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 32 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2017Reliability and validity of measuring respiration movement using a wearable strain sensor in healthy subjects.Journal of physical therapy scienceA wearable strain sensor consistently measured chest and belly expansion in young healthy men, matching a tape measure. It offers an objective alternative to manual inspection. However, it has not been tested in patients with breathing problems.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Functional disability in patients with low back pain: the mediator role of suffering and beliefs about pain control in patients receiving physical and chiropractic treatment.Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn chronic back pain patients, subjective suffering mediated the link between depression and disability in both physical and chiropractic groups. Believing pain is controlled by chance events mediated this link only in the physical therapy group. Anxiety did not act through these mediators.
• PTOTCohort2017Quantitative trunk sway and prediction of incident falls in older adults.Gait & postureForward-backward trunk sway during standing predicted future falls in older adults, but side-to-side sway did not. The test had low sensitivity, so it should not replace a full fall risk assessment.
• PTOTCohort2017Change in hand dexterity and habitual gait speed reflects cognitive decline over time in healthy older adults: a longitudinal study.Journal of physical therapy scienceChanges in 5-m habitual walking time and peg-moving task time were significantly associated with changes in cognitive test scores over three years in healthy older adults. This observational finding cannot show that either change causes the other.
• PTOTSLPRCT2017Cardiovascular responses during resistance exercise after an aerobic session.Brazilian journal of physical therapyDoing aerobic exercise before resistance training did not lower blood pressure spikes. It actually increased diastolic and mean blood pressure during the first two sets and kept heart rate higher. Therapists should not prescribe aerobic warm-ups to reduce cardiovascular stress during resistance exercise.
• PTOTRCT2017Effects of magnetic field therapy after taping application on pain and function of patients with knee osteoarthritis.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding magnetic field therapy after either non-elastic or elastic taping significantly reduced pain and improved function in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to standard physiotherapy alone. No significant difference was found between the two taping types, so either can be used.
• PTOTOther2017Lateral Perturbation-Induced Stepping: Strategies and Predictors in Persons Poststroke.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTWhen pushed sideways, people with chronic stroke rarely stepped with their weak leg. They mostly used their strong leg and took multiple steps. Poor sensation in the weak foot made them avoid using it. This suggests therapy should target stepping with the affected side.
• PTOTOther2018Cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) short forms for outpatients in rehabilitation.Brazilian journal of physical therapyA Brazilian Portuguese outpatient AM-PAC short form was understandable after minor wording changes. In 30 adults, functional scores were stable when repeated by the same examiner and when given by different examiners.
• OTOther2017Relationship of health, sociodemographic, and economic factors and life satisfaction in young-old and old-old elderly: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong Korean adults aged 65 or older, lower life satisfaction was associated with depression, cognitive impairment, more daily dependence, less education, less family contact, lower assets, and Medical Aid. For those 80+, age and one kind of social activity were associated; chronic disease was not.
• PTOTOther2017Maximum Step Length Test Performance in People With Parkinson Disease: A Cross-sectional Study.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with Parkinson disease step significantly shorter backward than forward or sideways. Medication improves step length slightly, but the change is too small to be clinically meaningful. The test correlates strongly with balance and walking endurance measures.
• PTOTRCT2017Accelerometer-Determined Physical Activity and Clinical Low Back Pain Measures in Adolescents With Chronic or Subacute Recurrent Low Back Pain.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyAccelerometer data showed no meaningful link between how much adolescents with chronic low back pain moved and their pain, disability, or quality of life. Activity levels did not explain clinical symptoms, suggesting movement volume alone is not a reliable marker of severity.
• PTOTOther2018Normalization of the trapezius sEMG signal - a reliability study on women with and without neck-shoulder pain.Brazilian journal of physical therapySubmaximal contractions were more reliable than maximal ones for normalizing trapezius muscle activity in women with and without neck-shoulder pain. This suggests submaximal tests are a better choice for assessing trapezius function in clinical research.
• PTOTCohort2017A modified seated side tapping test in which the arms are crossed also reflects gait function in community-dwelling elderly.Journal of physical therapy scienceA seated test where elderly people cross their arms and tap shoulder pads correlates with walking speed and Timed Up and Go scores. This suggests trunk control, not arm strength, drives the link between seated tapping tasks and gait function.
• OTCase Report2017Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with blindsight rehabilitation for the treatment of homonymous hemianopia: a report of two-cases.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwo chronic homonymous hemianopia patients had larger gains on visual field tests during rounds when blindsight training was paired with anodal tDCS than during training-only rounds. This is a two-case report, so it cannot show tDCS worked.
• PTOTOther2017Quantitative assessment of locomotive syndrome by the loco-check questionnaire in older Japanese females.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 71 older Japanese women, more yes answers on the loco-check were linked with lower physical quality of life, lower serum albumin and lower protein intake, and with muscle and performance tests. It may help grade mobility problems, but this study did not test outcomes.
• OTRCT2017The influences of the mental practice on the quality of life of the stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients who added 10 minutes of arm-focused mental practice to occupational therapy for 4 weeks reported greater total quality-of-life scores than controls, especially in self-care and upper-extremity function. Small trial.
• PTOTCohort2017The relationship between ground reaction force in sit-to-stand movement and lower extremity function in community-dwelling Japanese older adults using long-term care insurance services.Journal of physical therapy scienceLetting frail older adults place their hands on the chair seat during sit-to-stand allowed 52 of 53 to complete the test, compared with 39 of 53 when arms were crossed. Ground reaction force measures from this method correlated with walking and balance speed, offering a feasible single-repetition assessment.
• PTOTOther2017The effects of vibratory stimulation employed to forearm and arm flexor muscles on upper limb function in patients with chronic stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceVibration to the affected biceps and wrist flexor was followed by higher grip strength and Box and Block Test scores, while sensory scores changed little in 10 people with hemiplegia after stroke, without a control group.
• PTOTOther2018Reliability of upper limb and trunk joint angles in healthy adults during activities of daily living.Gait & postureDaily-task motion capture was more consistent for shoulder and elbow angles than for wrist or trunk angles in 19 healthy right-handed adults. Repeated movements within one session varied less than measurements across two sessions. Choose tasks by the joint you need to measure.
• PTOTRCT2018Calculation of Resistive Loads for Elastic Resistive Exercises.Journal of sport rehabilitationHealthy participants started elastic exercises at loads averaging 30% of their maximal isometric strength. This percentage worked across shoulder and hip movements. A simplified matrix using height and force lets clinicians prescribe these loads without measuring lever arms.
• OTRCT2017Employees' Perceptions of Social Norms as a Result of Implementing the Participatory Approach at Supervisor Level: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe supervisor-level participatory strategy produced no measurable improvement in employees' perceived social norms or other employee outcomes. Sick leave fell in the intervention group, but it did not differ from control.
• PTOTOther2017Disability in older adults with acute low back pain: the study Back Complaints in the Elderly - (Brazil).Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn older adults with acute low back pain, pain intensity was not associated with disability. The oldest old did daily activities less often, and oldest old living with a partner did personal activities less often than those living alone.
• OTNarrative Review2018Personalised treatment for cognitive dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Neuropsychological rehabilitationFor schizophrenia spectrum disorders, matching cognitive remediation to baseline auditory processing may matter: patients with impaired auditory processing showed more cognitive and functional benefit from sensory training, while those without impairment did not. This is pilot evidence, not a proven treatment.
• PTOTOther2017Relationship between gross motor function and the function, activity and participation components of the International Classification of Functioning in children with spastic cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn children with spastic cerebral palsy, ICF Activity and Participation scores were related to GMFM, GMFCS, MACS, WeeFIM, and ICF Function scores. This is an association, not proof that training improves participation.
• OTOther2017The relational neurobehavioral approach: can a non-aversive program manage adults with brain injury-related aggression without seclusion/restraint?Disability and rehabilitationNo seclusion or mechanical restraint was used while staff reported 137 incidents on unit 1 and 358 on unit 2 in a skilled nursing facility using the Relational Neurobehavioral Approach.
• PTOTOther2017The relationship between physical capacity and fear avoidance beliefs in patients with chronic low back pain.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn men with chronic low back pain, higher leg strength and cardiopulmonary endurance linked to lower fear of physical activity. Abdominal endurance linked to lower fear about work. However, this cross-sectional study cannot prove that fitness changes fear.
• PTOTPilot2017The effects of task-oriented training on hand dexterity and strength in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy: a preliminary study.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe six children who received conventional occupational therapy plus 20 minutes of task-oriented training showed a within-group hand dexterity improvement, but no between-group difference was found and grip strength did not improve.
• OTRCT2017Visualisation of future task performance improves naturalistic prospective memory for some younger adults living with HIV disease.Neuropsychological rehabilitationOverall, brief visualization did not improve remembering to do a planned task in 60 young adults with HIV. It helped a subgroup: people with low time-based memory completed the task 81.8% versus 16.7% with control, while those with strong time-based memory did not.
• PTOTRCT2017Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) simultaneously combined with local heat and cold applications enhance pain relief compared with TENS alone in patients with knee osteoarthritis?Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding heat or cold to TENS did not relieve knee pain better than TENS alone. All groups saw immediate pain reduction, but only the heat group improved walking speed. This suggests heat may aid movement, not just pain.
• OTSLPPilot2017Effects of bedside self-exercise on oropharyngeal swallowing function in stroke patients with dysphagia: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceNine stroke patients with swallowing difficulties performed three daily exercises for four weeks. Swallowing scores improved in both the mouth and throat phases. This was a small pilot, so the exercises are not proven to work, but the patients managed them independently.
• PTOTCohort2017Early Fever As a Predictor of Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAmong 167 adults with severe traumatic brain injury, higher early temperature scores on days 1 and 3 were linked to later paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity. Fever 38.0°C or higher in the first 24 or 48 hours was also linked to PSH.
• OTQualitative2017Limitations to Work-Related Functioning of People with Persistent "Medically Unexplained" Physical Symptoms: A Modified Delphi Study Among Physicians.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPhysicians agreed on work-related limitations for 49 of 78 items across four persistent unexplained physical symptom cases. Back and lower limb symptoms had the most severe movement and posture limits. Working hours stayed unresolved.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2017Living with traumatic brain injury in a rural setting: supports and barriers across the continuum of care.Disability and rehabilitationRural survivors and caregivers said returning home was hardest: local TBI expertise, transportation, financial help, and community ties often fell short. Urban rehab staff and family advocates helped, but few used available state supports.
• PTOTSystematic Review2017Systematic Review of Prognostic Factors for Return to Work in Workers with Sub Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain.Journal of occupational rehabilitationFor workers with subacute or chronic low back pain, pain intensity and function do not predict return to work. Instead, delay in referral, attorney involvement, workers compensation issues, lower socioeconomic status, and poor recovery expectations predict delayed return.
• OTOther2017Validity and Reliability of the 8-Item Work Limitations Questionnaire.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe short 8-item work limitations score can be used as one overall score in a large employee group, and scores rise when people report worse health. Do not use it alone to judge one patient.
• PTOTOther2017Effects of mental practice combined with electromyogram-triggered electrical stimulation for upper extremity function in stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding mental practice plus EMG-triggered electrical stimulation to conventional rehabilitation produced larger gains in upper-extremity motor function and activity scores than conventional rehabilitation alone in stroke hemiparesis. The added treatment and usual therapy were given together.
• OTOther2017Validity and Reliability of the Upper Extremity Work Demands Scale.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe eight-item self-report questionnaire for upper-extremity work demands was stable over about two weeks and grouped into force/posture and repetition. It agreed only modestly with one-hour direct observation, so scores should not be treated as exact exposure.
• PTOTCohort2017A Return-to-Work Prognostic Model for Orthopaedic Trauma Patients (WORRK) Updated for Use at 3, 12 and 24 Months.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe WORRK model can predict return-to-work status at 3 and 12 months after orthopaedic trauma if its intercept is updated. It correctly identifies non-returners with moderate accuracy, helping clinicians tailor rehabilitation intensity earlier in the recovery process.
• OTCohort2017Work Characteristics and Return to Work in Long-Term Sick-Listed Employees with Depressive Symptoms.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployees with depressive symptoms on long-term sick leave returned to full work about 30 days later at 1 year and over 50 days later at 2 years. Higher return-to-work confidence predicted earlier return; most job demands and resources did not.
• OTSurvey2018Assistive technology unmet needs of independent living older Hispanics with functional limitations.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyOlder Puerto Ricans with functional limitations often owned glasses, pill organizers, canes, hand showers, and grab bars. They most wanted jar openers, seat lifts, and wheeled laundry baskets. Many rejected electronic devices. Willingness to use devices was higher with more conditions and lower income.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2017Service Delivery in the Healthcare and Educational Systems for Children Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Gaps in Care.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildren with TBI often miss needed care: few receive inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation, and schools rarely identify them for TBI-related support. Children who receive systematic transition services are more likely to be identified for school support.
• PTOTRCT2017Effects of open and closed kinetic-chain exercises on the muscle strength and muscle activity of the ankle joint in young healthy women.Journal of physical therapy scienceFour weeks of ankle exercises increased plantar and dorsiflexion strength in healthy women. Both open-chain and closed-chain methods worked equally well, but neither changed muscle activity levels. The strength gains came from the exercises themselves, not from altering how the muscles fired.
• OTSystematic Review2017Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury and the Associations With Risk Behavior in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Systematic Review.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildhood TBI was linked to later substance use in all 3 reviewed articles, but behavior findings were inconsistent. The studies were observational, so this does not prove injury causes risk behavior.
• OTSurvey2017Lending a Helping Hand at Work: A Multilevel Investigation of Prosocial Motivation, Inclusive Climate and Inclusive Behavior.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWhen a work team has a strong inclusive climate, colleagues help people with disabilities more. In teams with a weak climate, only those personally motivated to help others stepped up. Building a shared norm of inclusion matters more than trying to change individual attitudes.
• OTQualitative2017Perspectives of People with a Chronic Disease on Participating in Work: A Focus Group Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPeople with chronic disease described solutions for work participation: accepting the disease, knowing limits, setting boundaries, disclosing to employers, managing energy, asking for help, and workplace adaptations. They wanted personalized support from employers, colleagues and occupational health professionals.
• OTPilot2017Reductions in Alexithymia and Emotion Dysregulation After Training Emotional Self-Awareness Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Phase I Trial.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationIn 13 TBI adults who completed eight sessions of emotional awareness training, alexithymia and emotional awareness improved at post-test and 2-month follow-up. Anxiety and positive mood improved, and emotion regulation problems improved, but depression and negative mood did not.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Easy assessment tool for motor imagery ability in elementary scool students.Journal of physical therapy scienceA paper-based hand rotation task tracked motor imagery ability in children without computers. Older students judged faster, and errors rose with rotation angle. However, reliability was not tested, so use it as a quick screen rather than a definitive measure.
• PTOTCase Report2017Dual task training effects on balance and hand functions of stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwo stroke patients with right hemiplegia improved on hand dexterity and balance tests after three weeks of dual-task training. Because only two people were treated and no comparison group was used, this shows what happened to them, not that the training caused the improvement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Predictive Indices for Functional Improvement and Deterioration, Institutionalization, and Death Among Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationA new scoring system predicts which Medicare patients aged 65 or older will deteriorate, be institutionalized, or die within two years. It identifies risk factors like advanced age, living alone, and vision impairment to help clinicians plan care and prevent poor outcomes.
• PTOTOther2017Effects of single and dual tasks during walking on spatiotemporal gait parameters of community-dwelling older.Journal of physical therapy scienceWalking while carrying a cup with the elbow bent at 90 degrees reduced walking speed and shortened steps in healthy older adults. The change was largest in people aged 80 to 84. Carrying something while walking may be harder than walking alone.