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 15 OF 262 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2024Skilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia after heart failure hospitalization who received more combined weekly audiology, speech-language, occupational and physical therapy were more likely to return home successfully. The study cannot show any single therapy caused this.
• PTOTQualitative2025Nurses' Descriptions of Interdisciplinary Interactions in Stroke and Geriatric Rehabilitation Units: A Case Example of the Registered Practical Nurse.Journal of advanced nursingThirty-one Ontario registered practical nurses said rehab team interactions depended on clear roles and communication: they carried over therapy, followed therapist transfer and swallowing directives, and used whiteboards/charts. These are perceptions, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2024Age-Friendly Healthcare: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingOlder adult care is described as age-friendly when it supports autonomy, accessible environments, continuity, communication and prevention of care-related harm. The literature is fragmented, and patient outcome measurement is limited.
• PTRNOther2024Nursing care for adult patients with chest drainage: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PFor adults with chest drains in ICU, 60 nursing care steps were mapped before, during, and after insertion, including system checks, drainage monitoring, dressings, and removal. Many lack high-level evidence.
• PTRNCohort2025Using electronic health records to classify risk for adverse safety events with ICU patient Mobility: A Cross-Sectional study.Intensive & critical care nursingMany ICU patients classified as low-risk for out-of-bed mobility were not mobilized, while some high-risk patients were. Activity orders, sedation, and vasoactive dose changes tracked with documented mobility.
• PTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Patient follow-up after discharge from the paediatric intensive care unit: A scoping review.Nursing in critical carePICU discharge follow-up for children was scattered and mostly research-driven. Multidisciplinary teams were rare, and no single validated score captured physical, cognitive, emotional, social and family needs.
• PTMeta-Analysis2024Movement Awareness Therapies in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing & health sciencesMovement and body awareness therapies, often given with usual care, improved eating disorder examination scores. Overall eating symptom severity showed no clear improvement.
• PTOTPilot2025Effects of the Vitality Acupunch Exercise Program on Older Adults With Probable Sarcopenia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study.Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' AssociationIn nursing-home residents with probable sarcopenia, a 24-week seated acupunch program did not improve the main physical outcomes overall, but handgrip strength was higher at the end and participants described greater strength and enjoyment.
• PTSLPQualitative2025Health care providers' perceptions of family participation in essential care in the intensive care unit: A qualitative study.Nursing in critical careICU providers weighed patient safety, relatives' burden and their own workload before inviting family participation. They offered care tasks gradually, tailored to each patient and relative, and stressed teaching relatives about lines, swallowing and agitation.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2025The association of early passive mobilization with intracranial pressure in the adult intensive care unit: A prospective, cohort study.Nursing in critical carePassive range of motion exercises did not increase intracranial pressure or destabilize heart rate and blood pressure in twenty mechanically ventilated, sedated ICU patients. The findings suggest routine passive mobilization is safe for these selected patients, though the study was small.
• PTQualitative2025Exploring the experience of cardiothoracic ICU clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory study.Nursing in critical careClinicians in a non-COVID ICU said visiting restrictions made them feel like barriers to families, causing guilt, distress and repeated experiences that felt morally wrong. Some said there was no psychological support strategy in place. This describes staff experience, not patient outcomes.
• PTSystematic Review2024Health care for patients with long COVID: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PLong COVID care was described as one-off and symptom-focused. Included telerehabilitation and physical rehabilitation studies reported improvements in dyspnea, fatigue, exercise capacity and quality of life, but no specific guidelines were provided.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2024Serum Albumin Level at Intensive Care Unit Admission and Delirium Duration and Severity in Critically Ill Adults.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesLow albumin at ICU admission did not predict how long delirium lasted or how severe it was in adults with delirium. However, patients with low albumin stayed in the hospital and ICU longer and were less likely to be discharged alive.
• PTRNSystematic Review2024Pelvic floor muscle training in men with post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence: a scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemOnly four of 24 protocols fully described pelvic floor muscle training after prostatectomy. Several omitted contraction intensity, muscle exercised, and relaxation time. Common details were starting within 15 days and up to three daily sessions.
• PTOTRNOther2024Self-care dependency assessment of person with lower limb amputation: an exploratory study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemIn 40 home-dwelling adults after dysvascular major lower-limb amputation, walking and bathing had highest dependency; feeding lowest. Toilet, walking and transferring scores were the strongest predictors of overall autonomy.
• PTOTRNSurvey2024Prevalence and Risk Factors of Self-Reported Sarcopenia and Its Association With Multimorbidity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nursing & health sciencesCommunity older adults with two or more chronic conditions had self-reported sarcopenia more often: 43.5% versus 20.8%. Consider SARC-F to flag low strength, walking assistance, rising, stairs and falls in multimorbid patients.
• PTOTRNRCT2024mHealth-Based Self-Management Program for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.Nursing & health sciencesQuality of life and disease activity did not differ between groups, though nurse-led mHealth self-management improved knowledge, confidence controlling symptoms, perceived health, depression levels and physical activity at some time points.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Non-pharmacological interventions to support the cognitive rehabilitation of patients admitted to the intensive care unit: An umbrella review.Nursing in critical careNo definitive conclusion can be drawn about non-pharmacological cognitive rehabilitation for ICU patients. Interventions are described as personalized and multicomponent, but evidence is too limited to show which ones work.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2025Clinical Effectiveness of Multimodal Exercise Combined With Supportive Music and Imagery in the Management of Poststroke Mood Disorders.The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience NursesStroke patients who added multimodal exercise and music imagery to standard care had significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than those receiving standard care alone. These improvements persisted for nine months after the five-week programme ended.
• PTQualitative2024Primary School Pupils' Perceptions and Experiences of Wearable Technologies.The Journal of school healthSome pupils said activity trackers could motivate them, but others reported skin irritation, broken straps, distraction and shame when steps were compared. They preferred individual teacher feedback over public class comparisons.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Older Migrant Patients and Health Care Professionals' Experiences With Digital Translation Tools in Care Interactions: A Qualitative Literature Review.Journal of transcultural nursing : official journal of the Transcultural Nursing SocietyDigital translation tools help older migrant patients and clinicians manage basic care tasks like pain assessment and hygiene. However, inaccurate translations and complex medical language limit their usefulness. These tools should support, not replace, human interpreters for diagnosis, consent, or serious conversations.
• PTOTRNOther2024Multidisciplinary Inpatient Community Rehabilitation Programmes for Frail Older People: A Scoping Review.Nursing openMultidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation for frail older people is reported in few studies, mostly focused on mobility and function. The intervention studies had no control group, and outcomes varied widely, so the review cannot show which programme works.
• PTOTRNPilot2024A Pilot Home-Telehealth Program to Enhance Functional Ability, Physical Performance, and Physical Activity in Older Adult Veterans Post-Hospital Discharge.Research in gerontological nursingA 6-month home telehealth program with a physical activity trainer nearly doubled daily steps in older veterans post-discharge. Functional ability and physical performance showed modest, non-significant improvements. High dropout rates and small sample size limit conclusions on efficacy.
• PTRNSystematic Review2024Cultural Tailoring and Implementation Science for Cardiometabolic Interventions in Asian Americans: A Systematic Review.Nursing openOnly three of nine studies in Asian American adults found significant weight, blood pressure, or A1C changes, although nine reported improvements in knowledge, self-efficacy, or behavior. Interventions varied widely, so no single culturally tailored approach is proven.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2025"Hello… I'm Here!" A Co-Productive Qualitative Study Involving Older People With Vision Impairment and Their Experiences of Acute Hospital Care.Journal of advanced nursingSeven older adults with vision impairment described acute hospital care as traumatic and disabling. They felt invisible when staff failed to introduce themselves, left call bells out of reach, and ignored guide dogs. Small environmental adjustments like contrasting cup colours and verbal orientation improved their sense of safety.
• PTOTRNOther2024Purposes and characteristics of virtual reality technologies for the elderly in the community: a scoping review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemCommunity older adults used VR for balance, gait, strength, cognition, mood, and leisure. Devices included screens, Kinect, goggles, and sensors; only four studies reported dizziness, nausea or anxiety, so safety reporting was incomplete.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Emotional Distress in Younger (<55 Years) and Older (≥55) Patients After a First-Time Myocardial Infarction and Its Prospective Associations With Working Status and Secondary Preventive Goals Among the Younger Cohort: Insights From the Swedish SWEDEHEART Registry Study.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingYounger patients after a first MI reported emotional distress more often than older patients. Among younger patients, early emotional distress was linked to less work and poorer achievement of smoking and physical activity goals later, but not cholesterol or blood pressure goals.
• PTRNPilot2024Feasibility of Using Rebound Exercise in Community-Dwelling Adults With Neurological Disorders.Nursing & health sciencesSupervised mini-trampoline rebound exercise was feasible and safe for community-dwelling adults with neurological disorders: 52 of 53 completed 12 weeks with no adverse events. Walking speed, blood pressure and activity improved, but without a control group efficacy is not proven.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2025Do Extended Reality Interventions Benefit Patients Undergoing Elective Cardiac Surgical and Interventional Procedures? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of clinical nursingVR did not reduce pain during or after cardiac procedures. It lowered anxiety before procedures and during TAVI, and improved knowledge and physical function in small studies, but evidence is low.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Patients' Experiences of Healthcare Professionals' Competence in Digital Counselling in Healthcare Settings-A Qualitative Systematic Review.Journal of advanced nursingPatients value therapists who master the technology, troubleshoot glitches quickly, and maintain a warm, unhurried connection. They prefer clear, personalized instructions for self-care and dislike feeling rushed or ignored by a professional who is struggling with the video link.
• PTRNQualitative2024An Outdoor Walking Program for Immigrant Muslim Older Adults: A Community-Based Participatory Intervention.Nursing openOlder immigrant Muslim adults reported a 10-week outdoor walking program was acceptable and motivating when sessions included social time, language and cultural support, and Fitbit step tracking. Transportation and activity literacy were main barriers.
• PTSurvey2024Prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain among hospital cleaning staff.Revista brasileira de enfermagemLow back pain was the most common pain in the past seven days among 149 hospital cleaners (42.3%). Neck pain was associated with dissatisfaction with staffing levels; shoulder and lower back pain with self-medication. These are associations, not proof of cause.
• PTQualitative2024What Motivates Older Sedentary People Living With HIV in the United States to Participate in an Exercise Trial? A Qualitative Study.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACOlder sedentary people living with HIV said health benefits, structure, and trusted provider advice motivated exercise trial participation. Cost, fatigue, time, fear of injury, and lack of support were barriers. These are themes, not proof exercise works.
• PTOTRNMeta-Analysis2025Non-Pharmacological Interventions Targeting Sense of Coherence Among Older Adults and Adults With Chronic Conditions: A Meta-Analysis With Trial Sequential Analysis.Journal of advanced nursingNon-drug programmes improved older adults' and chronic disease patients' sense of coherence, their confidence that life is manageable, for up to 3 months. Salutogenic programmes had short-term benefit; self-management was less firm; exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and nurse-led education did not show stable benefit.
• PTSurvey2025Expert Consensus on an Exercise Prescription Framework for Older People Living With HIV in a South African Setting-A Delphi Study.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACSouth African experts agreed a 12-week exercise framework for older people living with HIV should include warm-up, endurance, resistance, cooldown, supervision, screening, and community settings. This is expert consensus, not evidence the framework improves health.
• PTOTRNCase ReportManaging Calciphylaxis: Insights from Real-World Cases at a Tertiary Academic Center.Advances in skin & wound carePeople with suspected calciphylaxis improved after multidisciplinary wound care, including sodium thiosulfate infusions for some. The cases suggest possible responses, not proof that any single treatment caused healing.
• PTCohort2025Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity at any Dose Reduces All-Cause Dementia Risk Regardless of Frailty Status.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationCompared with no weekly moderate-to-vigorous activity, even 1 to 35 minutes was linked with 41% lower all-cause dementia risk. The link was similar across frailty groups. This is an observational association, not proof that activity prevents dementia.
• PTRNOther2025Pain management in hospitalized infants: recommendations for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.Revista brasileira de enfermagemAll infants in a Brazilian NICU had painful procedures, but none were assessed with a pain scale, only 13.7% had documented pain, and only 2.8% were reassessed. Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin care were common documented interventions.
• PTOTOther2024Recovery after ischemic stroke: Effects of FuekFone home-based program on upper limb and cognitive function.International journal of nursing sciencesIschemic stroke patients at home using a TV game program had improved upper limb and cognitive scores over six weeks, but with no control group, natural recovery cannot be ruled out.
• PTMeta-Analysis2025Effects of Exergaming on Frailty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingFrailty scores did not differ significantly between exergaming and control. Exergaming matched conventional exercise and improved frailty status versus usual care, but certainty was very low.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2025Effects of Cancer Rehabilitation Interventions for Women Treated for Gynaecological Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.Journal of clinical nursingCancer rehabilitation programmes increased physical activity in women treated for gynaecological cancers, with effects lasting up to 12 months, but did not improve healthy eating, anxiety, depression, or overall quality of life.
• PTSurvey2025Use of Allied Health Services in Rural Northern Victoria, Australia.The Australian journal of rural healthIn rural Northern Victoria, optometry (46.2%) and pharmacy advice (32.5%) were used more than physiotherapy (18.2%). Home English speakers were more likely to report using physiotherapy.
• PTQualitative2025Patient Education During Hospitalization From the Perspective of Nurse Managers: A Qualitative Study.Nursing & health sciencesNurse managers said nurses and physiotherapists were main educators, but ward education was often opportunistic and late, with workload and skill gaps as barriers. No patient outcomes were tested.
• PTOTSLPRNSurvey2025Life Satisfaction and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of Individuals According to Exercise Preferences of Outdoor and Indoor.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Adults who exercised both indoors and outdoors reported significantly higher healthy lifestyle behaviors than those who chose only one setting. Life satisfaction did not differ significantly between the groups. Encouraging patients to mix exercise environments may support broader health habits.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Examining the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Internet-Delivered Psychological Pain Management for Regional and Rural Australians With Chronic Pain.The Australian journal of rural healthRegional and rural Australians with chronic pain who used a free internet pain course reported improved pain disability, depression and anxiety. Pain intensity also improved. There was no control group.
• PTOTQualitative2025How Is Chronic Pain Managed in Rural Australia? A Qualitative Study Exploring Rural Healthcare Professional and Consumer Experiences.The Australian journal of rural healthRural clinicians and patients described a disconnect: doctors reported following guidelines, but patients rarely recalled education or plans. Instead, patients reported frequent imaging, self-referred manual therapies, and difficulty accessing specialists or telehealth support.
• PTOTQualitative2025Health Professional Perceptions of Delivering Hospital Falls Prevention Education-A Qualitative Study.Western journal of nursing researchHealth professionals supported hospital falls education but said short stays, busy wards, cognitive impairment, risk-taking, and English-only materials made delivery hard. They identified PTs and OTs as most suitable to deliver it.
• PTRNSystematic Review2025Alternative Models of Cardiac Rehabilitation to Promote Secondary Prevention in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Scoping Review.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingHome-based cardiac rehab after PCI used phone calls, websites, apps, devices, and education. Across 23 studies, patients often engaged and reported satisfaction, but the review did not compare models or show which works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Trends in the Use of Medicare Home Health Care among Congregate Living Residents.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationMedicare home health episodes in congregate living rose from 10.1% to 12.2% of episodes. These residents had more planned physical, occupational, or speech visits and more referrals without a recent hospital stay, but dual and minoritized patients were less likely to use high-quality agencies.
• PTOTRNOther2025Becoming Bedridden and Being Bedridden: Implications for Nursing and Care for Older People in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review.International journal of older people nursingBedriddenness in older people in long-term care is a gradual loss of mobility, often starting with fear of falls. The review mapped care and prevention themes but found weak definitions and little work on residents' psychosocial needs.