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 8 OF 262 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRNRCT2022Effects of comprehensive intervention on life quality among the elderly with Alzheimer Disease and their caregivers based on mixed models.Nursing openThe main patient quality-of-life score did not differ significantly between groups after six months. Caregiver burden and care ability improved more with the added team-based care package.
• PTOTRNQualitative2022The processes of hospital discharge and recovery after blunt thoracic injuries: The patient's perspective.Nursing openPatients recovering from blunt thoracic injuries described discharge as rushed and poorly coordinated. They were often unprepared for pain, mobility and opioid safety at home, including too little medication and no weaning advice.
• PTRCT2021Intranasal Oxytocin Improves Lean Muscle Mass and Lowers LDL Cholesterol in Older Adults with Sarcopenic Obesity: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationOlder adults using intranasal oxytocin in a small pilot showed greater lean mass gain and LDL cholesterol reduction than placebo, but physical function and gait speed did not improve.
• PTRNQualitativeFacilitators and Challenges to Exergaming: Perspectives of Patients With Heart Failure.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingPatients with heart failure described Nintendo Wii exergaming at home as fun and convenient at first, but reported playing less over time because of boredom, repetitive games, and hand-eye coordination frustrations.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2022Can sharing clinic notes improve communication and promote self-management? A qualitative study of patients with COPD.Patient education and counselingPatients with COPD reported that reading their clinic notes helped them remember care plans, understand their role in self-management, and feel listened to. However, medical jargon, abbreviations, and errors in the notes caused confusion or anxiety, limiting their usefulness.
• PTRNSystematic Review2022Enhanced recovery protocols in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery: An umbrella review.Nursing openReviews of enhanced recovery after pancreatic surgery reported shorter hospital stays, lower costs and fewer complications, with no reported increase in mortality or readmission. All included reviews were critically low quality, so this is not firm evidence.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Home/community-based interventions to improve function in persons with mild cognitive impairment/early dementia.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)In older adults with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, only some home/community programmes improved daily or instrumental activities. Physical activity alone did not improve these outcomes, and many studies did not measure them.
• PTOther2021Grip strength as a predictor of disease severity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careAmong hospitalized adults with confirmed COVID-19, low grip strength at admission was associated with severe disease even after considering age, obesity, COPD and CRP. It may help flag risk, but this was an association, not proof grip strength caused severity.
• PTOTRNCohortDistinct Sleep Disturbance Profiles in Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancers Receiving Chemotherapy.Cancer nursingMost patients with gastrointestinal cancers on chemotherapy had high sleep disturbance, driven mainly by insufficient sleep quantity and frequent awakenings. Those in the worst group were younger, unemployed, had childcare duties, and reported more pain and fatigue.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2022A systematic review of the qualitative literature on older individuals' experiences of care and well-being during physical rehabilitation for acquired brain injury.Journal of advanced nursingOlder adults after brain injury described wanting more frequent physiotherapy, family involvement, respectful communication, and choices in discharge. Creative activities and feeling autonomous were linked with well-being. These are experiences, not proof of effect.
• PTRNQualitative2021Family Management of Severe Obesity in Adolescents.Journal of pediatric nursingFamilies managing adolescent severe obesity described daily conflict over food, time, exercise, stigma, and medication. They wanted specific meal plans, structured exercise support, and accountability from clinic providers.
• PTQualitative2022Using crowdsourced medicine to manage uncertainty on Reddit: The case of COVID-19 long-haulers.Patient education and counselingLong-haulers on Reddit shared symptoms, sought diagnoses, and leaned on one another for validation. They described exercise as both potentially helpful and symptom-worsening, and felt dismissed when doctors attributed symptoms to anxiety.
• PTRNQualitative"Doing What Only I Can Do": Experiences From Participating in a Multimodal Exercise-Based Intervention in Older Patients With Advanced Cancer-A Qualitative Explorative Study.Cancer nursingOlder patients with advanced cancer enrolled in a combined exercise, walking, protein drink and nurse counseling program said it helped strength, energy and daily tasks, but fatigue, side effects and being pushed too hard were barriers.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022The role of acetic acid in orthopaedic surgery.Journal of perioperative practiceAcetic acid may be used off-licence in orthopaedic wounds and iontophoresis for tendon or scar problems, but evidence is limited and optimal doses and soak times are unclear.
• PTOTRNOther2021Assessment of Pain and Sleep Symptoms in Children at High Risk for Cerebral Palsy in a Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Clinic: Implications for Future Quality Improvement Interventions.Journal of pediatric nursingPain was documented in 16 of 50 infants at high risk for cerebral palsy, and sleep problems in 19. Children with these symptoms had lower motor scores, so ask about pain and sleep.
• PTOTCohort2021Functional Status Across Post-Acute Settings is Associated With 30-Day and 90-Day Hospital Readmissions.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationPatients with lower self-care or mobility function at the initial post-acute stay had higher 30-day and 90-day readmission risk across stroke, lower extremity joint replacement and hip/femur fracture/procedure. Function flags risk; it does not prove rehabilitation prevents readmission.
• PTRNQualitativePain in Homebound Older Adults with Heart Failure after Hospital Discharge.Home healthcare nowHomebound older adults with heart failure reported pain averaging 5.2 out of 10 after discharge, with sleep and walking most affected. Patients often waited until pain was severe before taking medication and said providers did not always acknowledge it.
• PTRNMeta-AnalysisPhysical Activity Interventions for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Cancer nursingAcross 803 colorectal cancer survivors, physical activity programs improved disease-specific quality of life, activity levels and oxygen use. Fatigue and BMI did not improve. Only 6 trials could be pooled, and programs varied.
• PTSurvey2022Depressive Symptoms Associated With Musculoskeletal Pain in Inactive Adults During COVID-19 Quarantine.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesDuring quarantine, physically inactive adults with depressive symptoms were more likely to report pain in multiple body regions, especially shoulders and knees. Pain clusters in inactive patients may be associated with low mood.
• PTOTRNSurvey2022The Effect of Pain Experienced During the COVID-19 Infection on the Fear of Pain and Quality of Life.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesAdults who had pain during COVID-19 infection reported more fear of pain and lower quality of life than adults without pain. Many feared reliving the pain. These are associations, not proof that treating pain changes outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Rapid Changes in the Provision of Rehabilitation Care in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Settings During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationPost-acute and long-term care providers reported therapy moved to bedside and telehealth, personal protective equipment made sessions slower, and quarantine isolated residents. They described worsened motivation and function, plus cost and access worries.
• PTOTRNOther2021Effectiveness of a group-walking intervention for people with dementia based on quality of life and caregivers' burden.Nursing openA nurse-led group walking programme did not improve quality of life or daily function. Physical functioning worsened, disability and dependence increased, and caregiver burden showed no clear change. Without a control group, these changes cannot be credited to walking.
• PTRNOther2021Mobile health applications for the care of patients with breast cancer: A scoping review.International journal of nursing sciencesEight breast cancer apps were built around exercise, lifestyle, symptoms, or information and emotional support. Nurses were involved in only one. The work maps design patterns, not evidence that the apps improve outcomes.
• PTOTSLPRNOther2021Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Home Care Services Among Community-Dwelling Adults With Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationHome care therapy visits for people with dementia in Ontario fell to half early in the pandemic; nursing visits stayed near 2019 levels, and personal care fell 16%. By late September, rates recovered or exceeded 2019 levels.
• PTRNQualitative2021Discharge Transition Experience for Lumbar Fusion Patients: A Qualitative Study.The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience NursesLumbar fusion patients felt unready for early discharge, struggled with pain, fatigue, and weak legs, and wanted detailed recovery instructions. Women with home duties reported added burden; positive thinking and support were reported as part of recovery.
• PTRNQualitative2022Young children's experiences of support when fearful during treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia-A longitudinal interview study.Nursing openChildren with leukaemia found parents' closeness, being included in care, and honest, playful, careful staff helpful when scared. Support changed over treatment, so ask each child what helps before procedures.
• PTOTRNQualitative2021Perceived predictors of quality of life in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis.CurationisPatients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis linked quality of life to family support, finances, changed social roles, physical health, comorbidities, sleep, travel distance and scarce renal services. These are perceived themes, not effects proven by treatment.
• PTOTOther2022Testing the use of translation apps to overcome everyday healthcare communication in Australian aged-care hospital wards-An exploratory study.Nursing openStaff found translation apps helped basic ward communication with older patients who spoke little English, especially pain and care routines. Phrase apps could not translate patient replies, and Google Translate was slow or inaccurate, so use was limited to low-risk exchanges.
• PTRNNarrative Review2021Weight Bias and Stigma: Impact on Health.The Nursing clinics of North AmericaWeight bias in media, schools, work, and clinics discourages people with obesity from seeking care and increases stress and binge eating and reduces activity. Nurses should use people-first language, screen for bullying, and adapt care and equipment.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2022Multidimensional factors affecting homebound older adults: A systematic review.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingHomebound older adults were often defined as leaving home less than once a week. Reported prevalence ranged from 3.5% to 39.8%. Advanced age, female sex, cognitive impairment, and home-entry barriers were common factors.
• PTOTRNSurvey2022A Brief Survey of the COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on the Chronic Pain Experience.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses62.4% of chronic pain patients reported more average pain, 70.0% less activity, 63.2% worse mood; women reported larger increases. Lower perceived control over pain was linked to worsening pain and mood.
• PTRNCohort2022Muscle strength and functional outcome after prone positioning in COVID-19 ICU survivors.Intensive & critical care nursingAt ICU discharge, prone positioning with swimmer arm placement was not associated with worse upper-limb strength or mobility compared with supine positioning among 87 COVID-19 ICU survivors.
• PTOTCohort2021Relationship between physical activity and functional capacity change in aged cohort in São Paulo, Brazil.Revista brasileira de enfermagemAfter accounting for age, BMI and earlier need for help with daily activities, weekly leisure-time physical activity was not linked to later need for help in older adults. Age, BMI and baseline daily-activity limitations were linked to more limitation.
• PTRNSystematic Review2021Physical Activity: A Systematic Review to Inform Nurse Recommendations During Treatment for Colorectal Cancer.Clinical journal of oncology nursingPhysical activity during colorectal cancer treatment was generally safe and acceptable, but effects were mixed: quality of life, fatigue, sleep, and some physical outcomes may improve, while many changes were uncertain.
• PTRNCohort2022Cardiovascular Outcomes of Patients Referred to Home Based Cardiac Rehabilitation.Heart & lung : the journal of critical carePatients who attended home cardiac rehab had fewer deaths or hospitalizations from 3 to 12 months after referral. The program bundled exercise, monitoring, education and nurse calls, so the cause is unclear.
• PTOTRNPilot2021A classification algorithm to predict chronic pain using both regression and machine learning - A stepwise approach.Applied nursing research : ANRDaily step counts predicted weekly pain intensity and interference in older adults, while sleep hours did not. This is a pilot prediction finding, not evidence that a wearable device or more walking treats pain.
• PTOTSLPRNOther2022Do Limited English Proficiency and Language Moderate the Relationship Between Mental Health and Pain?Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesLanguage barriers change how mental health links to pain. Spanish-speaking patients with mental health diagnoses reported lower pain severity. Southeast Asian-speaking patients with mood disorders had higher odds of reporting any pain. Treat limited English proficiency groups as distinct.
• PTOTRNQualitative2022Risk factors for manifestations of frailty in hospitalized older adults: A qualitative study.Journal of advanced nursingHospitalized older adults and ward staff described fear of falls, low staffing, poor communication and lost routines as factors that may restrict independence and worsen frailty signs such as delirium, falls and immobility.
• PTQualitative2022Spillover Effects of COVID-19 on Essential Chronic Care and Ways to Foster Health System Resilience to Support Vulnerable Non-COVID Patients: A Multistakeholder Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationStakeholders reported that staff redeployment, closed diagnostics and suspended therapy disrupted chronic care for non-COVID patients in Singapore. Older people were described as more isolated and unwell. Digital visits and kiosks were described as helpful, but cybersecurity and digital literacy gaps remained.
• PTRNRCT2022Outcome of abdominal massage before gavage feeding on tolerated feeding for low birth weight infants.Nursing openLow birth weight infants given abdominal massage before gavage feeding had lower gastric residual volume, less vomiting and distention, and were sleepier after feeds than controls. Allocation and sample reporting were unclear.
• PTRCT2022Effect of Collaborative Care for Persistent Postconcussive Symptoms on Academic Function: A Randomized Clinical Trial.The Journal of school healthTeens with persistent concussion symptoms who received collaborative care did not improve grades or school problems more than usual care. They did miss fewer school days. The package included cognitive-behavioral therapy, care management, and medication consultation when warranted.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2022Environment in institutional care settings as a promoting factor for older individuals' mobility: A systematic review.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesExercise programmes in institutional care improved older residents’ mobility, but the review did not show that environmental changes alone improve mobility.
• PTOTSLPRNMeta-Analysis2022Clinical Features of COVID-19 Patients in the First Year of Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Biological research for nursingAcross 132,647 patients, fever (76.2%) and cough (60.4%) were the most common symptoms. Fatigue (33.6%) and shortness of breath (26.2%) were also frequent, but prevalence varied significantly by continent and study quality.
• PTRNNarrative Review2022Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A conundrum for patients and healthcare providers.The Nurse practitionerPOTS is diagnosed by a sustained standing heart-rate rise of at least 30 beats/minute without hypotension. Care is symptom-focused: fluids, salt, compression, graduated recumbent exercise, off-label medications, and suicide screening.
• PTOTRNCohort2021Frailty and sociodemographic and health factors, and social support network in the brazilian elderly: A longitudinal study.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S POver 10 years, frailty rose in older adults living at home, and it was linked to worsening independence, more depressive symptoms, and more illnesses. Social support fell, but it was not linked to frailty.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2022One size does not fit all: A qualitative study exploring preferences and barriers towards the design of a loneliness reduction intervention in patients with coronary heart disease.Nursing openPatients with coronary heart disease who felt lonely preferred peer support over involving family or friends. They worried that asking relatives for help would burden them and disrupt existing relationships. Peers allowed them to speak frankly about recovery struggles without fear of judgment.
• PTRNOther2022Effects of a National Quality Improvement Collaborative on ABCDEF Bundle Implementation.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesICU ABCDEF bundle use rose slowly with a national collaborative, reaching 12% complete bundle performance after 14 months. Early mobility remained under 40% in most units, and no patient outcomes were measured.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2022Respiratory rehabilitation in patients recovering from severe acute respiratory syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careRespiratory rehabilitation improved six-minute walk distance by 45.79 m in pooled comparative studies. Lung function changes were mixed, quality of life did not clearly improve, and no serious adverse events were reported.
• PTOTRNQualitative2022Cardiac rehabilitation program: An exploration of patient experiences and perspectives on program dropout.Worldviews on evidence-based nursingPatients who left cardiac rehab valued peer support and routine, but stopped because breathlessness, fear, travel, time demands, and exercise that felt too slow or too easy. Ask about these before assuming patients are nonadherent.
• PTQualitative2022Restraining patients in acute care hospitals-A qualitative study on the experiences of healthcare staff.Nursing openStaff described restraint decisions as inconsistent, shaped by workload, personal attitudes, experience and time of day. Nurses often led restraint use, and physiotherapists were allowed to remove restraints for therapy.