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 191 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2025Telephone Administration of the Human Activity Profile Questionnaire in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: Methodological Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThe Human Activity Profile questionnaire yields consistent functional capacity scores whether administered by telephone or face-to-face. Telephone administration is a valid, reliable alternative for assessing patients with cardiovascular disease, offering a practical way to monitor progress remotely.
• PTOTCase Report2025Mapping Recovery: The RADAR Scale, Born From a Clinical Round.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA 73-year-old woman regained full hand function by week 28 after radial nerve repair, yet nerve conduction tests remained abnormal. This case introduces the RADAR scale to track daily living and communication, showing functional recovery can outpace electrophysiological data.
• PTOTCohort2025Ultrasonographic Validity of Clinical Shoulder Impingement Signs in Patients Without Limitation of Motion.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn patients with painful shoulder impingement signs but full motion, ultrasound showed no difference in supraspinatus tendon thickness between the painful and pain-free side. This challenges mechanical impingement as the primary pain source, suggesting early-stage inflammation or capsulitis instead.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation for lower limb rehabilitation in spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEvidence for non-invasive spinal stimulation to improve leg function after spinal cord injury is very uncertain. One high-quality trial showed modest gains in strength and walking speed, but most studies had mixed or null results. It appears safe, with only minor skin irritation reported.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Robust neural network controller for a lower limb exoskeleton with minimal sensor configuration: a deep reinforcement learning approach with policy distillation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn simulation, a lower limb exoskeleton controller guided walking for a modelled quadriplegic patient using only joint encoders, with no crutches or calibration. It stayed upright against pushes up to 40 N. No real patients were tested.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Inequalities of the Waiting Time for Education Health and Care Plan Provision for Pupils With Intellectual Developmental Disabilities: A Brief Report.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with genetic intellectual disabilities from the most deprived areas waited significantly longer for Education, Health and Care Plans than those from the least deprived areas. Waiting times also varied by region and disability type, with specific learning difficulties facing the longest delays regardless of background.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Effective and Efficient Rehabilitation. What Works Best for Persons With SCI During (Sub)Acute Phase of Rehabilitation?Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationComprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for spinal cord injury improved independence scores by an average of 35.7 points. Gains varied significantly by injury severity, with patients with AIS D injuries showing the highest effectiveness and those with C1-C4 injuries the lowest.
• PTOTSurvey2025Women Veterans and Mobility Aids.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationWomen veterans reported that mobility devices often failed to fit their bodies or meet daily needs. Only 14% felt devices were designed for women, and just 28% could try options before choosing. While getting the device was timely, repairs were slow and maintenance training was insufficient.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Cognitive Impairment Highly Prevalent and Associated With Reduced Physical Function in Older Veteran Clinical Exercise Program.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost veterans entering this exercise program scored in the mild cognitive impairment range despite no dementia diagnosis. Lower leg strength and walking endurance were significantly associated with lower cognitive scores, while balance and arm strength were not.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined With Robotic Therapy in the Treatment of Limb Dysfunction After Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding acupuncture to robot therapy improved daily living scores by 7 points, exceeding the clinically important threshold. However, gains in limb motor function were only 5 points, falling short of the 6-point threshold needed to be considered clinically meaningful.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Health-Related Quality of Life in Survivors of Stroke Post Inpatient Rehabilitation Discharged to a Home Setting.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor stroke survivors returning home from rehab, quality of life was best predicted by how well they could move, think, and manage anxiety or depression. Age, income, and initial stroke severity did not significantly predict quality of life.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Age Is Not the Limit-Functional Outcomes and Discharge Predictors in a Neurorehabilitation Cohort of Mixed Ages.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAge alone did not predict home discharge or functional improvement in this neurorehabilitation cohort. Instead, outcomes depended on comorbidity burden, baseline function, and length of stay. Do not exclude older patients from inpatient rehabilitation based on age.
• OTSLPSurvey2025Caregiver concerns for autistic children differ between publicly funded educational and mental health settings: Findings from a community implementation-effectiveness trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers named aggression, social communication problems and attention problems among their top concerns. Mental health caregivers reported more aggression; school caregivers reported more social problems and repetitive behaviors.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Early detection of infants with neurodevelopmental concerns indicative of cerebral palsy in a lower middle-income country (India).Developmental medicine and child neurologyCommunity health workers in India reliably screened high-risk infants for cerebral palsy using video-based movement assessments. The General Movements Assessment was highly sensitive but prone to false positives. The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination offered better overall accuracy. Early detection is feasible in low-resource settings.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Impact of a 2-Month Program of Eccentric Training on Plantar Flexor Structure and Function in Hemiparesis After Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationEccentric training changed muscle structure and neural activation in stroke survivors but did not improve walking speed or strength. The intervention was feasible, yet functional outcomes remained null, so it should not be expected to enhance mobility on its own.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Prevalence and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with intellectual disabilities have very high rates of heart failure and stroke, but the numbers vary wildly across studies. Screening should not rely on medical records alone, as objective tests found far more cases. Treat these rates as a range, not a single number.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Understanding Cannabis Use After Spinal Cord Injury: A Canadian Survey Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHalf of surveyed Canadians with spinal cord injury had used cannabis, with pain and sleep the top reasons after injury. Most perceived it moderately effective, but the study did not prove it works. Clinicians should discuss risks and benefits rather than assume therapeutic value.
• OTOther2025The Visual Impairment Developmental Autonomy scale: Challenges in the assessment of children with visual impairment.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis commentary critiques the VIDA scale for assessing daily living skills in children with visual impairment. It warns that defining visual impairment is complex and that the scale's scoring may be difficult to interpret. Clinicians should note that functional autonomy assessment remains challenging.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Functional Trajectory of Childhood Stroke in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationChildren with new stroke improved significantly in self-care, mobility, and cognition during inpatient rehab. However, those needing agitation medication started lower and gained less. Agitation management is a key predictor of functional recovery in this group.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Caregiver-reported meaningful change in functional domains for individuals with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: A convergent mixed-methods design.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents of children with severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies prioritized small, functional steps like communicating pain or preferences and achieving independent sitting. These specific changes were valued for reducing frustration and improving daily care, offering a concrete framework for setting realistic therapy goals.
• PTOTCase Report2025A Dual Approach to Rehabilitation of an autoimmune ataxia : A case study involving the Adult-Onset Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA middle-aged man with autoimmune ataxia regained independence after intensive inpatient rehab. He moved from needing two-person assistance to walking alone, with balance scores rising from 25 to 53 out of 56. This describes one person's recovery, not proof that the specific therapies caused it.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Cognitive and Behavioural Associations of Visual and Hearing Impairments Across the Lifespan in People With Down Syndrome, a Scoping Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRUncorrected hearing loss in children with Down syndrome is linked to language delays, while visual impairment in adults is linked to reduced daily living skills. However, evidence is mostly cross-sectional, so these are associations rather than proof that treating the senses improves cognition.
• OTCohort2025Bridging Research and Practice: A Preliminary Detailed Analysis of Current Upper Limb Occupational Therapy Dose and Content in Publicly Funded Poststroke Rehabilitation.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationUsual OT sessions for stroke patients averaged 210 upper-limb repetitions. This exceeded previous reports but remained well below the hundreds of repetitions suggested by animal studies for optimal recovery. The study describes current practice volume without measuring whether this dose improved patient function.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Relationship between anxiety and executive functioning among youth with Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesExecutive function struggles and anxiety symptoms influence each other over time in youth with Down syndrome. Shifting and working memory difficulties predicted higher anxiety a year later, while anxiety predicted later problems with shifting and initiating tasks.
• OTSLPQualitative2025"There is nothing"-Exploring diagnostic and service access for autistic individuals in Uruguay: A qualitative study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceUruguayan caregivers described autism care as delayed and fragmented: doctors avoided naming autism, rushed diagnoses, and families travelled long distances. Services were often the same psychomotor and speech therapy mix, not tailored to each child.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025E-Cigarette Use Among Older Adults with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Relationship With History of Cigarette Smoking.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAbout 16% of adults with chronic spinal cord injury have tried e-cigarettes, and 4.9% currently use them. History of cigarette smoking and younger age were strongly associated with this use. Injury severity was not related to vaping.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Comparing trajectories of sport participation for autistic- and non-autistic-youth: A group-based multi-trajectory modelling approach.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children were far less likely to join team sports, with gaps widening as they aged. However, their rates of individual sport participation matched non-autistic peers. This suggests individual sports may be a more accessible entry point for autistic youth.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Impact of the Akwenda Intervention Program for cerebral palsy on caregiver-perceived burden, stress, and psychosocial functioning: A cluster-randomized trial in Uganda.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregivers in a 12-month group program in Uganda reported less burden and better quality of life than those receiving usual care. The program combined training, therapy sessions, and peer support. It is unclear which specific component drove the improvements.
• PTOTCohort2025Post-COVID Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Comparative Cohort Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with post-COVID improved their walking distance significantly during multidisciplinary rehabilitation, but their self-rated quality of life remained lower than other groups. This suggests physical gains do not automatically resolve subjective well-being deficits in post-COVID recovery.
• PTOTCase Report2025Rehabilitation of High-Level Dynamic Balance Skills in an Individual With Significant Nonprogressive Cerebellar Atrophy: Case Report.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA man with long-standing cerebellar atrophy improved balance and gait after 12 weeks of high-intensity, harness-supported training. He progressed from walking with two hands on rails to running 15 strides unaided, meeting his personal goals.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Engagement in Evidence-Based Practice Activities and Thinking by Rehabilitation Therapists: Predictive Factors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationRehabilitation therapists rarely search databases or share evidence, but frequently reflect on clinical outcomes. Engagement in evidence-seeking activities was predicted by feeling job secure, being open to new methods, and holding specialty certifications, rather than by years of experience or facility size.
• OTSLPCohort2025Bulbar function in children with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 treated with nusinersen.Developmental medicine and child neurologyBulbar function trajectories varied widely in children with SMA1 treated with nusinersen. Many declined over 2 years, especially in type 1b. Improvement on swallowing scores was mostly driven by normal developmental milestones rather than direct treatment effects.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Therapeutic Effects of Noninvasive Technology Modalities on Lower-Limb Motor Function in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationResults for noninvasive stimulation in incomplete spinal cord injury are mixed. Motor scores and walking improved in some trials, but others showed no difference versus sham. Effects varied by technique and protocol, so no single modality can be recommended as standard care.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Otolaryngologic Symptom Severity Post SARS-CoV-2 Infection.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationFour hundred and seventy post-COVID patients reported that hospitalization was linked to worse breathing and cough symptoms, which often lingered or worsened over a year. Voice and swallowing problems remained mild and below clinical thresholds, regardless of how sick the patient was.
• PTOTOther2025Home-Based Gait Interventions for Adults with Stroke: A Scoping Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHome gait treatments for stroke vary widely, from apps to caregiver-led plans. Many studies showed walking improvements, but most were small or pilot trials. Most required clinic visits for setup or testing. Evidence is too mixed to recommend one specific home method over another.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Olfactory Training on Cognitive and Emotional Function in Individuals with Parkinson Disease.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSix months of sniffing four scents twice daily improved memory, thinking, and mood in people with Parkinson disease. The group doing the training scored better than controls on all these tests, though motor symptoms did not change.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2025Consolidating a framework of autistic camouflaging strategies: An integrative systematic review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe camouflaging as a conscious, learned skillset involving suppression, performance, and cognitive strategies like scripting. This effort causes significant strain and distress, often hidden from clinicians. Look for signs of exhaustion and inconsistency across settings rather than just social deficits.
• PTOTCohort2026Motor performance and higher associative cortical networks in adolescents with neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy treated with therapeutic hypothermia.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdolescents treated with therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy showed significantly lower motor performance scores than controls. Brain imaging revealed increased connectivity between motor and attention networks during movement tasks, suggesting the brain works harder to compensate for motor difficulties rather than having a simple structural deficit.
• PTOTRCT2026Modified sports intervention for improving participation goals and activity competence in ambulant children with cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFor ambulant children with cerebral palsy, an 8-week modified sports programme improved parent-set goals for attending and engaging in leisure physical activity more than usual physical therapy. Motor performance goals also improved. However, the programme did not change overall physical activity levels, body functions, or general participation.
• PTOTRCT2026Intervenção de esportes modificados para melhorar metas de participação e competências de atividade em crianças deambuladoras com paralisia cerebral: um ensaio clínico randomizado.Developmental medicine and child neurologyGroup modified sports improved parent-defined participation goals and motor performance more than usual individual physiotherapy in children with cerebral palsy. The sports group attended fewer total therapy hours. Physical activity levels and general participation did not change.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Personalized high-intensity temporal interference stimulation decouples cerebellar networks to enhance implicit learning.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHigh-intensity stimulation of the deep brain improved implicit motor learning in healthy men. However, the improvement was not significantly better than the sham control. Brain scans showed activity changes in the striatum, but the clinical benefit remains unproven.
• PTOTCohort2025Temporal Relationships Between Depression, Self-Efficacy, and Physical Activity in Individuals With Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAfter stroke, higher self-efficacy was followed by more steps only when depressive symptoms were low. Higher depressive symptoms were followed by lower self-efficacy. Steps were not followed by changes in mood or self-efficacy.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAnxiety is significantly elevated in people with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH), especially those with symptoms. In those without symptoms, anxiety is higher than the general population but rarely reaches clinical thresholds. Screening for anxiety is warranted across the GJH spectrum.
• OTSystematic Review2025Substance Use and Problem Gambling Interventions for People With Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDREvidence for substance use and gambling interventions in people with intellectual disability is thin: 16 small studies showed some short-term smoking reductions, mixed alcohol findings, and gambling was only one case report.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Sleep in Infants with Down Syndrome or Familial Likelihood of Autism in the First Year of Life.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of infants with Down syndrome reported fewer sleep concerns at 6 months despite objective data showing similar sleep patterns to controls. By 12 months, both Down syndrome and autism-likelihood groups showed less night sleep and more waking than controls, though concerns remained lower in Down syndrome.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2025A scoping review of current approaches to strengths-based transition practices for autistic adolescents.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceStrengths-based transition programmes for autistic teens generally fall into five types, like peer mentoring and career planning. A major gap is the lack of standardised tools to measure these strengths, meaning most studies rely on ad-hoc assessments rather than validated scales.
• PTOTRCT2025Changes in Gait After Training for Individuals With Cerebellar Ataxia.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHome aerobic training produced only a minor improvement in step length compared to home balance training. However, participants who met training goals in either group showed significant gains in walking speed, step length, and stride width.
• PTOTRCT2025Evaluation of Clemastine's Effects on Clinical and Electrodiagnostic Parameters in Individuals With CTS: A Preliminary Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind RCT.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding a 1 mg clemastine pill to a night wrist splint lowered symptom and function scores in carpal tunnel syndrome, but nerve conduction and ultrasound measures did not differ from placebo. This is a 24-patient pilot, so do not change practice on it.
• PTOTOther2025Should developmental coordination disorder be diagnosed before the age of 5 years?Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn high-risk preschoolers assessed by multidisciplinary teams, 85% of those identified as at risk for coordination difficulties at age 3 remained at risk or diagnosed two years later. This stability contrasts with general population samples, where only 50% of at-risk children remained impaired.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Evaluating Goal Attainment Scaling for Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia in Rehabilitation Settings.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPeople with mild cognitive impairment or dementia could use Goal Attainment Scaling to rate their own progress, agreeing closely with therapists. However, goal attainment scores did not correlate with Functional Independence Measure scores, so the two tools measure different things.