THE INDEX

Every paper we have read

Each one summarised from the full article, not its abstract, and kept only if it speaks to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology or nursing. Newest first.

35,183 PAPERS · PAGE 232 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTRCT2026Synergy-based Functional Electrical Stimulation for gait rehabilitation in chronic stroke: a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHigh-intensity gait training with or without personalized multichannel functional electrical stimulation did not differ significantly on walking speed or endurance. The stimulation group improved endurance after training and at one month, but the study was too small to show a group difference.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Psychometric Properties of Instruments to Assess Movement Disorders in People With Intellectual Disabilities Using Antipsychotics: A Systematic Literature Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDNo single assessment scale consistently worked well for checking movement disorders in people with intellectual disabilities taking antipsychotics. Watch for restlessness, involuntary movements, spasms, slowness, rigidity or tremor, and record what you see for treatment review.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Integrating Assistive Technologies and Smart Home Systems in Neuromuscular Disorders: A Systematic Narrative Review of Clinical Outcomes and Occupational Therapy Perspectives.Occupational therapy internationalAssistive technology and smart home systems may help people with neuromuscular disorders stay independent, but benefit depends on low effort, home fit and ongoing adjustment. Therapists should audit homes, set client priorities and plan for possible abandonment as disease progresses.
• SLPOther2026Relationship Between EAT-10 Scores, Pharyngeal Residue Severity, and Penetration-Aspiration in Individuals With Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease: A FEES-Based Correlation and Discriminative Performance Study.International journal of language & communication disordersAcross FEES trials, more pharyngeal residue was linked to higher penetration-aspiration scores. The EAT-10 tracked these findings and may help decide who needs instrumental assessment, but it does not measure swallowing physiology directly.
• PTOther2026Effects of metatarsal bar and heel lift on foot biomechanics during gait: implications for performance-related biomechanics.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 3-mm metatarsal bar increased ankle dorsiflexion and lowered arch height compared with a heel lift in healthy adults walking. A heel lift increased late-stance plantarflexion moment. These are foot motion and force changes, not clinical outcomes.
• PTOTOther2026Standing work and low back pain: An experimental analysis of risk factors.Work (Reading, Mass.)No tested standing setup made pain lower than another. Pain rose over 120 minutes in all eight groups, and static posture, anti-fatigue mats, and insoles did not separate the groups.
• PTOTOther2026The value of performance-based tests in the assessment of patients with fibromyalgia: a construct validity and comprehensiveness analysis of a standardized test battery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA four-test physical battery plus accelerometry accurately captured distinct aspects of fibromyalgia in 87 women. Physical capacity, daily activity, emotional distress and pain burden formed four separate domains, confirming the battery's validity for assessing function.
• OTCohort2026ICF Priorities and the Impact of Demographic Factors in a Paediatric Poststroke Population: An Observational Study.Child: care, health and developmentPriorities did not differ by sex, ethnicity or local deprivation. Post-stroke children and families most often raised everyday activities and participation. Body function and service concerns were more common in primary and high school.
• PTOTRCT2026Video-based education is non-inferior to in-person education in patients undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.Archives of physiotherapyPreoperative video education was as good as postoperative in-person teaching for pain confidence. It also reduced fear of movement at six weeks. This allows therapists to shift education earlier, saving time without compromising recovery outcomes.
• PTRCT2026Feasibility and safety of multi-field functional electrical stimulation for distal upper-limb rehabilitation after subacute stroke: a randomised controlled feasibility trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFES-assisted hand therapy was feasible and safe in subacute stroke: all 16 participants completed all sessions, with no serious adverse events. Exploratory motor scores favoured the FES group, but this was not an efficacy trial.
• OTCohort2026Implementing Evidence-Based Somatosensory Rehabilitation After Stroke: Reported Practice, Documented Practice, and Barriers.Occupational therapy internationalOccupational therapists valued stroke sensory care, but most did not use standardized assessments. Files showed sensory assessment for 14 of 26 patients with upper limb impairment, and documented treatment for 7 of 12 with sensory impairment. Time, confidence, and resources were barriers.
• SLPOther2026Evidence-Based Interventions for Young Dual Language Learners With or at Risk of Language Impairment: A Scoping Review.International journal of language & communication disordersFor young dual language learners with or at risk of language impairment, bilingual or home-language-supported intervention was more likely than English-only treatment to help the home language. Evidence was mostly Spanish-English, with no eligible studies for common Australian home language pairings.
• PTPilot2026Timing in smartphone-guided home stroke rehabilitation with functional electrical stimulation: feasibility of distributed supervision and retrospective comparison with a front-loaded model.Journal of physical therapy scienceHome exercise plus smartphone-guided electrical stimulation training was safe with high adherence. Distributed supervision showed greater sit-to-stand and Timed Up and Go gains than front-loaded supervision, but the groups were not randomized and differed by country.
• PTOther2026Reliability and measurement error of hip abductor muscle strength using a hand-held dynamometer in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHip abductor strength measured with a handheld dynamometer and a simple belt was highly reliable in healthy adults. Using the average of two trials, rather than the maximum, reduced measurement error and improved consistency between different raters.
• Survey2026Who Uses Services Overall and Within High-Need Families? Social Inequalities in Access to Early Support Services in Southern Germany.Child: care, health and developmentHigher parenting stress went with more early support service use overall. Among highly stressed parents, those with more education were more likely to use services, and families with a foreign-born parent were less likely. Need did not guarantee equal access.
• SLPSystematic Review2026Assessment and Diagnostic Standards of Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Turkish-Speaking Children: A Scoping Review.International journal of language & communication disordersTurkish-speaking children with suspected CAS are assessed with uneven diagnostic quality. The Turkish DEMSS and Mayo Diagnostic Checklist are used to support diagnosis, but evidence comes from five small studies and Turkish-specific features remain unclear.
• Qualitative2026Parent Partnership in Neonatal Research: Facilitators, Barriers and Contributions of the Irish PADDINGToN Parent Advisory Group.Child: care, health and developmentSeven parents who advised a neonatal medicine-information study said flexible, offline feedback, clear communication, and advance materials kept them engaged. Their input simplified documents, improved inclusive wording, and informed recruitment and retention plans.
• Other2026Institutionalization of assistive health technology in India: establishment of a national centre within the IIT-AIIMS ecosystem.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper describes the institutional establishment and governance framework of India's National Centre of Assistive Health Technology (NCAHT). It reports no patient outcomes, clinical trial results, or evaluations of treatment efficacy, so there are no findings here to change clinical practice.
• SLPSystematic Review2026Discovery Research on the Success Factors for Schools-Based Multiple Model Speech and Language Placements: A Rapid Scoping Review.International journal of language & communication disordersSchool-based speech and language therapy placements were described as supporting student learning and school service delivery, but funding, rural logistics, supervisor time, student readiness, and community trust were recurring barriers.
• SLPQualitative2026'I Call Them Our Village': Experiences Of Caregivers in Ontario's Extensive Needs Service.Child: care, health and developmentCaregivers valued the wraparound service for reducing their burden of coordinating care and for clinicians who listened. They feared discharge because they had previously struggled to access support. The study reports their experiences, not whether the programme improved clinical outcomes.
• OTSurvey2026Association Between Smartphone Application Diversity and Occupational Participation Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyOlder adults using five or more smartphone apps daily reported higher overall occupational participation, especially productivity. When other factors were accounted for, productivity remained associated; leisure and self-care did not. This is association, not proof apps improve participation.
• PTCohort2026Baseline PTSD and depressive symptoms predict multidimensional recovery after combat-related transtibial amputation: a prospective cohort study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCombat amputees with more PTSD or depression symptoms at baseline made smaller balance, walking and endurance gains during robotic rehabilitation. Screen psychiatric symptoms at admission, but do not assume treating PTSD or depression will improve recovery.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026Supervised versus non-supervised exercise intervention for blood pressure reduction in patients with hypertension and prehypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Brazilian journal of physical therapySupervised exercise was associated with a 3.46 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure than non-supervised exercise in hypertension or prehypertension, but diastolic blood pressure did not differ. The systolic difference was seen only in continuous aerobic training.
• OTPilot2026Pilot Test of the Forming Love around Autistic people to Prevent Suicide Program.Autism in adulthoodParticipants at autism service organizations reported higher suicide prevention knowledge, capacity, and actions after four virtual sessions, and at three months. No patient suicide outcomes were measured, so this is early feasibility, not proof of prevention.
• SLPCohort2026Communication Confidence, Aphasia Severity and Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study in People With Post-Stroke Aphasia.International journal of language & communication disordersIn chronic aphasia, communication confidence was associated with milder aphasia severity and higher general confidence. Over six to seven months, general confidence and well-being increased, while language and communication confidence stayed similar. Self-reported change often differed from scores.
• PTRCT2026Asymmetrical spatiotemporal adjustment between the limbs after self-mobilization exercise program.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 15-minute cylinder-tube program combining positions and motions produced immediate hip and trunk angle changes during walking in healthy young adults, but not changes in ground reaction forces. Left-leg stance timing showed a speed-related change, and long-term benefit is unknown.
• SLPQualitative2026Exploring Practice Approaches and Opinions of International Speech and Language Therapists in the Assessment and Management of Oropharyngeal Swallowing in Adults on High-flow Nasal Oxygen: A Focus Group Study.International journal of language & communication disordersTherapists assess swallowing in adults on high-flow oxygen by considering the patient's stability and readiness rather than using a standard screening tool. They rely on bedside exams but vary widely in using instrumental assessments due to access and patient fluctuation, citing a lack of evidence.
• OTQualitative2026"It's not just a matter of getting technology into buses": An activity-centred approach to bus drivers' work sustainability in an age of automation.Work (Reading, Mass.)Ten experienced bus drivers described their work as relying on deep local knowledge and emotional labour, not just driving. They argued that automation fails if it ignores urban chaos and tight schedules, warning that supervising automated buses could increase stress rather than reduce fatigue.
• PTSLPPilot2026The Aphasia Physical EXercise (APEX) study: feasibility of a new high-intensity functional interval training for stroke survivors with aphasia.AphasiologyHigh-intensity interval training was safe and well attended by 6 stroke survivors with aphasia, but language and cognitive changes did not reach significance; aerobic endurance improved.
• PTNarrative Review2026Relevance of improved reporting for non-pharmacological interventions in clinical trials: Bridging research to clinical practice.Brazilian journal of physical therapyNo patient outcome or treatment effect is reported. The paper argues that non-pharmacological trials need clearer intervention descriptions and fidelity reporting. It gives no tested intervention or clinical result to act on.
• PTOther2026User Satisfaction With Assistive, Rehabilitation, and Training Technologies: Questionnaire Development and Content Validation Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesExperts rated a 50-item satisfaction questionnaire for assistive, rehabilitation, and training devices as mostly relevant, but no users tested it and it is not yet proven to measure satisfaction accurately.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Types of Screen Time and Developmental Outcomes Among Children Aged 0-6 Years in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.Child: care, health and developmentMore recreational screen time was linked with more suspected developmental delays in Thai children. Educational and communication-based screen time were linked with fewer language and personal-social delays in some analyses.
• OTQualitative2026Opportunities and Challenges for Health-Promoting Interventions for Older Adults: A Focus Group Study with Professionals in Municipal Health and Social Care.Scandinavian journal of occupational therapyProfessionals said Swedish municipal health and social care lacked structures, shared responsibility, and time for health-promoting work with older adults. They saw groups and digital meetings as useful, but not yet ready to change routine practice.
• SLPCohort2026Consonant Proficiency From 18 Months to 10 Years in Swedish Children With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.International journal of language & communication disordersChildren with unilateral cleft lip and palate showed no difference in consonant proficiency between surgical protocols at 3, 5 or 10 years. Presence of oral stops at 18 months predicted higher later consonant proficiency.
• PTOther2026An exploration of the factors predicting clinical responses to customized foot orthoses in individuals with plantar heel pain.Brazilian journal of physical therapyAfter 6 months, 107 of 120 people with plantar heel pain were classified as responders. They wore custom foot orthoses plus Crocs footwear, so the effect of either component alone is unclear.
• Qualitative2026Examining Educators' Understanding and Application of Learnings From an Online Brain Injury Professional Development Module-TeachABI.Child: care, health and developmentEducators said TeachABI gave them new acquired brain injury knowledge and classroom strategies. They said they felt better prepared, but class size, limited resources, and poor collaboration with families or school teams could block use.
• PTNarrative Review2026Low-cost pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic respiratory diseases: a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWhen structured, low-cost pulmonary rehabilitation can improve walking distance and quality of life mainly in COPD. It can use walking, elastic bands, bodyweight exercise and education. Evidence for other lung diseases is limited.
• PTRCT2017Short- and Long-Term Effects of Balance Training on Physical Activity in Older Adults With Osteoporosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)After balance training with or without Nordic walking, older adults with osteoporosis were more likely to reach 5000 or more steps/day, but average steps did not clearly increase and the effect did not persist at 15 months.
• PTPilot2017Health Characteristics, Neuromuscular Attributes, and Mobility Among Primary Care Patients With Symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Secondary Analysis.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Five of 50 older patients at mobility risk had symptomatic lumbar stenosis. They had more chronic illnesses, more pain, less knee flexion range, and lower advanced leg function scores; performance-based mobility did not differ.
• PTOTOther2017Explanators of Sarcopenia in Individuals With Diabesity: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)A model combining leg fat content, ankle strength, and stair power accurately identified sarcopenia in adults with diabetes and obesity. Leg fat above 21%, ankle strength below 68 Nm, or stair power under 441 watts suggested sarcopenia, though MRI access limits clinical use.
• PTOther2017Criterion Validity of Ultrasound Imaging: Assessment of Multifidi Cross-Sectional Area in Older Adults With and Without Chronic Low Back Pain.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Averaging 3 ultrasound images agreed with MRI for L4 multifidi cross-sectional area in older adults with and without chronic low back pain. A single image was less reliable in pain-free older adults. Ultrasound may include fat.
• PTRCT2017Efficacy of Deep Dry Needling on Latent Myofascial Trigger Points in Older Adults With Nonspecific Shoulder Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial Pilot Study.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)In older adults, adding deep dry needling of a latent shoulder trigger point to needling an active one was linked to a forearm muscle tolerating more pressure immediately and at 1 week, but pain and grip strength did not differ between groups.
• PTOther2017Measurements of Weight Bearing Asymmetry Using the Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board Are Not Reliable for Older Adults and Individuals With Stroke.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Wii Fit balance board weight bearing asymmetry readings were moderately consistent but had large error. For older adults and stroke, changes must exceed 8.8% or 13.6% to be confident, so the board is not recommended for this assessment with factory settings.
• PTOTOther2017Relative Strength at the Hip, Knee, and Ankle Is Lower Among Younger and Older Females Who Are Obese.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Obese women had lower strength relative to their body weight at the ankle, knee, and hip compared to healthy weight women. Absolute strength was higher only for three movements. This suggests mobility support training should target the hip and ankle, not just the knee.
• PTOTRCT2016Effects of functional and analytical strength training on upper-extremity activity after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapyFive weeks of home-based functional reaching-and-grasping practice improved arm activity more than analytical dumbbell lifting in chronic stroke, and the difference was still seen at 10 months. Strength, range of motion, motor control, and tone did not differ between groups.
• PTRCT2016Effect of muscle energy technique and static stretching on pain and functional disability in patients with mechanical neck pain: A randomized controlled trial.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoBoth muscle energy technique and passive stretching reduced neck pain and disability after 6 days, but muscle energy technique plus the same conventional exercises produced greater improvement.
• PTOTRCT2016Effect of mirror therapy on upper extremity motor function in stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceMirror therapy added to conventional stroke rehabilitation improved upper extremity movement ability more than the conventional program with a non-reflecting mirror, but did not improve Brunnstrom stages or self-care independence.
• PTRCT2016Acute effects of Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) on different levels in ventilation and electrical activity of sternocleidomastoid and parasternal muscles in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients: a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn stable COPD, a 20 minute EPAP mask at 10 cmH2O increased parasternal muscle activity, lowered SCM activity, and reduced breathing rate and breathlessness. EPAP 15 improved tidal volume more, but parasternal activity rose less.
• PTOTSLPOther2016Reduced Cognitive-Motor Interference on Voluntary Balance Control in Older Tai Chi Practitioners.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Older adults who practiced Tai Chi showed less decline in balance and thinking speed when doing both tasks at once compared to non-practitioners. They moved their center of pressure quicker and made fewer errors on the counting task while balancing.
• PTOTSystematic Review2016Incidence, Time Course and Predictors of Impairments Relating to Caring for the Profoundly Affected arm After Stroke: A Systematic Review.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyNo included study predicted difficulty caring for the arm after stroke. Spasticity and pain appeared as early as 1 week, and contracture by 2 weeks. Weakness and reduced motor control predicted spasticity and contracture; reduced sensation, shoulder subluxation, weakness, and stroke severity predicted pain.