PHYSICAL THERAPY

Research for physical therapy

Papers a physiotherapist can act on — musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiorespiratory and paediatric practice — each read in full and summarised without overstating what it found.

13,066 PAPERS · PAGE 13 OF 262 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPRNOther2023Understanding health-related quality of life trajectories among older adults with diabetes mellitus: Mixed methods research.Nursing openMost older adults with diabetes maintained good quality of life over five years. Those with declining quality of life often viewed diabetes as a destroyer of their lives and struggled with self-care. Comorbidities like pain and financial barriers drove poor outcomes more than diabetes itself.
• PTRNCohort2023A descriptive study of physical function and performance in older black men with low back pain.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Older Black men with chronic low back pain had moderate pain and limited function: average pain 5.7 out of 10, balance/gait/chair 8.5 out of 12, back tasks 7.0 out of 15, 400m walk 6.3 minutes. Use as baselines, not treatment proof.
• PTOther2023Prolonged bouts of sedentary behavior in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated factors.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careInactive adults with COPD spent 34% of sedentary time in bouts of 60 minutes or longer. Lower confidence for light activity, poorer balance, and lower chair-stand scores were linked with more prolonged sitting.
• PTOTOther2023Changes in Functional Outcomes After an Inpatient Rehabilitation Program for Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients.Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)Solid-organ transplant recipients in a multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program improved walking, balance, strength, independence, and quality of life; no control group means natural recovery cannot be separated.
• PTSurvey2024How Well Do Seven Self-Report Measures Represent Underlying Back Pain Impact?Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesCommon back pain questionnaires mostly measured the same overall impact. If time is short, a brief PEG or disability score appeared to capture that impact well. This is about measurement, not treatment.
• PTQualitative2023Nurses' Challenges to Developing Interpersonal Relationships During Integrated Care for Complex Patients.Western journal of nursing researchNurses caring for complex patients in Pakistan said some families withheld information, controlled access, and became aggressive, while physician power struggles and fragmented team communication made integrated care harder.
• PTOTRNCase Series2023A Single-Center Retrospective Evaluation of Decision-Making and Factors Motivating Hand Transplant Candidates.Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)In eight completed hand transplant evaluations, none proceeded to transplant. Patients often stopped because of rehabilitation time, lifelong immunosuppression, alternative options, or social and financial strain; teams stopped others for safety or incomplete follow-up.
• PTOTRNSurvey2023Self-efficacy, resilience and healthy ageing among older people who have an acute hospital admission: A cross-sectional study.Nursing openAmong older people discharged home after an acute hospital admission, higher self-efficacy and resilience were linked to better healthy ageing. More co-morbidities were linked to worse healthy ageing. This does not show that raising self-efficacy improves outcomes.
• PTCohort2023The Role of Different Weakness Cut-Points for Future Cognitive Impairment in Older Americans.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults whose grip strength was below absolute weakness cut-points were more likely to later meet a cognitive impairment threshold. Body mass or BMI normalized cut-points were not. Using all three weakness categories together was also associated with later cognitive impairment.
• PTRNCohort2023Impact of physical activity on self-reported health parameters in peripheral artery disease in two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.Journal of vascular nursing : official publication of the Society for Peripheral Vascular NursingDuring the pandemic, PAD patients who stayed physically active reported fewer declines in walking capacity. Those who were inactive reported more poor health and hospitalizations for non-COVID reasons. Mental health changes did not differ between the two periods for either group.
• PTRNCohort2023Characteristics and correlates of disease-related knowledge and exercise self-efficacy among cardiac patients attending virtual cardiac rehabilitation during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Peru.Journal of vascular nursing : official publication of the Society for Peripheral Vascular NursingCardiac patients who completed a 24-session virtual cardiac rehabilitation program in Peru reported higher disease knowledge and confidence to exercise. The program combined education, physical training, and multidisciplinary team support, so no single component can be credited.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Opportunities in the Extended Day: Approaches for Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Eating During Out-of-School Time.The Journal of school healthOut-of-school time programs successfully improved the environment, increasing fruit, vegetable, and water availability and physical activity during sessions. However, few interventions changed children's overall daily eating habits or total physical activity levels outside the program hours.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Physical Activity Interventions During the School Day: Reviewing Policies, Practices, and Benefits.The Journal of school healthSchool-wide policies, physical education changes, and recess improvements generally increased student physical activity. However, over half the included studies had weak designs or no comparison group, so these gains may reflect secular trends rather than the interventions themselves.
• PTSLPCohort2023Hearing Loss and Frailty among Older Adults: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults with worse hearing were more often classified as pre-frail or frail. Among those with hearing loss, people who did not use hearing aids were more often classified as frail than users. This cannot prove hearing aids prevent frailty.
• PTOTRNPilot2023Implementing Remote Patient Monitoring of Physical Activity in Clinical Practice.Rehabilitation nursing : the official journal of the Association of Rehabilitation NursesCardiology patients often kept using remote physical-activity devices, but diabetes step counts did not improve and self-report overestimated activity. These pilots show feasibility, not treatment effect.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2023Health effects of social connectedness in older adults living in congregate long-term care settings: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.International journal of older people nursingLower social connectedness in nursing homes and assisted living was linked with more depression, poorer quality of life, and faster death. Most evidence was from one-time comparisons, so it cannot prove connectedness causes better health.
• PTOTRNSurvey2023Stroke severity to determine musculoskeletal symptoms in family caregivers.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemFamily caregivers of stroke survivors reported low back pain most often, and their low back and shoulder symptoms were linked to the patient's disability. Neck, hip, knee and foot pain did not track the patient's condition.
• PTQualitative2023Supporters' experiences of sensory characteristics of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in after-school daycare centres: A qualitative study.Nursing openStaff caring for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities focused on sight, sound and touch, watching subtle reactions to guide care. They relied on trust, collaboration and repeated exposure, but limited space, time and training made sensory support hard.
• PTRNPilot2023Motivational Interviewing for Fall Prevention (MI-FP) pilot study: Older Adults' readiness to participate in fall prevention.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Of 432 eligible older adults, 200 enrolled (46.3%), below the study's recruitment goal. Participants felt confident about fall risks, but following through varied, especially for ongoing balance actions.
• PTRNSystematic Review2023Ageism directed to older adults in health services: A scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemOlder adults in health services faced age bias in diagnosis, treatment, surgery, communication and care; mapped studies suggested education, training and better communication as responses.
• PTRNSystematic Review2023Impact of Gaming (Gamification) on Diabetes Self-Care Behaviors and Glycemic Outcomes Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.The science of diabetes self-management and careGame-based diabetes programs did not consistently improve the blood sugar outcome A1C. Some increased physical activity, glucose monitoring, diet adherence, or foot care, but studies were small and varied. Competition may help sustain activity.
• PTCohort2024Admission Cognition and Function Predict Change in Physical Function Following Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn skilled nursing rehab patients, better admission cognition and greater daily independence predicted larger gains in walking and balance; higher baseline walking and balance predicted smaller gains. These are associations, not evidence a treatment works.
• PTOTRNCohort2023Association between Timing of Clinical Evaluation by a Physician or Advanced Practitioner and Risk of Rehospitalization in Older Adults Admitted to a Skilled Nursing Facility Following Hospitalization: A Cohort Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn skilled nursing facilities, a later first visit by a physician or advanced practitioner was associated with higher 14-day rehospitalization risk. Each day later was associated with 3% to 35% higher risk.
• PTRNRCT2023Feasibility of Different Exercise Modalities for Community-Dwelling Residents With Physical Inactivity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The journal of nursing research : JNR12-week supervised plus home-based aerobic, aerobic-plus-resistance, or interval training had similar adherence, and interval training was not superior. Body weight and LDL were lower versus control, but visceral fat and body fat increased in interval and controls.
• PTRNSystematic Review2023Applying Lean Healthcare in the hospitalization and patient discharge process: an integrative review.Revista brasileira de enfermagemFaster discharge, less physical therapy rework, and shorter pediatric emergency stays were reported after hospital redesigns that combined Lean tools with other workflow changes in three US studies.
• PTOTCohortNear-Optimal Recovery Within 3 Months: Investigating Health-Related Quality of Life and Functional Outcomes After Single-Stage Bilateral Hip Replacement for Osteoarthritis.Orthopedic nursingPatients recovered most of their function and quality of life within three months of single-stage bilateral hip replacement. Scores plateaued by twelve months, with little further improvement after the first quarter.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2023Effectiveness of a family-based program for post-stroke patients and families: A cluster randomized controlled trial.International journal of nursing sciencesIn Thai stroke families, a 10-week family program improved patient function and family functioning, and lowered patient depression at 12 weeks, but caregiver burden did not differ between groups.
• PTOTRNCohort2023Changes in body composition of burn patients during the phases of response to trauma.Revista brasileira de enfermagemBurn patients lost weight, body mass index, fat-free mass and skeletal muscle mass between admission and day 7. Total body water stayed stable, so the loss was real tissue depletion, not fluid shifts. BMI alone misses this and indirect assessment is needed.
• PTOTSLPRNOther2023Frailty Syndrome and sarcopenia in older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus in the municipality of Sinop, Mato Grosso: an epidemiological study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemOlder adults with type 2 diabetes were significantly more likely to be frail than those without diabetes. Sarcopenia rates were similar in both groups. Physical inactivity strongly increased the likelihood of both frailty and sarcopenia.
• PTRNOther2024Exploring the Interrelationships Between Physical Function, Functional Exercise Capacity, and Exercise Self-Efficacy in Persons Living with HIV.Clinical nursing researchAmong people living with HIV, confidence in making time for exercise was linked to better self-reported function and longer walking distance; confidence in resisting relapse was not. Self-reported function did not closely match the 6-minute walk test.
• PTOTRNOther2024Functional fitness and risk factors of older patients with diabetes combined with sarcopenia and/or frailty: A cross-sectional study.Nursing openIn hospitalized older adults with diabetes, those with frailty or sarcopenia had lower strength, walking, balance, and flexibility. A shorter 6-minute walk distance was linked to frailty or sarcopenia and can help flag mobility decline.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2024Investigation of patients' understanding of fibromyalgia: Results from an online qualitative survey.Patient education and counselingPatients with fibromyalgia reported confusion about causes, symptom unpredictability, and feeling invalidated by others. They sought specific education on etiology and treatment options rather than generic advice. This highlights gaps in current understanding and the need for targeted, ongoing patient education.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024The unmet rehabilitation needs of colorectal cancer survivors after surgery: A qualitative meta-synthesis.Nursing openColorectal cancer survivors after surgery said they lacked clear help with diet, exercise, bowel symptoms, stoma care, work and emotional support. These are reported needs, not tested interventions.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Association of frailty with activity levels and sedentary behaviours in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis: A cross-sectional study.Nursing openIn 503 hospitalized patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis, 21.3% were frail. Frailty was significantly associated with higher age and worse liver function, and patients who were insufficiently active and highly sedentary had 2.829 times the odds of frailty.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024Patients' experiences of day surgery and recovery: A meta-ethnography.Nursing openDay surgery patients wanted realistic, tailored information and support they could absorb after anaesthesia. Unexpected symptoms and no planned contact made them feel unsafe; phone calls, written instructions and family help were valued.
• PTOTRNRCT2024Life-Space of Older Adults after Discharge from Skilled Nursing Facilities.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationThirty days after skilled nursing facility discharge, older adults in this study had very limited life-space: mean score 22.6 on a 0 to 120 scale. Many needed equipment or another person to move. Higher cognitive test scores and shorter stay were associated with better scores.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2024Clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine therapy for female stress urinary incontinence: a meta-analysis.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PAdding TCM therapies (acupuncture, moxibustion, acupressure, decoction) to pelvic floor muscle training reported better symptom relief and quality of life than pelvic floor training alone in small unblinded trials of women with stress urinary incontinence.
• PTOTRNOther2024Symptomatology and Quality of Life of Older People With HIV and Comorbid Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases From an HIV Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACOlder people with HIV and COPD reported more depression, worse mobility, self-care, usual activities, and pain than those with HIV alone. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups. The study describes these associations but cannot prove COPD caused them.
• PTRNSystematic Review2024Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of dietary nutrition interventions for community-dwelling older adults with physical frailty and sarcopenia: A qualitative meta-synthesis.International journal of nursing sciencesOlder adults and healthcare providers said nutrition plans for frailty and sarcopenia were hard to follow with cost, weight fears, old habits, and abrupt endings. They said tailored diet and exercise, support, and wrap-up were important.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Presymptomatic Profiles of Cognitive Impairment with Prior Mobility Impairment.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults who later developed cognitive impairment and had prior slow gait showed lower psychomotor speed and manual dexterity seven years before symptoms. They also had higher BMI, blood pressure, and insulin resistance. These profiles suggest metabolic and motor pathways rather than memory decline precede dementia.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2024The prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in Thai older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of nursing sciences20.7% of older Thai adults in the included studies had sarcopenia. Rates were 33.4% in hospitals, 23.2% in outpatient clinics and 17.3% in community. Age, male sex, low BMI and malnutrition were associated.
• PTOTRNNarrative Review2024Various Therapies for Lymphedema and Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Including a Multimodal At-Home Nonpneumatic Compression Treatment.Advances in skin & wound careNo single treatment cures chronic edema. Exercise, compression, skin care and self-management remain foundational. A portable nonpneumatic compression device may improve adherence, but evidence is limited.
• PTRNSystematic Review2024Practice of immersion in hot water to relieve pain in neonatology: an integrative review.Revista brasileira de enfermagem90% of included articles reported lower acute pain scores after newborn hot water immersion at 36 to 39°C, but one study found no pain-score improvement. Evidence is weak, designs vary, and swaddled baths combine immersion with restraint.
• PTOTRNOther2024Inactivity May Identify Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors at Risk for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesVery low wrist-measured activity in older ICU survivors was seen with worse attention, strength, dexterity, and more depression or anxiety. The study was small and exploratory, and it cannot show that activity causes these problems.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Reducing the Burdens of Paid Caregivers of Older Adults by Using Assistive Technology: A Scoping Review.Western journal of nursing researchPaid caregivers reported less physical strain with handrails, transfer devices and bidet seats, but sensors and robots were also reported to bring alarm burden, extra effort and worry. The evidence is too small and mixed to prove these technologies work.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2024A Meta-Analysis of Fall Risk in Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAcross studies, 44.27% of older adults with Alzheimer's disease fell at least once a year, and 42.08% of those fallers fell again. Use this high fall risk to guide tailored fall-risk assessment and prevention planning.
• PTNarrative ReviewOrthopaedic Nurse Navigators and Total Joint Arthroplasty Preoperative Optimization: Obesity and Malnutrition-Part Four of the Movement Is Life Special ONJ Series.Orthopedic nursingFor patients awaiting joint replacement, obesity and malnutrition are linked to worse outcomes, and nurse navigators reported using BMI cutoffs, dietitian referrals and weight programs. These are recommendations and associations, not tested treatment effects.
• PTCase ReportA Rare Case of Hereditary Multiple Exostoses in a Woman.Orthopedic nursingA 28-year-old woman with long-standing bilateral knee pain had a bilateral knee x-ray showing multiple hereditary exostoses. She reported improvement after reassurance and closed-chain exercises, but this was a single case with no formal outcome measures.
• PTSLPRNCase Report2024Probable Non-Ventilator-Associated Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: A Case Report.Critical care nurseProbable non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia developed in one hospitalized older adult after days without oral care, with oral Neisseria rising and oral health score worsening. Daily oral care, accessible supplies, early mobility, and dysphagia screening are prevention points; this case cannot prove they worked.
• PTSurvey2024Do age, gender, and subjective health-related factors influence health-related life satisfaction in people with disabilities who are physically active?: a secondary analysis.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Among physically active people with disabilities, meeting weekly activity recommendations was associated with better perceived health and higher health-related life satisfaction in adults and seniors. Self-esteem, depression and perceived health were linked to satisfaction across ages.