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 75 OF 218 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRCT2021Comparison of neuromuscular and cardiovascular exercise intensity and enjoyment between standard of care, off-the-shelf and custom active video games for promotion of physical activity of persons post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCustom active video games matched the exercise intensity of off-the-shelf games and standard care but produced more accurate stepping. Participants found the custom games more enjoyable and less effortful, suggesting they are a viable tool for balancing fitness with movement quality in stroke rehab.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021The Relationship Between Walking Speed and the Energetic Cost of Walking in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Controls: A Systematic Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople with multiple sclerosis walk with a higher energetic cost than healthy controls, but their most efficient speed is similar. Most patients in studies walked slower than this optimal speed, meaning they were working harder than necessary. Training to increase walking speed may reduce this cost.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Factors associated with met and unmet rehabilitation needs after stroke: A multicentre cohort study in Denmark and Norway.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThree months after stroke, 67% reported needing training and 69% needed help, with similar rates in Norway and Denmark despite different rehabilitation pathways. Unmet needs for training were linked to lower function and anxiety, while unmet needs for help were linked to living alone and depression.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2020Quantitative Videofluoroscopic Analysis of Swallowing Physiology and Function in Individuals With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRStable COPD patients showed no aspiration but had poor airway closure timing and weak pharyngeal muscle squeeze. Thickened liquids caused significant residue in this group, meaning texture modification requires careful evaluation rather than automatic prescription.
• OTSLPCohort2020Daily-Life Fatigue in Mild to Moderate Hearing Impairment: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.Ear and hearingOver 14 days, adults with mild to moderate hearing impairment and normal hearing reported similar current, daily and usual fatigue. Fatigue rose across the day in both groups, and people who spent more time in speech or group conversations reported higher fatigue.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Post-intensive care syndrome following cardiothoracic critical care: Feasibility of a complex intervention.Journal of rehabilitation medicineImplementing a complex post-ICU rehabilitation programme was feasible and safe, with high completion rates. Patients and caregivers experienced significant physical, emotional, and social challenges, including anxiety and sleep problems, that persisted for months after discharge.
• OTSLPOther2021Evaluation of the National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia: Sensitivity to 'mild cognitive impairment' in adults with Down syndrome.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDFor adults with Down syndrome, memory and language concerns on the NTG-EDSD screen were informative for early decline, but the total score was weak and produced many false positives. Use it with other clinical information.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021People with intellectual disability in Ireland are still dying young.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDPeople with intellectual disability in Ireland still die about 20 years younger than the general population, and this gap has not closed over 16 years. Those living in large residential settings and those with profound disabilities face the highest mortality rates.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Societal burden of stroke rehabilitation: Costs and health outcomes after admission to stroke rehabilitation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke rehabilitation costs one year post-admission averaged US$70,601 for inpatients and US$27,473 for outpatients. Inpatient utility scores improved significantly over 12 months, while outpatient scores remained stable. Lower baseline health predicted higher total costs.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Factors influencing access to early intervention for families of children with developmental disabilities: A narrative review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAccess to early intervention fails at three stages: parents not recognising need, delayed diagnosis, and barriers to receiving support. Low income, minority ethnicity and female child gender consistently block access. Universal free services and proactive professional responses to parental concerns are the strongest facilitators.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Influence of socioeconomic status on cognitive outcome after childhood arterial ischemic stroke.Developmental medicine and child neurologySocioeconomic status predicted cognitive outcomes better than stroke severity in 18 children. Each point increase in SES raised perceptual reasoning scores by 15.64 percentile points. Clinical factors like lesion size had weaker effects. Low sample size limits generalizability.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021A Nationwide pilot project to develop rehabilitation services for patients with cardiovascular diseases.Journal of rehabilitation medicineImplementing a 3-phase cardiac rehabilitation protocol across 17 Russian hospitals reduced mean ICU stays from 4.3 to 1.9 days and total hospital stays from 16.8 to 7.6 days over five years. However, outpatient phase III services were established at only 9 sites.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Risk factors in early life for developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyPreterm birth and male sex are the strongest early risk factors for developmental coordination disorder. Children born before 32 weeks face a substantially higher risk. Accumulated neonatal complications and brain lesions also increase risk, but most other factors show inconsistent or weak associations.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021COVID-19: A catalyst for change in virtual health care utilization for persons with limb loss.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationTelehealth can support limb loss rehabilitation between in-person visits, especially for monitoring and home exercise. It is a complement, not a replacement, and most evidence is extrapolated from other populations.
• OTSLPCohort2021Home environment: Short-term trends and predictors in early childhood from an Indian community birth cohort.Child: care, health and developmentOverall home scores did not change much over 3 years, but family assets, mother's education and mood were strongly linked to home quality.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Getting into a "Flow" state: a systematic review of flow experience in neurological diseases.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFlow questionnaires are used in neurorehabilitation, often during serious games, but none has been validated in neurological patients. Patients sometimes reported higher flow during game-based sessions, but the review did not show better function.
• PTOTRCT2021Immersive virtual reality during gait rehabilitation increases walking speed and motivation: a usability evaluation with healthy participants and patients with multiple sclerosis and stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPatients walked faster on a treadmill wearing a VR headset than with a screen or no VR. The headset was highly usable and caused little nausea. This was a short usability test, not proof that VR improves long-term walking.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Self-reported handwashing and surface disinfection behaviors by U.S. adults with disabilities to prevent COVID-19, Spring 2020.Disability and health journalMost U.S. adults with disabilities reported frequent handwashing (91.3%) and surface disinfection (72.0%). Handwashing rates were significantly lower than in adults without disabilities (94.0%). Surface disinfection rates were similar between groups. Vision and independent living disabilities had the lowest adherence.
• OTSLPSurvey2021Psychological impact of Covid-19 pandemic in Italian families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.Research in developmental disabilitiesLockdown increased parental stress and child behavioral problems in families of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Reduced therapy hours predicted worse child behavior. However, most parents valued the extra time with their child, and stable coparenting buffered stress.
• OTSurvey2021Video Telehealth Occupational Therapy Services for Older Veterans: National Survey Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost surveyed VA occupational therapists had not used video telehealth with older veterans. Those who did reported better access to care but faced significant barriers like inadequate physical space. Clinician attitude was a stronger driver of use than institutional support.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Feasibility and effect of interactive telerehabilitation on balance in individuals with chronic stroke: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor chronic stroke, Kinect-based telerehabilitation improved balance similarly to conventional physiotherapy. However, the study was conducted in a hospital room rather than a home, and the small sample size limits confidence in these findings.
• PTOTCohort2021Arm impairment and walking speed explain real-life activity of the affected arm and leg after stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineArm motor impairment and walking speed explained about two-thirds of the real-life activity of the affected arm in people with subacute stroke. Walking speed alone explained 60% of the affected leg's activity. Clinical assessments can help estimate these activity levels.
• PTOTRCT2021Validity, reliability, and sensitivity to motor impairment severity of a multi-touch app designed to assess hand mobility, coordination, and function after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTapping and finger extension exercises on a tablet app correlated well with standard hand tests and distinguished mild from moderate stroke impairment. Other exercises, like pincer grasps and writing, showed weaker validity or reliability. The app is not yet a standalone assessment tool.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Utilization of wearable technology to assess gait and mobility post-stroke: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable devices often captured gait speed and step count after stroke, but most studies were hospital or lab based. Few reported device accuracy, and one step-count algorithm failed at slow walking speeds, so do not rely on them to diagnose community mobility yet.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2021Effects of orthopedic insoles on patients with knee osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis and systematic review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOrthopedic insoles did not significantly reduce pain or improve function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. While one analysis showed a small WOMAC pain difference, sensitivity checks removed this effect. Clinicians should not expect these insoles to change symptoms or mobility for this population.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Concordance of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, second and third editions.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCaregiver ratings on the newer ABAS-3 were consistently higher than on the older ABAS-2, especially for practical skills. This score jump reflects a change in the test version, not actual improvement in the child's abilities. Clinicians should not interpret this increase as clinical progress.
• PTOTCase Report2021Post-operative Rehabilitation for Scapular Muscle Reattachment: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyFollowing bilateral scapular muscle reattachment, a physical therapist reported immediate pain relief and functional improvement at one year. Rehabilitation was notably slower than rotator cuff repair, requiring six weeks of no formal therapy and cautious progression to avoid tension on the healing muscles.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020How Good Are We in Evaluating a Bedside Head Impulse Test?Ear and hearingAn expert missed most corrective saccades during bedside head impulse tests. Sensitivity was 20.7%, but specificity was 100%. Saccade amplitude, not latency or gain, predicted detection. Each 1° increase nearly doubled the odds of spotting a saccade.
• PTOTCohort2021Neuromuscular mechanisms that contribute to gross motor performance in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildhood leukemia survivors jumped significantly lower than matched peers. They showed slower shin muscle activation, poorer balance, and slower mobility. Jump height correlated with clinical balance and mobility tests, suggesting these simple measures may track rehabilitation progress in clinics without expensive motion labs.
• OTSLPCohort2021Temporal evolution and predictors of subjective cognitive complaints up to 4 years after stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 121 patients with data at all time points, cognitive complaints rose up to 4 years. At 4 years, 89.3% reported at least one complaint, and the average number was 4.1 on a 0-13 scale. Early complaints and psychological factors were linked to later complaints.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021An international study of public contact with people who have an intellectual disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRMost people report little contact with those who have intellectual disability. Those with frequent contact were more comfortable meeting them. Contact was linked to volunteering, Special Olympics involvement, working in health or education, and being a parent. This is descriptive survey data, not evidence that interventions work.
• PTOTOther2021Myoelectric prosthesis users and non-disabled individuals wearing a simulated prosthesis exhibit similar compensatory movement strategies.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople wearing a simulated prosthetic hand moved their arms and bodies in ways that closely matched those of real prosthesis users. Both groups moved more slowly and used more trunk and shoulder motion than people with typical arm function.
• OTCohort2021The Adolescent/Young Adult Self-Management and Independence Scale (AMIS-II): Expanding evidence for validity and reliability.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineThe AMIS-II interview showed consistent scores and was linked to parents' earlier reports of skills and responsibility in young adults with spina bifida. Age, sex, and ethnicity were not associated with independence scores.
• PTOTCohort2021Movement compensations during a step ascent task are associated with stair climbing performance in people with multiple sclerosis.Gait & posturePeople with MS who sway their pelvis more during a single step climb take longer to ascend a full flight of stairs. This links movement compensation directly to functional performance, suggesting balance and proximal control training may be key targets.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Long-term employment status and the association with fatigue in patients with grade II glioma.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAmong glioma patients employed at diagnosis, those who did not return to work reported significantly higher physical and mental fatigue than those who did. Younger age, male sex and avoiding multiple anti-epileptic drugs were also linked to returning to work.
• PTOTRCT2021The feasibility and efficacy of a serial reaction time task that measures motor learning of anticipatory stepping.Gait & postureHealthy young adults completed a standing step-learning task without adverse events. The high dose of 4320 steps improved step times; the low dose of 144 steps did not. The high dose also learned more after a break.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2021Intensive behavioural interventions based on applied behaviour analysis for young children with autism: An international collaborative individual participant data meta-analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCompared with usual or eclectic early support, intensive ABA-based programmes showed a 14-point IQ difference and a 7-point adaptive behaviour difference after 2 years. These studies were not randomised and often unblinded, so these differences may be overstated.
• OTSLPNarrative Review2021Can listening-related fatigue influence well-being? Examining associations between hearing loss, fatigue, activity levels and well-being.International journal of audiologyHearing loss was linked to lower work and physical activity, while social findings were mixed. Device use was linked to more activity in some studies, but this review could not show that hearing loss or devices caused fatigue or reduced well-being.
• OTSLPQualitative2021End-user perspectives on the development of an online intervention for parents of children on the autism spectrum.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents of autistic children described online services as fragmented and hard to trust. They asked for a single hub combining peer support, clear diagnosis pathways, and direct access to professionals like SLTs and OTs, with content they could search by their child's specific needs.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Effects of walking with a "draw-in maneuver" on the knee adduction moment and hip muscle activity.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults walking with a belly-button draw-in maneuver showed a 5% drop in the first knee adduction moment peak. This change was linked to shorter lever arm distance and higher gluteus medius activity. The study tested immediate mechanics in healthy people, not pain or disease progression in patients.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Exergaming as a Functional Test Battery in Patients Who Received Arthroscopic Ankle Arthrodesis: Cross-sectional Pilot Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAn exergaming test battery showed no significant difference in overall functional scores between patients who had ankle fusion surgery and healthy controls. The small pilot study suggests the method is feasible for tracking recovery but does not yet prove it detects deficits.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2021Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Vestibular Function in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with MS showed impaired central vestibular integration on VOR cancellation and SVV variance tests, correlating with disease severity. Peripheral reflex tests like vHIT and VEMPs were normal. This suggests central processing deficits, not peripheral damage, drive balance issues in mild-to-moderate MS.
• PTOTOther2021Sound psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe Swedish Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report reliably scores overall physical independence in community settings. It fails to group breathing, bladder, and bowel items into a single consistent score, so clinicians should interpret these subscale results with caution.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Identifying bidirectional total and non-linear information flow in functional corticomuscular coupling during a dorsiflexion task: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new method measured brain-to-muscle signals in ten stroke survivors and ten healthy controls. It found that stroke patients had significantly weaker two-way communication between the brain and ankle muscles in both beta and gamma frequency bands.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021One-year longitudinal study on spinal kyphosis and respiratory function in community-dwelling older Japanese adults who require long-term care or support.Journal of physical therapy scienceSpinal kyphosis worsened significantly over one year in older adults requiring long-term care, but respiratory function and muscle mass remained stable. This suggests postural changes can progress without immediate loss of breathing capacity in this group.
• PTOTRCT2021Corpus Callosum Integrity Relates to Improvement of Upper-Extremity Function Following Intensive Rehabilitation in Children With Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, lower corpus callosum integrity predicted greater bimanual hand function gains after Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT). This association was not seen after Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT), where all children improved regardless of baseline brain structure.
• PTOTRCT2021Evidence of neuroplasticity with robotic hand exoskeleton for post-stroke rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic exoskeleton therapy improved wrist spasticity, movement range, and hand function more than conventional physiotherapy in stroke patients. Brain scans showed increased excitability in the injured hemisphere, suggesting neuroplasticity. This is a small pilot, so confirm with larger trials before changing practice.
• OTSLPOtherShared Decision-Making During Initial Diagnostic and Treatment Planning Visits for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPObserved shared decision-making was very low in first autism diagnosis visits: providers rarely discussed options or preferences, and 41% showed none, though parents and providers rated it much higher.
• PTOTSurvey2021Properties of muscle nodules recognized by manual physical therapy practitioners.Journal of physical therapy sciencePractitioners who regularly treated buttock muscle nodules drew them as round, often longer than wide, oriented head-to-toe, in the second muscle depth band, and eraser-hard. This is self-reported recognition, not objective measurement.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2021Understanding the Effects of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: A Project AIM Meta-analysis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNaturalistic developmental behavioral interventions improved social communication, language, play, and cognition in children with autism. However, gains were larger when measured in the same context as therapy or on specific skills taught, suggesting some reported benefits may not generalize to daily life.