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 386 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPCase-Control2021Peripheral Auditory Involvement in Childhood Listening Difficulty.Ear and hearingChildren with listening difficulty did not differ from typically developing children on sensitive hearing tests. A history of ear tubes, not the listening difficulty itself, was associated with poorer hearing above 8 kHz.
• PTOTOther2021Analysing the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT): a cautionary tale from the RATULS trial.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationThe Action Research Arm Test subscales often produce U-shaped score distributions where patients score either zero or full marks. Comparing average scores between groups is misleading. Clinicians should check data shape and use binary comparisons for these subscales.
• PTOTOther2021Reliability of measurement using Image J for reach distance and movement angles in the functional reach test.Journal of physical therapy scienceImage J software reliably measures both reach distance and joint angles during the functional reach test. For healthy young men, a change of more than 18.3 mm in distance or 2.6 degrees in trunk angle is likely real improvement rather than measurement error.
• PTOther2021A favorable metabolic profile in metabolically healthy obesity is associated with physical activity level rather than abdominal fat volume in Japanese males.Journal of physical therapy scienceJapanese men with obesity who had healthier metabolic profiles had similar abdominal fat volume to less healthy men, but used more energy in activity and did more moderate-to-vigorous exercise. This is an association, not proof that activity caused the healthier profile.
• PTOTOther2021Using a Web-Based App to Deliver Rehabilitation Strategies to Persons With Chronic Conditions: Development and Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesOlder adults with chronic conditions could use this self-management web app, but many struggled with navigation and instructions. Clinicians liked the evidence-based content, while flagging technical problems, unclear wording, and missing help features.
• PTOTOther2021Development and evaluation of the sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity questionnaire.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor patients with hip or knee replacements who mostly do light activity, this new 10-item questionnaire tracks light-intensity activity fairly well but poorly captures sedentary time. Use it to measure how much people move, not how much they sit.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021A survey of health awareness and physical activity among Japanese undergraduate rehabilitation students.Journal of physical therapy scienceMost first-year Japanese rehabilitation students feel healthy and value exercise, but half report decreased physical activity since starting college. Busy school schedules and retired club activities are the main barriers, despite high motivation.
• SLPNarrative Review2021Dysphagia Care Across the Continuum: A Multidisciplinary Dysphagia Research Society Taskforce Report of Service-Delivery During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.DysphagiaExpert consensus says many dysphagia procedures can spread respiratory viruses. Use enhanced PPE, defer aerosol-generating tests if PPE is unavailable, screen by trained nurses, and use telehealth only with safeguards. No controlled trials show increased provider infection.
• PTOTRCT2021Impact of aerobic exercise on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers in persons with multiple sclerosis: An exploratory randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAerobic exercise did not stop whole-brain shrinkage in MS patients on fingolimod. It may have preserved some specific brain structures and slightly improved walking speed, but did not help thinking or quality of life. Some participants felt social pressure during group sessions.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical Characteristics Associated with Reduced Selective Voluntary Motor Control in the Upper Extremity of Individuals with Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Developmental neurorehabilitationUnintended movements at other joints were the most common cause of reduced selective motor control in children with cerebral palsy, occurring more often than weakness or tightness. Mirror movements affected 74% of participants and were linked to lower reported hand function.
• SLPOther2021Child- and Environment-Related Factors Influencing Daily Cochlear Implant Use: A Datalog Study.Ear and hearingObjective datalog showed 59% of children used their cochlear implant more than 8 hr a day. After combining factors, higher nonverbal IQ and oral parental communication were linked with more use; other factors were not.
• SLPOther2021Pinna-Imitating Microphone Directionality Improves Sound Localization and Discrimination in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users.Ear and hearingA pinna-imitating microphone mode significantly reduced front-back sound confusions in bilateral cochlear implant users compared to standard omnidirectional mode. However, it did not significantly improve the ability to track moving sounds. The benefit was specific to static localization and discrimination tasks.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2021The Effect of Hearing Loss and Hearing Device Fitting on Fatigue in Adults: A Systematic Review.Ear and hearingHearing loss is linked to higher fatigue in many studies, but the evidence is weak and inconsistent. Hearing device fitting shows mixed results for reducing fatigue, with some support for cochlear implants but not hearing aids. Solid conclusions are not possible.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Predictors for self-reported feeling of depression three months after stroke: A longitudinal cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineCognitive screening 36–48 hours after stroke did not predict depression three months later. Female sex, being younger than 70, and living alone before the stroke were significant predictors. Use these social and demographic factors, not early cognitive scores, to identify patients at risk for post-stroke depression.
• PTOTOther2021Concurrent and discriminant validity of Nintendo Wii Fit exergame for the assessment of postural sway.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor adults, two Wii Fit games matched standard balance tests on specific sensory conditions, but for elderly users, no game matched the standard test. The games did distinguish adults from elderly participants, but they are not a valid substitute for clinical balance assessment in older adults.
• PTOTCohort2021Objectively measured arm use in daily life improves during the first 6 months poststroke: a longitudinal observational cohort study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAffected arm use in daily life improved significantly during the first 12 weeks poststroke and gains were largely retained through 6 months. Patients with excellent arm function recovery showed higher daily arm use and ratios than those with poor or moderate recovery.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Awareness and knowledge of developmental coordination disorder: A survey of caregivers, teachers, allied health professionals and medical professionals in Australia.Child: care, health and developmentIn Australia, most teachers, parents and doctors still do not know what developmental coordination disorder is. They recognise motor clumsiness but miss the anxiety and depression that often follow. The old term dyspraxia is better known than the correct one, which delays identification and support.
• PTSLPOther2021Bone Conduction Vibration Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) Testing: Reliability in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.Ear and hearingBone conduction vibration testing produced consistent and reliable vestibular responses in children, adolescents, and young adults. The Mini-shaker and impulse hammer achieved the highest response rates, while the B-71 oscillator showed poor reliability for ocular responses in adults.
• Survey2021Healthcare Costs of Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States, 2003-2015.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism had higher yearly healthcare spending than other children. Extra spending averaged $3930 or $5621, depending on how autism was counted.
• Case-Control2020Gray matter covariations and core symptoms of autism: the EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project.Molecular autismAutism was associated with gray matter density patterns across connected brain networks, especially insula, frontal, caudate, amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampal areas. Within autism, the strongest relationships were with repetitive behaviors and sensory symptoms.
• Case-Control2020Maternal Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy in Association With Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Intellectual Disability (ID) in Offspring; Exploring Non-linear Patterns and Demographic Sub-groups.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMid-pregnancy vitamin D levels showed no overall association with autism or intellectual disability in offspring. Protective effects were limited to specific subgroups, such as non-Hispanic white mothers and male children, while other groups showed no benefit or increased risk.
• Other2020Differentially altered social dominance- and cooperative-like behaviors in Shank2- and Shank3-mutant mice.Molecular autismShank2-mutant mice showed increased social dominance, while Shank3-mutant mice showed decreased dominance and cooperation. These opposite behavioral patterns in two different autism mouse models highlight that genetic mutations affect social behaviors in distinct ways.
• SLPCase-Control2020Mechanisms of Impaired Swallowing on Thin Liquids Following Radiation Treatment for Oropharyngeal Cancer.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRSwallowing safety after radiation depends on how quickly the airway closes. Patients who aspirated took significantly longer to close their laryngeal vestibule than those who did not. Incomplete closure was also strongly linked to aspiration, but overall residue levels did not differ significantly from healthy controls.
• PTOther2021Comparison of the Effects of Static-Stretching and Tubing Exercises on Acute Shoulder Range of Motion in Collegiate Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyBoth static stretching and dynamic tubing exercises improved shoulder range of motion for up to one hour in collegiate baseball players. Static stretching produced slightly greater internal rotation gains, but neither method resolved existing internal rotation deficits. Either warm-up strategy is effective for acute mobility.
• PTOther2021Differences of quadriceps activity during inline lunge by using FMS assessment.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults who performed the inline lunge test well used their inner thigh muscle more than their outer. Those who performed it poorly used the outer muscle more. This suggests poor form shifts load to the vastus lateralis, potentially requiring targeted inner thigh strengthening.
• PTOTRCT2021Efficacy and safety of abobotulinumtoxinA for upper limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized repeat-treatment study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy who received 8U/kg or 16U/kg abobotulinumtoxinA plus home exercises and ongoing therapy had greater reduction in elbow or wrist muscle tone at 6 weeks than those given 2U/kg. Function and goal scores improved in all groups, without dose differences.
• SLPProtocol2021Bumetanide Oral Liquid Formulation for the Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Design of Two Phase III Studies (SIGN Trials).Journal of autism and developmental disordersNo results are reported. This paper plans two trials of a bumetanide liquid compared with placebo in children and adolescents with moderate to severe autism. The main planned outcome is change in autism symptom scores after six months.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2021Anxiety and intellectual functioning in autistic children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAcross studies of autistic children, higher IQ scores went with higher anxiety scores, especially when children with intellectual disability were included. The link was small, and anxiety measures were often not validated for autism or intellectual disability.
• PTPilot2021Effect of hybrid assistive limb treatment on maximal walking speed and six-minute walking distance during stroke rehabilitation: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding HAL to usual physical, occupational, and speech therapy did not significantly improve change in maximal walking speed or six-minute walking distance versus conventional gait training plus usual therapy. Both groups improved, but this small pilot cannot show HAL superiority.
• PTOTSurvey2021Patterns of physical activity and exercise after lumbar surgery among Japanese patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.Journal of physical therapy sciencePost-surgery patients split into three groups: those still working, those inactive, and those active in daily tasks. The active group did more walking and stretching but had worse leg numbness. The inactive group had the lowest quality of life scores.
• PTOTPilot2021A 3-month multicomponent home-based rehabilitation program for older people with restricted life-space mobility: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults with very restricted mobility improved their life-space score by 18.5 points after 3 months of home rehab. This gain exceeded the 10-point threshold considered clinically meaningful. However, the improvement came from moving with help, not independently.
• PTPilot2021Investigation of inspiratory intercostal muscle activity in patients with spinal cord injury: a pilot study using electromyography, ultrasonography, and respiratory inductance plethysmography.Journal of physical therapy scienceSurface EMG and ultrasound showed little change in inspiratory intercostal muscle activity or thickness from rest to deep breath in people with cervical spinal cord injury. Rib cage movement tended to be larger when inspiratory capacity was larger.
• Other2021Identifying human postural dynamics and control from unperturbed balance.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new math method estimates how the body controls balance from quiet standing data alone. It works better than standard tools when sensors are noisy. This is a simulation study, so it has not yet been tested on patients.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2021Emotional self-awareness in autism: A meta-analysis of group differences and developmental effects.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic people report significantly more difficulty identifying and describing their own emotions than non-autistic people. This gap is absent in children under 12 but emerges in adolescence and widens through adulthood, likely reflecting increased distress rather than a stable trait.
• PTOther2021Effects of postural differences on intrapleural pressure during chest wall compression in healthy males.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn seven healthy men, manual chest compression caused less negative intrapleural pressure and fewer signs of lung collapse when performed lying on the side compared to lying on the back.
• PTOther2021The effect of perception of seat width on back-to-sit task.Journal of physical therapy scienceBack-to-sit movement timing and path did not vary with seat width, although healthy young men noticed the width differences.
• SLPOther2021Effect of Bridge Position Swallow on Esophageal Motility in Healthy Individuals Using High-Resolution Manometry.DysphagiaSwallowing in a bridge position produced stronger lower esophageal contractions and shorter contraction-wave breaks than upright in healthy people. It may suggest an esophageal-phase technique, but patient outcomes were not tested.
• PTSystematic Review2021State of the art in parallel ankle rehabilitation robot: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNo parallel ankle rehabilitation robot is currently used in clinical practice. All tested devices remain in the laboratory or simulation stage, with most trials conducted only on healthy subjects rather than patients with ankle dysfunction.
• SLPRCT2021Contribution of Stimulus Variability to Word Recognition in Noise Versus Two-Talker Speech for School-Age Children and Adults.Ear and hearingIn children, using the same target and masker pairings across trials made word recognition scores more consistent than changing them randomly. In adults, consistency was similar regardless of whether stimuli were repeated or randomized. This supports using fixed stimuli when testing children's speech-in-speech recognition.
• OTSLPCohort2021Developmental associations between joint engagement and autistic children's vocabulary: A cross-lagged panel analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEarly joint engagement with caregivers predicted later vocabulary growth in autistic toddlers, but early vocabulary did not predict later engagement. However, statistical tests showed no clear superiority of the engagement-to-vocabulary direction over the reverse, so the causal pathway remains unresolved.
• SLPOther2021Prediction of the Functional Status of the Cochlear Nerve in Individual Cochlear Implant Users Using Machine Learning and Electrophysiological Measures.Ear and hearingMachine learning models using nerve response data accurately separated cochlear implant users with poor nerve function from those with normal function. In adults, the resulting nerve health index strongly correlated with speech perception scores in quiet.
• PTSystematic Review2021Vertical traction for lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review.Archives of physiotherapyVertical traction added to bed rest or medication appeared to reduce short-term pain compared with those treatments alone. It did not reduce pain or activity limitation when added to physical therapy. Evidence was low or very low.
• OTSLPOther2021The Learning, Social and Emotion Adaptation Questionnaire-Short Form: A Measure of Adaptive Behavior for Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe 53-item LSEAQ-S reliably measures school adaptation for students with autism. It takes teachers 15 to 20 minutes to complete and provides norms showing girls with autism lag behind peers more than boys do, especially as they age.
• SLPCohort2021The Effect of Increasing Interphase Gap on N1 Latency of the Electrically Evoked Compound Action Potential and the Stimulation Level Offset in Human Cochlear Implant Users.Ear and hearingChildren with cochlear nerve deficiency showed distinct electrical response patterns compared to those with normal nerves. These differences in latency and stimulation level offsets suggest these measures could serve as biomarkers to assess nerve health in cochlear implant users.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2021Physical therapist-led swimming lessons for children with cerebral palsy: a report of 2 cases.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwo children with cerebral palsy improved swimming speed and distance after six monthly PT-led lessons. Gross motor function and daily living scores barely changed. Muscle tone increased slightly. The intervention was safe and well-liked, but too small to prove it works.
• SLPOther2020Automated Phenotyping Tool for Identifying Developmental Language Disorder Cases in Health Systems Data (APT-DLD): A New Research Algorithm for Deployment in Large-Scale Electronic Health Record Systems.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRAn automated algorithm accurately identifies Developmental Language Disorder cases in electronic health records by filtering for specific diagnosis codes. It achieved 95% positive predictive value in a discovery sample and 90% in a larger replication sample, allowing researchers to find large patient cohorts without manual chart review.
• SLPOther2020Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity Between Semantic and Phonological Regions of Interest May Inform Language Targets in Aphasia.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRResting brain connectivity patterns predict language severity in aphasia. Weaker right-hemisphere frontotemporal links associated with better naming, while stronger left angular gyrus connections predicted better comprehension. These networks may help identify targets for therapy.
• SLPOther2020Person Ability Scores as an Alternative to Norm-Referenced Scores as Outcome Measures in Studies of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesIn small samples, scores that track a child's own ability showed change more clearly than scores comparing them to same-age peers. Peer-comparison scores often hit a low limit and can make stable or improving ability look unchanged or worse.
• PTOther2021Virtual reality-based assessment of cognitive-locomotor interference in healthy young adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 healthy young adults walking in VR, memory accuracy fell by 6.67% only when avoiding virtual agents and tracking a modified shopping list. Walking speed did not clearly change.
• PTCohort2021Gait kinetics impact shoe tread wear rate.Gait & postureWalking with higher shear force at the shoe-floor interface was linked to faster wear of slip-resistant shoe tread. Tread wear can reduce friction and increase slip risk, so gait may help guide when shoes need replacing.