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPre-surgery resistance training for sarcopenia lacks standardised protocols, but evidence supports 4-6 weeks of multi-set exercises performed 2-3 times weekly. Safety requires supervised, patient-specific programming, ideally combining isotonic movements with nutritional optimisation including high protein intake.
• OTCohort2025Child Well-Being and Family Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Child: care, health and developmentChildren visiting the ER for mental health showed no difference in well-being between early and late pandemic phases. However, their families reported significantly lower quality of life later in the pandemic, specifically regarding parenting, family interaction and material well-being.
• OTQualitative2025Staff perspectives on independence and collaborative practices in the IRIS intervention: an evaluation in Swedish LSS residential homes.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStaff in Swedish residential homes had no shared definition of independence and often offered only staff-set choices. They said the collaborative IRIS approach helped service users with daily tasks and social outings, but also that staff sometimes did tasks for them to save time.
• OTSLPSurvey2025'Mind the Gap'-A Survey on Care Gaps and Priorities for the Transition to Adult Healthcare According to Caregivers of Young People With Rare Conditions Associated With Intellectual Disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCaregivers of young people with rare intellectual disabilities reported the biggest gaps in healthcare transition were preparation for adult services, planning for the future, and adjusting communication to cognitive needs. They rated being seen without parents as the least important aspect of care.
• PTOTOther2025Patellofemoral Joint Loading During Bodyweight One-Legged and Two-Legged BOSU and Floor Squats.International journal of sports physical therapyIn healthy adults, one-legged squats produced greater patellofemoral force and stress than two-legged squats. Floor squats produced greater loading than BOSU squats only when performed with two legs, not one. This supports starting rehabilitation with two-legged BOSU squats to minimize joint load.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Smart Wearable Technologies for Balance Rehabilitation in Older Adults at Risk of Falls: Scoping Review and Comparative Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThis review maps smart balance rehab tools for older adults at risk of falls but reports no patient outcomes. Most systems use VR and motion tracking. Few offer AI personalization or remote monitoring. The authors compare these gaps to their own new platform, TeleRehab DSS.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Prospective Characterisation of Age-Related Changes in Self-Injurious Behaviour in a Sample of Children With Global Developmental Delay Aged 2-12 Years.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRSelf-injurious behaviour is common and persistent in children with global developmental delay. While rates remain high overall, children with no or mild intellectual disability showed increased interference with daily life as they aged, suggesting a need for ongoing support into adolescence.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Navigating the Impact of Discrimination: Exploring the Experiences of Sex/Gender Minoritised Youth With Disabilities.Child: care, health and developmentSex/gender minoritised youth with disabilities reported hiding their identities to avoid discrimination in school, work and healthcare. They coped by finding safe community spaces and practising self-advocacy, but faced compounded barriers due to intersecting ableism, racism and gender bias.
• PTOTCohort2025Psychological, disability, and somatosensory characteristics across different risk levels in individuals with low back pain: A cross-sectional study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyHigher risk scores on the Start Back Screening Tool and Central Sensitization Inventory were linked to greater pain, disability, fear of movement, and lower pain thresholds. However, the two questionnaires disagreed on who belonged to which risk group, so they identify different problems rather than the same subgroup.
• OTQualitative2025Weathering the Storm: Climate-Related Weather Event Experiences of Families of Children With Medical Complexity.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies of children with medical complexity relied on informal peer networks and out-of-pocket spending to manage extreme heat, wildfires and flooding. Formal government supports were absent, forcing parents to stockpile supplies and alter daily routines to protect their children's health.
• PTOTCohort2025Postural sway serves as a predictive biomarker in balance and gait assessments for diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening: a community-based study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStanding sway speed predicted neuropathy in this community group, with a cut-off of 0.98 cm/s. It missed one in three cases, so use it to flag risk, not to confirm diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Views and Experiences of Dementia in People With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRPeople with intellectual disabilities described losing abilities and relationships, but maintaining a sense of self through choice, competence and connection. Support from staff who understood their non-verbal cues helped counteract these losses.
• PTOTOther2025The associations of body composition, fitness, and physical activity with balance in children: The Arkansas Active Kids study.Gait & postureHigher fat mass and waist circumference are linked to worse standing balance in children. However, greater leg strength, aerobic fitness, and participation in organized activities weaken this link. These factors may buffer the balance deficits associated with excess body mass.
• PTOTCase-Control2025Cortical adaptations in Tai Chi practitioners during sensory conflict: an EEG-based effective connectivity analysis of postural control.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationYoung, experienced Tai Chi athletes swayed less than non-practisers on a rotating platform under visual-vestibular conflict. Their EEG showed stronger right somatosensory outflow and weaker right parietal outflow. This links long-term training to sensory re-weighting, not to Tai Chi as a treatment.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Meaningful Engagement: Exploring Principles and Actions to Build Client and Caregiver Engagement Within a Community-Based Dual Diagnosis Service.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDClients and caregivers in a dual diagnosis service said engagement depends on being greeted by name, spoken to directly, and given accessible summaries of appointments. They valued early conversations about who should attend meetings and how much say they wanted in care decisions.
• OTSLPSurvey2025'Can be challenging but usually worth it!': International survey of rehabilitation professionals' experiences of social media use after acquired brain injury.International journal of language & communication disordersClinicians recognise social media as vital for social connection after brain injury but lack guidelines and confidence. They want co-designed resources to teach cybersafety and platform use, balancing patient autonomy against risks like scams and disinhibition.
• OTQualitative2025Home-based self-training: A qualitative exploration of the experiences of individuals with chronic-stroke.Clinical rehabilitationPeople with chronic stroke described continuing home arm training when they felt devoted to recovery, accountable to therapists, and found it enjoyable; boredom, pain, fatigue, busy roles, limited home space, and family routines made it hard.
• OTSLPOther2025Autistic Traits and Emotion Dysregulation in 5-11-Year-Old Intellectually Able Children With Autism Spectrum Condition: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism who struggle socially or to switch attention rely less on parental help to manage emotions, which is linked to higher emotional dysregulation. Comorbid conditions, not age or sex, were also strongly tied to greater dysregulation.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Fostering Healthy Relationships in Special Olympic Athletes: Supporting the Intersection of Intellectual Disability and Sexual Health.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDThirteen Special Olympics participants valued sexual health education but found current resources inaccessible. They requested learning from trusted familiar people using varied methods like games and videos. Coaches and caregivers noted athletes struggle with social cues and rely on media, which often creates unrealistic expectations about relationships.
• PTOTPilot2025Scaling new heights: a pilot study of the impact of climbing on balance, agility, and dexterity in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Archives of physiotherapyAfter a climbing programme, people with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease improved on balance, mobility, agility and hand dexterity tests. Grip strength did not change.