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 181 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2025Measuring the Efficacy of Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis in Participants With Refractory or Plateaued Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, or Finger Spasticity.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFor adults with plateaued upper limb spasticity, after cryoneurolysis shoulder and elbow movement and tone improved over 12 months; wrist movement and hand scores at 12 months were less clear, and each person was compared only with their own baseline.
• PTOTRCT2025Increased Free-Living Brisk Walking Cadence Following a Physical Activity Behavior Intervention After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationVeterans who added a behavior change program to standard knee replacement rehab walked significantly more minutes per day at a brisk pace than those receiving health education alone. This increase lasted six months. Total walking time, sitting, and standing did not change.
• OTRCT2025Individual Placement and Support and Participatory Workplace Intervention on the Work Participation of People with Disabilities: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationNeither Individual Placement and Support nor the Participatory Workplace Intervention significantly shortened the time to sustainable employment for people with work disabilities. A secondary finding showed IPS clients started any work, trial placement, or education sooner.
• OTRCT2025Associations between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Work-Specific Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Employees Receiving Psychotherapeutic Consultation at Work.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployees with mental health symptoms reported lower confidence in their work abilities when facing high quantitative job demands. Conversely, having more development opportunities was associated with higher confidence. These links were cross-sectional, so they show association rather than causation.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Satisfaction, user experiences, and initial efficacy of a technology-supported self-management intervention (iSMART) to improve post-stroke functioning: a remoted randomized controlled trial.Topics in stroke rehabilitationStroke survivors found this remote self-management program satisfying and helpful, especially the coaching and goal-setting. They improved on hand function and participation measures, but the small sample meant no significant differences versus controls. Text messages were often rated as too frequent.
• OTOther2026Work Ability during the Return to Work Process: Results from a Mixed Methods Follow-Up Study Among Employees with Common Mental Disorders.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWork ability scores rose from 5.33 to 6.73 on a 10-point scale during return to work. Employees with moderate scores reported fragile stability dependent on daily form, while those with high scores described regained self-efficacy and effective work-life balance.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Weathering the storm: Effect of climate change on acute stroke care and stroke rehabilitation.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationThis review links climate change factors like poor air quality and lack of greenspaces to higher stroke risks and worse outcomes. It suggests therapists discuss environmental barriers and connect patients to community resources, but offers no tested interventions or data on what works.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Caregiver and student perspectives on school services for students with traumatic brain injury during the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineFamilies described remote learning as often failing to deliver necessary accommodations, with teachers overlooking plans and students unable to engage with screens. However, some found flexibility and self-pacing reduced anxiety and helped them manage symptoms and appointments better.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Factors Related to the Recurrence of Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Health Disorders: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployees with low socioeconomic status and those with previous short-term or mental-health-related sickness absences are at higher risk of recurrent absence. Therapists should extend support and monitor these groups long after they return to work.
• PTOTCohort2025Uncovering Mental Health Profiles of Workers with a Physically Disabling Injury or Illness Using the Complete State Mental Health Framework.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers with languishing mental health 18 months after injury had longer and costlier disability claims than those flourishing. Those with high mental illness had longer claims but no significant cost difference. Financial stress and poor sleep were common in these groups.
• PTOTCohort2025Interpersonal Processes in the Duration of Sick Leave of Workers with Chronic Diseases: A Dyadic Analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers whose partners doubted they would return within six months had longer sick leave. The partner's expectation predicted duration better than the worker's own. Involving significant others in return-to-work discussions may identify risk and align expectations.
• PTOTQualitative2025Primary care barriers and facilitators to nonpharmacologic treatments for low back pain: A qualitative pilot study.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPrimary care providers in safety-net clinics cited cost, lack of insurance coverage, and poor connections to community providers as major barriers to nonpharmacologic low back pain care. They noted that embedded services and community health worker support for logistics could help.
• OTPilot2025Evaluating the efficacy of UNav: A computer vision-based navigation aid for persons with blindness or low vision.Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNAA computer vision navigation aid helped blind and low vision people walk unfamiliar indoor routes faster and with fewer wrong turns than memorizing instructions from a guide. It reduced stops and requests for help, though the study was small and tested only short, simple routes.
• OTSLPOther2025Using the RE-AIM and TDF frameworks to evaluate the implementation of a standardized cognitive assessment protocol in outpatient rehabilitation.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationA standardized cognitive assessment protocol was used in 71% of patient records at one outpatient site and 54% at another. Occupational therapists adopted it much less than speech-language pathologists. Site A used leadership checks and audits, while Site B relied only on training and templates.
• PTOTQualitative2025Clinician Experiences of and Responses to the Challenges of Working with Patients in the Australian Compensation Setting.Journal of occupational rehabilitationClinicians treating Australian compensation patients described vicarious distress and exhaustion from insurer delays, stigma and administrative burden, and described meaning and mastery when they had training, mentoring and peer support.
• OTRCT2025Cost-Effectiveness of a Multi-faceted Workplace Intervention to Reduce Musculoskeletal Pain in Nursing Staff: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial (INTEVAL_Spain).Journal of occupational rehabilitationA multi-faceted workplace programme reduced musculoskeletal pain in nurses but cost more than usual care and did not improve quality-adjusted life years. It was not cost-effective for overall health gains, though it lowered pain prevalence.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Low-value interventions to deimplement: A secondary analysis of a systematic review of low back pain clinical practice guidelines.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationGuidelines recommend stopping traction, TENS, therapeutic ultrasound, and SSRIs for low back pain. These treatments were flagged as low-value by five or more guidelines. Clinicians should consider deimplementing them to avoid unnecessary care.
• OTRCT2025Is a Problem-Solving Intervention with Workplace Involvement for Employees on Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Disorders More Effective, than Care as Usual, in Reducing Sickness Absence Days? Results of a Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial in Primary Health Care.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAdding a problem-solving intervention with workplace involvement to standard care in Swedish primary health care did not reduce sickness absence days over 18 months. The intervention group had slightly more absence days at several monthly points, but the primary outcome showed no significant difference.
• OTCohort2025Double Trouble! Do Workplace Supports Mitigate Lost Productivity for Young Workers with Both Severe Rheumatic Diseases and Depressive Symptoms?Journal of occupational rehabilitationYoung workers with severe rheumatic symptoms and depressive symptoms reported more missed workdays and more working while unwell. Workplace supports were linked to fewer missed workdays, but not to less working while unwell in those with both.
• PTOTOther2025Musculoskeletal Health and Work: Development and Internal-External Cross-Validation of a Model to Predict Risk of Work Absence and Presenteeism in People Seeking Primary Healthcare.Journal of occupational rehabilitationModels using self-reported history, pain, and job type accurately predicted 6-month work absence and presenteeism in adults with musculoskeletal disorders. Prior absence was the strongest predictor of future absence, while comorbidities and long pain duration predicted poor work performance.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Disclosure Decisions of Workers Living with a Chronic Health Condition Causing Disability at Work: Are Decisions to Disclose to Co-workers and Supervisors Different?Journal of occupational rehabilitationMost Canadian workers with a disability disclosed their condition to colleagues. Factors predicting disclosure included age, pain, health variability, job disruptions, accommodation use, and workplace perceptions, rather than the specific type of disability.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025The Era of Technology in Healthcare-An Evaluation of Telerehabilitation on Client Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationTelerehabilitation did not significantly improve physical functioning, mental health, or pain compared to face-to-face care in working-age adults. The evidence quality is very low, with high variability between studies, so no clear advantage for either delivery method was found.
• OTQualitative2025Meaning of Work Participation After Spinal Cord Injury in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study in a Low- and Middle-Income Country Context.Journal of occupational rehabilitationBangladeshi adults with spinal cord injury said work meant money, family role, identity, and contact with others. After injury, lost work meant loneliness and shame. They saw future work depending on family support, prior skills, confidence, and practical wheelchair or workplace adjustments.
• PTOTCohort2025Work-Related Fear-Avoidance Beliefs and Risk of Low-Back Pain: Prospective Cohort Study Among Healthcare Workers.Journal of occupational rehabilitationHealthcare workers with high fear-avoidance beliefs about work had higher odds of increased low-back pain intensity and duration after one year. Moderate beliefs also predicted worse outcomes. Screening for these beliefs may identify workers at risk of developing or worsening pain.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Patients' Needs Regarding Work-Focused Healthcare: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPatients with chronic conditions want work-focused care that is practical, continuous, respectful and tailored. They need clear advice on work modifications, early and ongoing support, trustful in-person relationships, and goals matching their own.
• PTOTPilot2026Evaluation of the Acceptability and Feasibility of Stress Mitigation Education and Support Delivered via Telehealth for People After Road Traffic Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic Injury.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEleven adults after road traffic injury found a five-session telehealth programme acceptable. They valued consistent social support and coaching, which helped them navigate insurance claims and use pain self-management strategies. No clinical outcomes were measured, so this shows feasibility, not effectiveness.
• OTRCT2026Mindfulness buffers the association of pain with depression and anxiety among people with spinal cord injury: A cross-sectional study.Rehabilitation psychologyAmong adults with spinal cord injury and chronic pain, higher mindfulness was linked to less depression and anxiety when pain was intense. It did not buffer stress. Pain was unexpectedly tied to higher well-being in those with high mindfulness.
• OTCohort2026Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Stress Management on Return-to-Work Amongst Sick-Listed Employees.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSick-listed employees offered group CBT stress management had significantly fewer weeks of registered sick leave over three years compared to a historical control group. The benefit appeared after the first six months, with faster sustainable return to work for the intervention group.
• OTCohort2026Suffering of Common Mental Disorders but Still at Work: A Longitudinal Study During Periods of Differences in Regulations for Having Sick Leave.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAmong workers with common mental disorders, flexible working hours were linked to lower risk of sick leave lasting 14 days or more. After 2008, active jobs also showed this link. These are associations, not proof that changing hours alone prevents absence.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Resistance Exercise Training on Musculoskeletal, Metabolic and Psychological Health in Sedentary Office Workers - Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationResistance training improved neck and shoulder strength and reduced discomfort in office workers, but showed no significant benefit for metabolic or mental health outcomes. The evidence quality is very low due to high bias and inconsistency, so these results are not yet reliable for clinical practice.
• PTOTQualitative2026Project ECHO Occupational and Environmental Medicine: A Qualitative Study of HealthCare Providers Supporting Workers with Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses.Journal of occupational rehabilitationProviders said WSIB delays, unclear forms and hard-to-reach adjudicators erode worker trust and slow return to work. In ECHO sessions, they described new tools and communication strategies, while still wanting clearer guidelines and faster approvals.
• PTOTQualitative2026Wellbeing and the Lived Experience of Injured Workers Following Finalisation of a Workers' Compensation Claim.Journal of occupational rehabilitationInjured workers described conflicting needs after closing their compensation claims. Some felt relief escaping the system, while others experienced abandonment and stigma. Many lacked clear information on what to expect next, suggesting a need for individualised transition support rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• PTOTCohort2026Factors Associated with the Timing of Initial Visit to Healthcare Providers for Injured Workers with Low Back Pain Claims: A Multijurisdiction Retrospective Cohort.Journal of occupational rehabilitationInjured workers with low back pain who went straight to a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor waited longer for that first visit than those who saw a GP first. The delay was greatest for workers in remote areas and in South Australia.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effectiveness and Characteristics of Work Participation Interventions for Adults with Musculoskeletal Upper Limb Conditions: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationExercise interventions showed positive effects on return to work and productivity, unlike multidisciplinary or ergonomic approaches which had mixed or null results. However, evidence quality was low, with few high-quality trials, so these findings should guide cautious trial rather than definitive protocol changes.
• PTOTOther2025Validating the Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation in a Population of Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe CS-VR-Onco checklist successfully mapped return-to-work difficulties in 104 cancer survivors. It identified more problems in patients who reported difficulty returning to work and in those who had chemotherapy, confirming it can help target vocational rehabilitation.
• OTSystematic Review2025Successful Strategies for Occupational Health and Safety in Small and Medium Enterprises: Insights for a Sustainable Return to Work.Journal of occupational rehabilitationScoping review identified four OHS strategies for SMEs: specific info dissemination, short training, participatory approaches, and context adaptation. Stakeholders suggest these could support return to work, but no evidence shows they improve disability management outcomes.
• PTOTQualitative2025Life after stroke: changes in sensory health and the impact on participation.Topics in stroke rehabilitationStroke survivors described sensory changes as hidden and overwhelming, leading to avoidance of social settings. They reported therapists rarely assessed smell, taste, or visual sensitivity, leaving them to manage these barriers alone.
• PTOTRCT2025Feasibility and Sensitivity of Wearable Sensors for Daily Activity Monitoring in Spinal Cord Injury Trials.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWearable sensors tracked daily activity in spinal cord injury patients, showing that energy expenditure increased weekly and correlated with independence scores. While the sensor data suggested the treatment group moved more, the trial's primary clinical outcomes showed no significant difference between groups.
• PTOTOther2025Reliability and Construct Validity of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire Domains in Patients with Persistent Low Back Pain.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe WORQ reliably tracks physical limitations in patients with persistent low back pain but struggles to detect mild psychological or cognitive issues. It is useful for screening work-related disability, but its scores cannot reliably predict individual physical capacity or guide specific treatment changes over time.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Are the Quality of Organizational Changes Associated with Expected Retirement-Age Among Senior Employees?Journal of occupational rehabilitationPoorly managed workplace reorganizations are linked to senior employees expecting to retire about 0.7 years earlier than those with well-managed changes. For therapists advising on return-to-work or career retention, this suggests that how a company handles change, not just the change itself, impacts older workers' decisions to stay in the workforce.
• OTCohort2025Negative Beliefs About Working with Health Problems and Support at Work as Predictors for Return to Work for People Struggling with Common Mental Disorders.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIn people receiving treatment for common mental disorders, negative beliefs about working with health problems predicted lower likelihood of being at work at treatment end. Perceived support at work predicted being at work when examined alone, but not uniquely.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Development and validation of the Physical Disability Identity Scale: A multistudy quantitative investigation with participant feedback.Rehabilitation psychologyA new scale measures six ways people relate to their physical disability. Feeling connected or satisfied with the identity linked to better wellbeing. Seeing disability as central to self or shaped by it linked to worse mental health and more discrimination.
• PTOTQualitative2025"A good socket fit can make you or break you": A multimethod study to explore the perceptions and experiences of socket fitting among people with lower-limb loss in Australia.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalMost Australian prosthesis users reported initial satisfaction with socket comfort, but almost all experienced fit problems over time. Comfort fluctuated due to residual limb changes, material issues, and unmet expectations, requiring ongoing adjustments rather than a single successful fitting.
• PTOTOther2026Changes in Pregabalin Dispensing to Australians with Workers' Compensation Claims for Low Back Pain Following the Listing of Pregabalin on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.Journal of occupational rehabilitationListing pregabalin on Australia's subsidised drug scheme caused dispensing to workers' compensation patients with low back pain to increase sharply. The proportion of workers receiving it rose from 6.6% to 17.0%, and time to first dose dropped from 284 days to 84 days.
• OTSurvey2026Predicting Occupational Outcomes for Individuals with ADHD: The Role of Hyperactivity/Impulsivity and Executive Functioning.Journal of occupational rehabilitationFor adults with ADHD, hyperactivity/impulsivity and time management problems predicted lower income, more written warnings, greater boredom, and poorer relationships with coworkers and supervisors. Inattention predicted warnings and coworker dissatisfaction but not income or boredom.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Barriers and Facilitators for Interprofessional Education in Work-Focused Healthcare: An Integrative Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationOnly seven studies examined interprofessional education for work-focused healthcare. Facilitators included skilled educators, practical site visits, and reflection time. Barriers were lack of organizational support, time constraints, and misunderstanding roles. One trial showed no improvement in collaboration or patient outcomes.
• PTOTOther2026Validation of JEM Soignances Job-Exposure Matrix Through Comparison with Self-Reported Exposures Among Healthcare Workers in CONSTANCES.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA new tool for estimating job risks in healthcare workers matched self-reported data well for physical demands but poorly for psychosocial stress. It often underestimated associations with pain and depression, and failed to detect links between noise or chemicals and health outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Feasibility and Effects of Exercise During Working Hours in Acute Hospital Staff - A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSupervised exercise during working hours was feasible for hospital staff. Participants showed improved aerobic capacity, blood pressure, and pain. However, adherence was low, and without a control group, these changes cannot be proven to result from the intervention alone.
• OTOther2026Establishing Key Domains for Measuring Workplace Mental Health: The Indicators of A Thriving Workplace Survey.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA new 47-item survey validated across 9,947 Australian workers identifies five domains of workplace mental health: Leadership, Connectedness, Safety, Work Design, and Capability. Industry scores differed significantly, with Work Design showing the greatest variation.
• OTSystematic Review2026Organizational Practices and Their Outcomes for Employees with Disabilities: A Review and Synthesis of Quantitative Studies.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAcross 27 quantitative studies, organizational practices like accommodations, leadership, and workplace culture showed mixed links to employee performance, well-being, and job retention. While positive practices were associated with better outcomes, negative factors like discrimination and job insecurity also emerged. The evidence base is fragmented, with no controlled effect studies.