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 389 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2021Intraclass correlation coefficient of trunk muscle thicknesses in different positions measured using ultrasonography.Journal of physical therapy scienceTo get reliable ultrasound measurements of trunk muscles in healthy older men, a single examiner needs to take multiple readings. Back muscles require only one measurement, but abdominal muscles need three to five depending on whether the patient is lying, sitting, or standing.
• Cohort2021Difference in default mode network subsystems in autism across childhood and adolescence.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic boys showed stronger brain network connections in childhood that decreased more sharply during adolescence than in non-autistic boys. By age 18, these brain connectivity patterns looked similar to the comparison group. The study found no link between these brain changes and symptom scores.
• PTOther2021Relationship between gait quality measures and modular neuromuscular control parameters in chronic post-stroke individuals.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople walking after chronic stroke who had fewer muscle modules walked slower and showed more asymmetry in limb length, footpath area, hip side-to-side motion and knee bending. This was an observational study, so it does not show that increasing modules improves walking.
• SLPOther2021The Influence of Airflow Via High-Flow Nasal Cannula on Duration of Laryngeal Vestibule Closure.DysphagiaIn healthy young adults, higher airflow from a high-flow nasal cannula significantly increased the time the airway remained closed during swallowing. No aspiration occurred at any airflow level, and airway protection scores remained stable despite the change in closure duration.
• SLPOther2021Do Biological Sex and Early Developmental Milestones Predict the Age of First Concerns and Eventual Diagnosis in Autism Spectrum Disorder?Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe sex difference in age at diagnosis was not clear. Girls with ASD had first concerns over 7 months later than boys, despite speaking their first word about 3 months and first three-word phrase nearly 6 months earlier.
• PTPilot2021Effect of robotic exoskeleton gait training during acute stroke on functional ambulation.NeuroRehabilitationIn 14 acute stroke patients, robotic exoskeleton training doubled the distance walked per session compared to standard care without adding time. All participants improved on walking and balance tests, suggesting the device safely delivers higher-dose therapy.
• SLPRCT2021Family navigation to increase evaluation for autism spectrum disorder in toddlers: Screening and Linkage to Services for Autism pragmatic randomized trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFamily navigation increased the likelihood of toddlers receiving an autism diagnostic evaluation but did not improve rates of referral to early intervention services or eligibility determination. Benefits were concentrated among families who actually engaged with the navigator, while many eligible families could not be reached.
• PTOTCohort2021Predictive validity of the Hand Assessment for Infants in infants at risk of unilateral cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe Hand Assessment for Infants accurately predicts unilateral cerebral palsy in at-risk infants, but only from about 3.5 months of age. Scores before this time are too variable to rely on. The single-hand score and asymmetry index perform best.
• SLPCohort2021How many words make a sample? Determining the minimum number of word tokens needed in connected speech samples for child speech assessment.Clinical linguistics & phoneticsFor most speech measures, a connected speech sample of 75 words is as reliable as 100. However, samples of 50 words are too unstable. For complex measures like pMLU or error counts, stick to 100 words to ensure accuracy.
• PTOTCohort2021Effect of performing daily activities while standing on the quantity and quality of the thigh muscles in adults with severe cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn adults with severe cerebral palsy, those who stood daily during care had thicker quadriceps and higher gross motor function scores. However, they also showed higher muscle echo intensity, suggesting more fat or connective tissue within the muscle. Standing may change muscle quality, not just strength.
• OTOther2021United States Medicaid home and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMedicaid home and community-based services waivers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are associated with reduced unmet healthcare needs for children with autism, fewer parents stopping work to provide care, and lower psychiatric hospitalization risks when respite and aide services increase.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review of Interventions.International journal of sports physical therapyNo treatment for proximal hamstring tendinopathy has high-quality evidence. Shockwave therapy looked better than a weak multi-modal control in one small trial, but evidence was very low. Surgery had the most complications. Do not assume any single injection or procedure is proven.
• PTOTOther2021Effect of low back pain on the muscles controlling the sitting posture.Journal of physical therapy scienceSlump sitting fails to relax back muscles in people with recurrent low back pain. While healthy adults showed reduced muscle activity, those with pain kept their trunk muscles highly active. This posture may increase spinal stress rather than provide rest for patients with pain.
• PTOTOther2021Translational Value of Skilled Reaching Assessment in Clinical and Preclinical Studies on Motor Recovery After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairSkilled reaching recovery followed a similar proximal-to-distal timeline in rats and humans. In patients, this assessment correlated strongly with standard clinical measures like the Fugl-Meyer and Action Research Arm Test, supporting its use to distinguish true motor recovery from compensation.
• SLPSurvey2021Five Specific Tongue Movements in a Healthy Population.DysphagiaMost healthy adults can roll their tongue (83.7%), but few can make a cloverleaf (14.7%). People accurately judge these two abilities. However, they frequently overestimate their capacity to fold or twist the tongue. This suggests rolling and cloverleaf are reliable self-reported measures, unlike folding or twisting.
• PTNarrative Review2021Perinatal care with a view to preventing cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCerebral palsy rates have fallen in high-income countries as preterm care, magnesium sulphate, delayed cord clamping, caffeine, cooling, and early identification spread. The paper does not test one therapy or prove what PT/OT/SLP should change.
• PTOTCohort2021Joint position sense in individuals with anterior knee pain.The South African journal of physiotherapyKnees with anterior knee pain were no more likely to have impaired joint position sense than pain-free knees in the same people. Both groups averaged errors under five degrees, so routine proprioception testing may not distinguish these patients.
• PTOTCase Report2021Long-term effects of combined botulinum toxin treatment and rehabilitation on upper limb muscle spasms: a case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn one man with cervical spinal cord injury, years of botulinum toxin type A plus physical and occupational therapy and splints were followed by improved upper-limb motion, less finger spasm, and faster left-hand tasks. It is one person, not proof the treatment works.
• PTOTSLPOther2021An Exercise Mimetic Approach to Reduce Poststroke Deconditioning and Enhance Stroke Recovery.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn rats, resveratrol improved early balance and reduced compensatory gait, while delayed exercise restored cardiovascular fitness. Neither intervention improved long-term balance more than the other, and the combination showed no additive benefit. These findings do not yet apply to human stroke recovery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Early Stage Longitudinal Subcortical Volumetric Changes following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.Brain injuryPatients with persistent post-concussive symptoms showed early volume loss in the thalamus and hippocampus within one month of mild traumatic brain injury. This thalamic shrinkage persisted at six months and correlated with worse self-reported symptoms and lower quality of life, unlike objective cognitive test scores which recovered.
• SLPOther2020An Updated Theoretical Framework for Vocal Hyperfunction.American journal of speech-language pathologyVocal hyperfunction splits into phonotraumatic and non-phonotraumatic types with distinct biomechanics. Phonotraumatic voice disorders involve high collision forces and tissue damage, while non-phonotraumatic cases show inefficient closure without trauma. Treatment paths differ, with surgery plus therapy required for full phonotraumatic recovery.
• SLPNarrative Review2020Causal Pathways for Specific Language Impairment: Lessons From Studies of Twins.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRTwin studies show that language ability is strongly influenced by genetics, with heritability increasing from age 2 to 16. Being a twin causes early language delays that often resolve by age 6, but this twinning effect does not affect nonverbal IQ.
• SLPOther2020Development and Validation of Sentences Without Semantic Context to Complement the Basic English Lexicon Sentences.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRResearchers created 500 nonsense sentences to remove semantic context from speech tests. Listeners guessed fewer than 1% of missing words in these new sentences versus 21% in normal sentences. The new lists are validated for research use and may eventually aid clinical testing for hearing loss.
• PTOTQualitative2021'I forget to do pressure relief': Personal factors influencing the prevention of secondary health conditions in people with spinal cord injury, South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyPeople with spinal cord injury described money, mood, knowledge, habits, and equipment as shaping pressure sore and infection prevention. Forgetfulness, shame, beliefs, and late help-seeking made prevention harder.
• PTSurvey2021Knowledge, perception and attitude of patient safety amongst clinical year physiotherapy students in Ghana.The South African journal of physiotherapyClinical year physiotherapy students in Ghana reported moderate knowledge of patient safety overall. They showed high confidence in workplace safety protocols but moderate understanding of personal influence and error reporting. Level of study did not change these results. Students noted fear of criticism when making mistakes.
• SLPCohort2021Complex Interplay Between Cognitive Ability and Social Motivation in Predicting Social Skill: A Unique Role for Social Motivation in Children With Autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn children with autism, low social motivation predicts poor social skills independently of IQ. This link is strongest in those without intellectual disability. For these children, targeting social motivation may be more effective than focusing solely on skill acquisition.
• SLPPilot2021Ameliorating the disadvantage for autistic job seekers: An initial evaluation of adapted employment interview questions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAdapting job interview questions by breaking them into parts and giving candidates a printout improved answer quality for both autistic and non-autistic applicants. This reduced the disadvantage autistic candidates faced when answering standard questions, though employers still rated them lower on overall impression.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021New obstacles and widening gaps: A qualitative study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. adults with disabilities.Disability and health journalThirty-eight U.S. adults with disabilities described how pandemic measures created new barriers. Masks blocked communication for speech-readers, drive-through testing was inaccessible, and telehealth helped some but burdened others. These obstacles varied by disability type but affected every group in the study.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021School outcomes of adolescents with cerebral palsy in Sweden.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdolescents with cerebral palsy had significantly lower school grades and were less likely to progress to secondary school or university compared to matched peers. Communication ability was the strongest functional predictor of these poor outcomes, outweighing gross or manual motor skills.
• PTPilot2021Improved cortical activity and reduced gait asymmetry during poststroke self-paced walking rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn seven stroke survivors, self-paced treadmill walking increased brain activity and reduced gait asymmetry compared to fixed-speed walking. This suggests the method engages neural pathways, but long-term clinical trials are needed to prove it improves recovery.
• PTNarrative Review2021Autonomy-hindering scope for physiotherapy practice in African countries: Results of creatures and antinomies of regulatory laws.The South African journal of physiotherapyThis paper reviews the legal definitions of physiotherapy in eight African countries. It finds that most lack clear statutory scopes, hindering professional autonomy. It contains no clinical data or treatment outcomes to guide patient care.
• PTSystematic Review2021Systematic review of screening tools for common soccer injuries and their risk factors.The South African journal of physiotherapyScreening tools like the Functional Movement Screen and Landing Error Scoring System showed high sensitivity and specificity for predicting soccer injuries in the included studies. However, the Functional Movement Screen failed to predict injuries in veteran players and showed only minimal association with physical performance in youth players.
• PTOther2021Reliability of the Cutting Alignment Scoring Tool (CAST) to Assess Trunk and Limb Alignment During a 45-Degree Side-Step Cut.International journal of sports physical therapyThe CAST tool showed good agreement between and within raters for assessing 45-degree side-step cuts in adolescents. Cut width was almost perfectly agreed upon, trunk lean was moderate, but knee valgus scores had only fair agreement.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic from their own perspective.Research in developmental disabilitiesPeople with intellectual disabilities reported that lockdown support depended heavily on where they lived. Those in residential settings lost natural supports and relied on staff, while those at home depended on family. Contact with loved ones was the most missed aspect across all groups.
• OTOther2021Mechanical evaluation of the "Hüfner hand" prosthesis.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalThe Hüfner hand requires far less energy to close and pinch than modern body-powered hands. Its simple design avoids inner gloves that cause friction, offering a model for future prosthetics that could reduce user fatigue.
• PTOTRCT2021The use of game modes to promote engagement and social involvement in multi-user serious games: a within-person randomized trial with stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCollaborative game modes drove significantly higher behavioral involvement than competitive or co-active modes. Competitive modes generated more flow and challenge, particularly for participants with better motor skills and higher cognitive function. Co-active modes produced the lowest engagement metrics.
• PTSurvey2021Physiotherapists' job satisfaction according to employment situation: Findings from an online survey in Austria.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapySelf-employed physiotherapists reported higher job satisfaction than employed colleagues, driven by greater autonomy and recognition. Employed therapists valued recognition most and were more likely to leave if they felt undervalued. Combined employment roles struggled most with work-life balance.
• PTCohort2021Development of a physical mobility prediction model to guide prosthetic rehabilitation.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalPredictions built from similar past patients gave accurate self-reported mobility trajectories for people after lower-limb amputation over 6 months. They gave narrower expected ranges than whole-population estimates, but not yet tested in prospective care.
• SLPCase-Control2021Attend Less, Fear More: Elevated Distress to Social Threat in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe main distress result did not show one overall difference between groups. Toddlers with ASD looked less at the stranger and used more varied regulation strategies; their distress was higher than in typical toddlers in stranger probe and lower in object and mask probes.
• OTSurvey2021Changes in the Employment Status of People With and Without Disabilities in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationDuring early pandemic months, employment fell for people with and without disabilities. Unemployment rose, and the share of unemployed people on temporary layoff increased sharply. By January 2021, employment and unemployment had partly improved, but neither group had fully returned to February 2020 levels.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Distance support and online intervention to blind and visually impaired children during the pandemic COVID-19.Research in developmental disabilitiesDuring lockdown, blind and visually impaired children received online therapy at home. Parents rated the support highly, with median satisfaction scores of 9/10. Professionals also found it useful but rated it lower than parents, citing difficulty adapting face-to-face methods to a screen.
• OTOther2021Generosity of state insurance mandates and growth in the workforce for autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMore generous state autism insurance mandates were associated with greater growth in board certified behavioral analysts and child psychiatrists per 100,000 children. Pediatrician supply did not change. This is an association, not proof the mandates caused the growth.
• SLPOther2020Advances in Specific Language Impairment Research and Intervention: An Overview of Five Research Symposium Papers.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRThis is a summary of a conference symposium covering five different research papers. It outlines broad themes in specific language impairment research, such as early identification and diagnostic criteria, but reports no original data or direct clinical outcomes.
• SLPSurvey2020Perceived barriers to compliance with speech-language therapist dysphagia recommendations of South African nurses.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsNurses reported time constraints (93%) and staff shortages (91%) as the biggest barriers to following dysphagia recommendations. Many also lacked familiarity with SLT terminology (72%) and training (72%). These workplace and knowledge gaps hinder compliance.
• SLPNarrative Review2020Retrieval Practice and Word Learning in Children With Specific Language Impairment and Their Typically Developing Peers.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRRepeated spaced retrieval helps preschool children with specific language impairment learn new words better than repeated study or immediate retrieval. This method improved word form and meaning recall, maintained retention over one week, and helped children apply words to new objects.
• SLPNarrative Review2020Promoting Reading Achievement in Children With Developmental Language Disorders: What Can We Learn From Research on Specific Language Impairment and Dyslexia?Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRChildren with developmental language disorder often go unidentified because their reading skills appear normal. Screening for oral language weaknesses in school reading programs can catch these hidden deficits early. This allows access to support before reading comprehension problems emerge in later grades.
• SLPOther2020Exploring Sentence Diversity at the Boundary of Typical and Impaired Language Abilities.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRToddlers with severe language delays often lack third-person subjects at 30 months, even when producing diverse 'I' sentences. This specific gap predicts persistent impairment. Clinicians should monitor third-person subject diversity as an early risk marker, not just total sentence length.
• OTSLPCase-Control2020Alpha connectivity and inhibitory control in adults with autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismAdults with autism matched controls on lab-based inhibition tasks but reported more everyday difficulties. Brain scans showed reduced alpha-band connectivity in a right-hemisphere network, which correlated with self-reported poor inhibition. This suggests a specific difficulty suppressing distractions in complex real-world settings.
• OTCohort2021Group climate, aggressive incidents and coercion in a secure forensic setting for individuals with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning: A multilevel study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDIn a secure forensic setting for people with mild intellectual disability, residents who perceived a more therapeutic group climate had fewer aggressive incidents. Aggressive incidents were strongly linked to higher use of coercive measures. Improving the social environment may reduce both aggression and coercion.
• SLPOther2021GPS predicts stability of listening environment characteristics in one location over time among older hearing aid users.International journal of audiologyListening environments are more stable at a specific GPS-tagged location than in general, but still fluctuate significantly. Reverberation and noise levels remained consistent about three-quarters of the time, while talker location and visual cues varied so much that fixed hearing aid settings would only be appropriate about half the time.