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 199 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPCohort2026Interventional treatment of post tracheostomy tracheal stenosis in neurological rehabilitation: results of a single-center registry.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesInterventional treatment for post-tracheostomy tracheal stenosis enabled 77.3% of neurological patients to be decannulated. Most required only one session, and no procedure-associated complications occurred. Cryoablation was the primary method used, though prednisolone alone helped some patients.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Understanding autistic identity contingencies: The chain mediation effect of autism acceptance and loneliness in ableist microaggressions and social camouflage.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in Japan who experienced more ableist microaggressions reported more camouflaging. Lower external acceptance and higher loneliness were associated with assimilation.
• PTOTCohort2026Can You See Us Play? Observing Inclusive Outdoor Play Behaviour Among Children With and Without Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Study.Child: care, health and developmentBoys and children with disabilities scored lower for playfulness during inclusive outdoor play sessions. Observations showed children with disabilities often used non-verbal cues, while their invitations to play were more often rejected.
• PTOTCohort2025Prevalence of non-communicable diseases, multimorbidity, and their impact on activity limitations among adults with chronic back pain: a national population-based study in a middle-income country.Brazilian journal of physical therapyMost adults with chronic back pain have other conditions. Those with arthritis, lung disease, depression, heart disease, or diabetes report more severe activity limitations than those with back pain alone. Screen for these comorbidities to anticipate greater disability.
• OTSurvey2026Knowledge and Understanding of Menstrual Health in Women With Intellectual Disabilities: A Brief Report.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAmong 22 women with intellectual disabilities, 9 had low menstrual knowledge, and 15 rated pad use as fully independent while 12 rated tampon use as never independent. The biggest gaps were how often to change products and menopause.
• PTOTOther2026Feasibility, Test-Retest Reliability and Convergent Validity of the Two-Minute Step Test in Older Adults With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRThe Two-Minute Step Test worked for half of older adults with intellectual disabilities, with excellent reliability. It was feasible for those with mild to moderate disabilities but rarely for those with severe or profound disabilities.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Factors influencing clinical decision-making in inpatient rehabilitation: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationInpatient rehabilitation therapists said treatment planning depends on patient values and home resources, family input, team roles, communication style, experience, safety, and institutional time and policy pressures.
• PTOTProtocol2026Outdoor bicycle training following stroke: protocol development, feasibility testing and application guidelines.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFive stroke survivors with mild-to-moderate deficits completed a 3-week group outdoor cycling program. All rated it highly satisfying and improved confidence and personal cycling goals. Balance and general mobility scores did not change significantly, and two minor falls occurred.
• PTOTRCT2026Identifying candidates for torque-assisted exoskeleton for gait assistance after stroke: a pre-specified subgroup analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePatients with severe walking impairment (FAC 0-1) walked faster and further with the exoskeleton on. Patients with better baseline walking ability performed worse when wearing it. Functional Ambulatory Category was the only factor predicting who would benefit.
• PTOTOther2026Atypical Visually Guided Precision Grip Control in Middle-Aged and Older Autistic Adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMiddle-aged and older autistic adults showed unstable grip force and delayed movement initiation compared to non-autistic peers. These motor control differences were more pronounced in the older subgroup, suggesting fine motor skills degrade with age in autism.
• PTOTRCT2026Efficacy of different frequencies of extracorporeal shockwave on plantar flexor spasticity of the ankle in patients with stroke: a single-center, prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding shockwave therapy to standard rehab reduced calf tightness and improved ankle flexibility in stroke patients. Both 4 Hz and 10 Hz frequencies worked, but 4 Hz showed a greater reduction in muscle stiffness after three weeks.
• PTOTOther2025Gait dual-task cost in individuals with chronic low back pain and high avoidance or catastrophizing.Gait & posturePeople with chronic low back pain and high catastrophizing did not shorten their step length when adding a cognitive task, unlike those with low catastrophizing. Higher pain severity was linked to shorter steps and slower reactions, regardless of the task.
• PTOTOther2025Tummy Time Tracking: Concurrent-Validity of Wearable Sensors in Home Settings for Term and Preterm Infants.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationTwo wearable sensors accurately tracked tummy time at home in infants, including those born preterm. The GENEActiv sensor was more precise and had far less data loss than the MonBaby, which struggled with Bluetooth disconnections and timing errors during longer recordings.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Augmented feedback as a therapeutic approach for gait rehabilitation in patients with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAugmented feedback improved walking speed and ankle function in people with mild spastic cerebral palsy. Results for other gait measures like step length were inconsistent. The evidence is limited by small studies and a lack of long-term follow-up.
• PTOTQualitative2026Commonalities in rehabilitation data across diverse health conditions: a comparison of seven large European databases.Journal of rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation databases across Europe share some categories, but no variables are common to all. They mostly record biomedical and impairment data, with activities, participation and psychosocial factors underrepresented.
• PTOTCohort2026ICF rehabilitation set responsiveness after total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn patients recovering from knee replacement, ICF-RS scores improved significantly during inpatient rehabilitation. However, joint mobility scores did not change because the tool counts affected joints rather than measuring range of motion. This highlights that ICF-RS is not sensitive enough to track specific physical recovery in single-joint surgeries.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effectiveness of kinesio tape in people with low back pain. A systematic review with meta-analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineKinesio tape reduces short-term pain and improves function in acute low back pain compared to no treatment, but shows little benefit over placebo. Physical therapy outperforms tape for long-term chronic pain. Tape may help pregnant women with pain, but evidence for radiating pain is uncertain.
• OTRCT2026Feasibility Study of a Novel App-Based Anxiety Intervention for Autistic People.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults found the Molehill Mountain app feasible and acceptable. Anxiety scores fell on average after 13 weeks, but the study had no control group, so it cannot show the app caused improvement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Relationship Between Tendon Tissue and Shoulder Disability Change During an 8-Week Exercise Intervention for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: An Observational Study.Physical therapyShoulder pain and function improved significantly after 8 weeks of exercise. Tendon thickness decreased slightly, but this change was too small to be clinically meaningful. Early thickness changes correlated with symptom improvement, but this link disappeared by week 4.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Atypical GNAO1 variants in severe childhood speech disorders: clinical, genetic, and molecular insights.Molecular autismTwo children with severe speech disorders and intellectual disability carried rare GNAO1 mutations without epilepsy. Laboratory tests showed these variants disrupt protein signaling in ways that respond to zinc, suggesting a potential treatment target and a reason to test GNAO1 in speech-only cases.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Screen Use and Child and Adolescent Health in Canada: Triangulation of Evidence Assessing the State of the Effort.Child: care, health and developmentCanadian parents and adults overwhelmingly believe schools, governments, and tech companies must help children use screens safely. However, the effort is fragmented: policies are inconsistent, sectors rarely collaborate, and federal leadership is largely absent despite growing media concern.
• PTOTOther2025What are the characteristics of outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who have reduced physical activity as a result of low-frequency pulmonary rehabilitation?Journal of physical therapy scienceMale COPD patients with low lung function or hilly homes were more likely to step less after low-frequency rehab. Screen for these factors early to adjust frequency or plan home visits.
• OTOther2025Assessing the Right to Interpersonal Relationships, Home and Family for People With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDPeople with intellectual disabilities agreed less with items about marriage, children and choosing family size than with items about friendship and meeting people. The short seven-item rights scale produced consistent answers.
• PTOTOther2025Trajectory and asymmetry of lower limb joint moments during normal and blindfolded gait.Journal of physical therapy scienceBlindfolding healthy men caused their gait trajectory to deviate left and their pelvis and thorax to rotate left. This was accompanied by reduced asymmetry in ankle and knee joint moments. The findings suggest trunk proprioception influences straight-line walking and lower-limb mechanics.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2025The Efficacy of Closed Versus Open Kinetic Chain Exercise in Knee Osteoarthritis-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyClosed kinetic chain exercises like squats and lunges reduced knee pain and improved function slightly more than open kinetic chain exercises in the short term. Quality of life scores showed no difference between the two groups. The benefit was small.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Phonetic changes, dental occlusion and their relationships in individuals with cleft lip and palate undergoing orthognathic surgery.CoDASMaxillary surgery improved some speech distortions and lisps, but hypernasality worsened on oral texts. No sound became 100% normal. Patients still need speech therapy after surgery to address remaining errors and new resonance issues.
• PTOTCohort2025Presence of transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy influences the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients with heart failure and transthyretin amyloidosis had similar physical function gains from rehab but much higher death and rehospitalization rates. Good discharge scores did not predict their poor outcomes. Clinicians should not assume rehab success means a safe prognosis in this group.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Association between walking space and physical activity for hospitalized patients with stroke: a cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients allowed to walk in the ward or hospital had more light activity and less sitting than those walking only in their room. Room-bound independence matched dependent patients. Set mobility goals by space, not just walking ability.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Exploring the autism and functional neurological disorder association: Considerations from biopsychosocial, neuropsychological and computational models.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThis theoretical review links autism and functional neurological disorder through shared traits like sensory overload and difficulty identifying emotions. It suggests clinicians should screen for autism in FND patients to avoid misdiagnosis, but offers no tested interventions or outcome data.
• OTSLPCase Series2026Appropriateness and Impact of a Vocal Cord Vibration Switch for Children with Complex Communication Needs: Case Series.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThree children with complex communication needs used a vocal cord vibration switch for two years. Mothers and teachers reported lower effort and higher satisfaction compared to previous devices, and all three children continued using the switch after the main study period.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Bringing the Computer-Based Instrument for Low Motor Language Testing to Canada: A Survey of Caregiver and Clinician Perspectives.International journal of language & communication disordersCanadian caregivers and clinicians say current language comprehension assessments for children with cerebral palsy lack accuracy, creating a critical gap. Both groups view the new C-BiLLT-CAN tool as highly promising, but flag that it currently lacks the response methods, like auditory access and specific switches, that many children need to actually complete the test.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Quality of rehabilitation care in Portuguese stroke units: findings from 2017-2018 and 2023 national cross‑sectional surveys.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePortuguese stroke units improved multidisciplinary meetings and discharge coordination over six years. However, fully staffed teams remained rare, weekend assessments lagged significantly behind weekdays, and neurogenic bladder screening was almost never performed.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026A Scoping Review to Map Health Outcomes in Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction.International journal of language & communication disordersAcross 49 studies on inducible laryngeal obstruction, outcome measures varied widely with no standard set. Patient-reported questionnaires dominated, but few captured environmental or personal factors. Current tools miss key life impacts, so results cannot be reliably compared across studies.
• PTOTCohort2026Predicting self-reported injury status among runners training for the New York City Marathon.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationFor runners already modifying training due to injury, models predicted next week's injury status well. For runners not yet modifying training, prediction was poor. Current pain and injury status were the strongest predictors. Training load metrics like ACWR showed weaker associations.
• OTSystematic Review2026Continued Involvement: A Scoping Review on Family Members' Needs and Experiences Collaborating With Support Staff for Relatives With Intellectual Disabilities Living Outside the Family Home.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRFamily members of people with intellectual disabilities living outside the family home wanted clear information, consistent staff, and recognition as partners. They often felt sidelined when staff changed or communication was poor.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation for the Upper Extremity and Scapula: Review and Update on Rehabilitation of Shoulder Pathology.International journal of sports physical therapyPNF patterns help shoulder rehab, but evidence is strongest when combining upper limb and scapular movements. Using them separately does not reliably reduce pain or fix scapular position. Clinicians should integrate these diagonal patterns into broader programs rather than relying on them alone.
• OTOther2025The Effects of a SWELE Program on Mental Wellbeing Among Children and Adolescents With Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: A Quasi-Experimental Study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDChildren and adolescents with special educational needs had higher mood, lower anxiety, better self-regulation, social skills and playfulness after a school-based outdoor free play and mindfulness program. Without a control group, this cannot prove the program caused the changes.
• OTQualitative2026"It Changed My Perspective": Embedding Occupational Therapy Within an Early Childhood Education Centre Provides Inclusive Developmental Support and Access to Early Intervention.Child: care, health and developmentTeachers and parents described embedded occupational therapy as removing the wait for help and the shame of pulling children out. They valued immediate classroom-based problem solving over traditional referral pathways, though this pilot reports their perceptions rather than child outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Responsiveness of the "PROM Pediatric Physical Therapy" in Dutch Pediatric Physical Therapy Practices.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationThe PROM-ppt questionnaire tracks progress well for children with motor problems but fails to reflect change for those with pain-related issues. Therapists should use it to monitor goal attainment in motor cases, but rely on other measures when pain is the primary complaint.
• PTOTOther2026Telerehabilitation Following Stroke: Development of Training Content and Evaluation of an App-Based Training Program.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients with moderate-to-severe stroke rated a new app-based exercise program as user-friendly, but adherence to the exercises was low during the one-week test. Therapists liked the system, yet the study cannot show whether it improves recovery.
• PTOTOther2026Resting-state and task-state fNIRS fusion assessment method for upper limb motor function in stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining resting and hand-grasp fNIRS measures with clinical data predicted upper-limb Fugl-Meyer scores better than either fNIRS measure alone. Cortical stroke predictions were closest. Subcortical stroke predictions remained less accurate.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026The reorganization mechanism of brain functional networks by long term actual exercise and exercise imagination training: spectrum and network topology analysis based on EEG.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive days of physical ball rotation improved right-hand speed and stability more than imagining the movement. However, even the no-training control group improved, and brain scans showed different patterns for doing versus imagining, meaning mental practice alone is not equivalent to physical execution.
• OTSLPCohort2025Understanding Risk Factors for Otitis Media in Rural Alaska Native Children: A Cohort Study.Ear and hearingHalf of Alaska Native children had otitis media within six months. Lack of running water, smoking, crowding, or no breastfeeding showed no clear association with this high rate. CPT1A gene status trended toward increased risk but did not reach statistical significance.
• PTOTOther2026Make it fun but keep it simple: EEG reveals the impact of easy yet engaging games for stroke rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors showed a brain pattern linked to effort only during the visually engaging game, not the plain version. Increasing difficulty made the task harder but did not increase this brain activation. For your patients, keeping games simple and engaging may support attention better than adding challenges.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Patient-centered goal-setting in stroke rehabilitation: a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGoal-setting in stroke rehabilitation varies widely, with no standard procedure ensuring it is patient-centered. Most studies focused on initial goal-setting, while ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and coordination between different care sectors were rarely described or implemented.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Traumatic brain injury-related stigma among intimate partner violence survivors.Brain injuryWomen with intimate partner violence histories and TBI described stigma across healthcare, courts, work, school, and relationships. Participants linked clinicians dismissing symptoms and invisible deficits to shame and delayed care, and said TBI education could validate symptoms and reduce stigma.
• PTOTOther2026Reliability and Discriminant Ability of an Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test in People With Postsurgical Orthopedic Conditions: Quantitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThe instrumented TUG test reliably identifies five mobility domains in orthopedic patients. These sensor-based factors distinguish between hip, knee, and fracture groups better than stopwatch timing alone, offering a more detailed view of functional recovery.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Prevalence and Modifiable Risk Factors of Dementia in People With Down Syndrome: Cross-Sectional Study of Japan in Collaboration With the Intellectual Diversity for Goodness Research Consortium (INDIGO-2019).Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRNearly half of adults with Down syndrome aged 45 and over in Japanese care facilities had dementia. Dyslipidaemia and visual impairment were the only significant modifiable risk factors found, suggesting routine monitoring of these conditions may help identify those at higher risk.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Cisplatin Differentially Damages Mammalian Vestibular End Organs.Ear and hearingCisplatin damaged the saccule in mice, causing progressive balance issues and hair cell loss, while sparing the utricle and semicircular canals. Human tissue reports matched this pattern at high doses. Standard balance tests may miss this specific injury, suggesting the need for saccule-focused screening.
• PTOTOther2025Validation of the Brazilian Version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) for Women After Breast Cancer Surgery.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyThe Brazilian WHODAS 2.0 reliably measures disability in women after breast cancer surgery. Total scores are stable over time and correlate strongly with quality of life. Use it to track function, but note that sexual activity items are often left unanswered.