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 170 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2025Delayed muscle fatigue during electrical stimulation of the proximal nerve using asymmetric random high-frequency carrier pulse cluster.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn healthy adults, a new random asymmetric electrical stimulation pattern produced stronger finger forces over five minutes and caused less pain than a standard symmetric pattern. The study did not test stroke survivors, so its benefit for clinical rehabilitation remains unproven.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Scope of rehabilitation for patients with long COVID symptoms in Bangladesh.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 409 people with long COVID, higher symptom severity strongly tracked with worse functional disability. Fatigue and cough were most common. This supports using symptom severity to gauge how much rehabilitation a patient actually needs.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Patient-centered insights into virtual reality rehabilitation for stroke: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors reported VR rehabilitation improved balance, arm strength, and mood, but pain, fatigue, fear of falling, and technical glitches often stopped them. They wanted professional support, personalized difficulty, and accessible home or community options.
• OTSLPCohort2025Correlates of self-reported life satisfaction among autistic youth with and without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth with ID reported higher life satisfaction than those without ID, though not significantly. Support needs, parent stress, and social participation linked to satisfaction in youth with ID, while self-determination mattered more for youth without ID.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Clinical Evolution and Safety of a Cryotherapy - Based Spray for Mild to Moderate Joint and Muscle Pain: A Descriptive Observational Study.International journal of sports physical therapyAmateur football players with mild to moderate knee or ankle pain reported less pain and better movement after using a cooling spray. However, with no control group, these gains may reflect natural healing or placebo effects rather than the spray itself.
• PTOTOther2025Trial-By-Trial Variation In Upper Extremity Movement Smoothness After Acute Stroke Relates To Clinical Assessments And Corticospinal Tract Injury.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAfter acute stroke, trial-by-trial variation in arm movement smoothness predicts 90-day recovery and fine motor skills better than average smoothness. This variability correlates with corticospinal tract injury, suggesting it reflects noisy signal transmission rather than just weakness.
• PTOTCase-Control2025Atypical Postural Control Variability and Coordination Persist Into Middle and Older Adulthood in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMiddle-aged and older autistic adults showed greater body sway when standing still but smaller, jerkier movements when asked to sway deliberately. These differences persisted across age, suggesting atypical postural control that may contribute to higher fall risk in this population.
• PTOTQualitative2025A qualitative comparison of healthcare practitioners' perceptions regarding fatigue as a symptom in neurological conditions: insights from a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSaudi rehabilitation practitioners described fatigue as a neurological symptom that varies by condition, not just tiredness. They tailored management to endurance, environment, education, and rest, and saw MS fatigue as chronic and progressive, stroke fatigue as often less severe.
• OTSLPCohort2025Age-Related Trajectories of Autistic Traits in Children With Angelman Syndrome.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic traits and sensory issues in Angelman syndrome remain stable from childhood through adolescence, but do not necessarily indicate ASD. Deletion genotypes show more traits than other types. Clinicians should interpret ADOS scores cautiously, as severe intellectual disability often drives these behaviors.
• PTOTCohort2025Motor Impairment and Disuse Are Independent Predictors of Vascular Outcomes Poststroke.Physical therapyStroke survivors showed reduced artery size and muscle blood flow in paretic arms compared to non-paretic arms and healthy controls. Motor impairment and perceived arm disuse independently predicted these vascular deficits. These findings suggest vascular health is linked to motor recovery and usage patterns.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Involvement of Fathers and Siblings in Home Rehabilitation Programmes of Children With Neuro-Developmental Delay: Insights From Rehabilitation Professionals in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.Child: care, health and developmentRehabilitation professionals in Zimbabwe identified fathers as providing essential emotional and financial support, while siblings offer companionship and play-based assistance. Cultural norms and work schedules were key barriers. These findings describe professional observations, not tested interventions.
• PTOTOther2025The minimal clinically important difference of the Participation Measurement Scale in chronic stroke.The South African journal of physiotherapyA change of 1.98 logits on the PM-Scale may mark important participation improvement in chronic stroke. It was estimated from 46 people using the ACTIVLIM-Stroke anchor.
• PTOTOther2025Using machine learning to identify Parkinson's disease severity subtypes with multimodal data.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable sensors on the ankles and back captured gait patterns that accurately separated mild from severe Parkinson's. This suggests these devices could help therapists track disease progression and tailor rehab, though the small sample size limits immediate use.
• PTOTRCT2025Effectiveness of virtual reality assisted active limb movement exercises for patients in the respiratory intensive care unit: a randomized pilot study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn respiratory ICU patients, VR-assisted active limb exercises increased daily exercise time, out-of-bed time and good adherence, raised muscle strength scores, and were associated with a shorter RICU stay over a week.
• PTOTQualitative2025Health Care Professionals' Views of Barriers and Facilitators for Implementing a Fall Risk Screening Tool in Clinical and Public Health Settings.Physical therapyClinicians found the First-time Injurious Fall tool quick and useful for spotting risk, but warned it needs clear instructions to avoid misinterpreting the balance test. They recommended embedding it into daily routines with management support rather than adding it as an extra task.
• OTOther2025Motor and socio-cognitive mechanisms explaining peers' synchronization of joint action across development in autistic and non-autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children showed weaker motor and social-cognitive skills than non-autistic peers across ages 6 to 16. Motor and social-cognitive skills together were linked to peer movement coordination.
• PTOTCohort2025Comparison of body composition between patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation and long-term care wards.Journal of physical therapy scienceLong-term care patients had lower phase angle and skeletal muscle index than rehabilitation patients, especially women. Higher extracellular water ratios suggest more edema. These body composition markers may help identify patients needing nutritional support or fluid management.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Comparison Between a State-of-the-Art Mechanical 3D Scoliosis Correction Protocol and the Schroth Exercise on Spinal Flexibility of Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationOne session of mechanical 3D correction increased body height but did not beat Schroth exercises for spinal flexibility. Both groups improved forward bending and rotation after treatment. Lateral bending improved only with the machine. The height gain likely reflects spinal unloading while lying down, not permanent correction.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Multidisciplinary and home-based management in neonatal unilateral foot drop: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA newborn with isolated foot drop from nerve compression recovered fully in five months. Parents performed daily home-based passive movement and tactile stimulation, guided by clinicians. No orthosis, medication, or electrotherapy was used. This single case cannot prove the treatment worked.
• PTOTRCT2025Sensorimotor Stabilization Exercises With and Without Behavioral Treatment in Low Back Pain: Feasibility and Effects of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSensorimotor exercises reduced pain intensity, while adding behavioral therapy reduced pain-related disability. Both approaches improved trunk extension strength. Benefits were small, and half the participants dropped out during the home-based phase, limiting the real-world impact.
• PTOTRCT2025Ipsilesional 5 Hz Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Motor Dysfunction in Subacute Intracerebral Hemorrhage: An Exploratory Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients receiving 5 Hz rTMS alongside standard rehab showed greater motor recovery than those receiving standard rehab alone. The added treatment was safe, but because the control group did not receive a sham procedure, the extra time and attention may explain some of the improvement.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Association Between Physical, Social, and Attitudinal Environments and Quality of Life in Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy: Insights From the SPARCLE Cross-Sectional Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSupportive attitudes from teachers, therapists, and classmates were linked to better school quality of life. However, physical accessibility and home support showed no significant link to quality of life once pain, impairment, and parenting stress were considered.
• OTSLPCohort2025Feeding difficulties in typical children, sociodemographic factors, and family perception.CoDASChildren aged 2 to 3 years, those born preterm, and those sensitive to noise, smell, or touch had significantly higher odds of feeding difficulties. Screen use during meals was common but not linked to these difficulties. Parents often allowed screens despite believing them harmful, finding they helped children eat.
• PTOTCohort2025Isokinetic Strength Profiles Among Youth after Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyAt about seven months after knee ligament reconstruction, less than 65% of young patients reached the standard 90% strength symmetry in their quadriceps. Males consistently showed higher strength than females. Higher quadriceps strength was linked to better patient-reported function and quality of life.
• PTOTCohort2025Depressive Symptoms Are Associated With Reduced Unsupervised Training Engagement in Inpatients With Subacute Stroke: A Secondary Data Analysis Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationInpatients with subacute stroke who had depressive symptoms spent significantly less time in unsupervised leg cycle training than those without. This association was not seen with apathy alone or with functional outcomes at discharge.
• OTSLPCohort2025What Is Distinctive About Autism Arising Following Severe Institutional Deprivation? A Direct Comparison With a Community Sample of Early Diagnosed Autistic People.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPeople with autism arising from severe early deprivation show fewer social reciprocity issues but more odd language use than those with community autism. Their repetitive behaviours and co-occurring emotional problems match community autism levels. Clinicians should treat deprivation-related autism as standard autism.
• OTRCT2025The Effect of SPECTROM Training on Support Staff Knowledge of Psychotropic Medicine and Attitude Towards Behaviours That Challenge in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities to Help Implement the STOMP Initiative.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRSupport staff in community homes for adults with intellectual disabilities significantly improved their knowledge of psychotropic medicines after SPECTROM training. Attitudes towards medication management also improved, but the study did not confirm that this training reduces actual overmedication or changes daily practice.
• OTCohort2025The Effect of Occupational Therapy Services on Functional Mobility for Patients with Cancer in Acute Care Settings.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with cancer who received occupational therapy showed a tiny average improvement in mobility scores. However, when researchers adjusted for other factors, the amount of therapy received did not predict this change.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Visuomotor Integration Assessment Using Immersive Virtual Reality for Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study.Child: care, health and developmentIn 12 children with cerebral palsy, immersive VR did not correlate with standard paper-and-pencil visuomotor scores. Children were less accurate in VR than on a touchscreen. Adding visual distractions consistently worsened eye tracking, while hand accuracy sometimes improved.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Caregiver-identified strengths in children attending their first neurodevelopmental assessment: Findings from the Sydney child development research registry and development of a child strengths checklist.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers of children attending neurodevelopmental assessments identified an average of 2.8 strengths, ranging from cognitive and social skills to hobbies and character. Autistic children's caregivers more often cited cognitive strengths, while non-autistic caregivers more often cited social strengths.
• PTOTQualitative2025Qualitative Exploration of a Tele-exercise Program to Inform the Design of Adaptive Intervention Strategies for Adults With Multiple Sclerosis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdults with multiple sclerosis found fixed-level tele-exercise videos either too easy or too hard. They wanted occasional human check-ins, personalized educational content, and simple tools to track progress to stay motivated after the program ended.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning of CTNNB1 Syndrome Patients: A Comparison With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cerebral Palsy.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with CTNNB1 syndrome performed worse than those with autism on non-verbal reasoning and daily living skills, but showed no significant group difference on overall adaptive functioning or verbal comprehension. Their profile is distinct, with relative verbal strengths and non-verbal deficits.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Incorporating Psychoeducational Care in the Autism Diagnosis Pathway: Experiences, Views, and Recommendations of UK Autistic Adults and Autism Professionals.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults and autism service staff recommended that diagnostic services provide a debrief appointment, a group psychoeducation programme, curated information, and a report explaining the diagnosis and strengths. They also wanted disclosure advice, neutral language, and experts by experience.
• PTOTSurvey2025Exploring Trends between Dance Experience, Athletic Participation, and Injury History.International journal of sports physical therapyDancers with more years of experience, those who started before age 12, and those doing more ballet reported more injuries. Doing other sports alongside dance did not lower injury counts. High training volume, not just specialization, appears to drive overuse risk.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Characterizing Concerns and Stressors During Subacute Spinal Cord Injury: A Thematic Analysis of Psychotherapy Session Notes.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPeople with recent spinal cord injury and mild depression most frequently reported pain, loss of independence, poor sleep, and feeling like a burden to family. Concerns also included work return, recovery speed, and insurance barriers. These themes emerged from therapy session notes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Comparative Analysis of Phenotypic and Genotypic Differences Between Individuals Affected by Regressive and Non-Regressive Autism: A Cross-Sectional Study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism who lost skills showed lower IQ and daily living abilities than those who did not. Mental health scores were identical. Clinicians should anticipate greater cognitive and adaptive support needs for patients with a history of skill loss.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Use of Technology in the Rehabilitation Setting: Therapy Observations, Mixed Methods Analysis, and Data Visualization.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationRehabilitation technology is widely available but often unused. Therapists favored familiar, electrically powered devices for balance and gait training. Setup times were typically short. Multitasking during treatment was common. Novel technologies like exoskeletons were rarely used, suggesting a gap between available tools and clinical workflow.
• OTQualitative2024Unraveling the "Greener Pastures" Concept: The Phenomenology of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFifteen Filipino occupational therapists described migration as a complex trade-off. While higher salaries and safety were real gains, many faced deskilling, shame from underemployment, and discrimination. The "greener pastures" ideal often clashed with the reality of restricted professional roles and cultural isolation.
• PTOTOther2025Assessing Shoulder Proprioceptive Sense of Force: Hand-Held Dynamometer Reliability and Comparison with Isokinetic Protocols.International journal of sports physical therapyA hand-held dynamometer protocol for shoulder force sense showed only low-to-moderate reliability and did not agree with isokinetic results. Clinicians should not use it for diagnosis. If used, test at 50% maximum strength, as lower intensities were less accurate.
• OTOther2025Performance Analysis of Driving Ability (P-Drive): Investigating Construct Validity and Concordance of Australasian Data.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthAustralasian P-Drive on-road scores aligned with occupational therapists' pass/fail decisions. A raw score of 85 of 100 correctly grouped 88% of expected fails and 88% of expected passes. Use with clinical judgment and training.
• PTOTCase Report2025Use of O-arm to place an intrathecal catheter through a bony fusion mass: case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences3D navigation guided intrathecal baclofen catheter placement through a fusion gap in a woman with spinal cord injury spasticity. After oral baclofen and methocarbamol were stopped, she had lower-limb Ashworth scores of 0 and could sit at work for 12 h.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Functional Cognition-Patient Reported Outcomes Short Forms and Keyform Ability Maps.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationShort forms of the FC-PRO for attention, memory, speed, and emotion maintain high correlation with the full versions. Keyform maps visualize a patient's specific functional challenges, offering therapists concrete items for collaborative goal setting and treatment planning.
• PTOTCase Report2025Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis as a Dynamic Treatment for Spasticity: A Case Series.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn ten patients with spasticity from stroke, cerebral palsy, or other causes, percutaneous cryoneurolysis was associated with immediate and sustained reductions in muscle tone and pain. However, concurrent therapies were often used, so the specific contribution of cryoneurolysis alone cannot be determined.
• PTOTOther2025Revised Dual Task Screen is a Valid Measure of Dual Task Performance: Developing a Motor and Cognitive Dual Task Measure with Healthy Female Athletes.Occupational therapy in health careHealthy female athletes slowed down and caught fewer balls when adding a thinking task, confirming the screen detects motor costs. Cognitive costs were inconsistent, with only the upper-extremity task showing a significant drop in accuracy.
• OTSLPCohort2025Quality of life in caregivers of toddlers with autism features.Research in developmental disabilitiesFor caregivers of toddlers with autism features, parenting stress is the strongest predictor of poor quality of life, even before a diagnosis is confirmed. Higher income and better perceived family-centered care also predict higher quality of life, but family-centered care did not buffer the impact of stress.
• OTSLPCase Report2025Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes of a Post-Coronavirus-19 Sample After Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Case Series.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThirteen patients with persistent post-COVID cognitive symptoms received individualized multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Median changes across disability, mood, life satisfaction, and neurobehavioral symptom scores were minimal. Results were heterogeneous, with some patients improving and others worsening on the same measures.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2025Biomechanical analysis of patients with mild Parkinson's disease during indoor cycling training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with early-stage Parkinson's disease cycled significantly slower and applied force to the handlebars and saddle in the same direction. This coupled strategy reduced lateral swaying, suggesting it acts as a compensatory mechanism to maintain stability despite postural instability.
• OTOther2025Transforming Occupational Therapy for the 21st Century PAIRE: Recognize Privilege, Acknowledge Injustice, and Reframe Perspective to Reach Equity.Occupational therapy in health careCurrent occupational therapy models rarely address how provider bias and systemic barriers limit patient participation. The authors propose a new framework requiring therapists to actively reflect on their own privilege and adapt care to the patient's cultural context, rather than just treating the impairment.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025A Critical Review of Trunk and Hip Exercise Prescription: Applying Evidence for a Modern Approach.International journal of sports physical therapyThe idea that 'core' exercises fix spinal instability is not supported by evidence. Tests for instability are unreliable, and local muscle changes often result from pain rather than causing it. However, trunk and hip exercises remain valuable for pain relief, strength, and performance when included in broader, progressive programs.
• OTQualitative2024Research Knowledge Translation in Sensory Integration-Based Therapy: Exploring Subjectivity of Clinical Expertise.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieSix UK occupational therapists said they chose sensory integration work because they personally saw clients improve, ranking that lived experience above published trials. They relied on mentors, peers and conferences, and worried their sources only confirmed what they already believed.