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 395 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2021Accuracy and reliability of a smartphone application for measuring the knee joint angle.Journal of physical therapy scienceA Japanese smartphone photo app measured mannequin knee angles as closely as a standard goniometer. It was repeatable across examiners and over three days, but this was tested only on fixed mannequin knees, not on patients.
• SLPOther2021Mechanisms of Spectrotemporal Modulation Detection for Normal- and Hearing-Impaired Listeners.Trends in hearingHearing-impaired listeners did not show greater random variability, but they weighted modulation features less selectively and more variably than normal-hearing listeners. Broader cochlear tuning may explain the group-level differences.
• Other2021Analysis of common genetic variation and rare CNVs in the Australian Autism Biobank.Molecular autismGenetic risk scores for autism were higher in the biobank cohort than in population controls, but did not predict individual diagnosis or autism severity. Scores for IQ and sleep chronotype did predict those traits, though only in specific groups.
• SLPOther2021Perceived Sound Quality Dimensions Influencing Frequency-Gain Shaping Preferences for Hearing Aid-Amplified Speech and Music.Trends in hearingListeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss preferred more low-frequency and less high-frequency gain than standard prescriptions, especially for pop music. These adjustments improved perceived sound quality. However, preferences varied widely between individuals, and the study used sealed earphones, so results may not apply to open-fit hearing aids.
• PTCase Report2021Examining the Feasibility of Early Mobilization With Virtual Reality Gaming Using Head-Mounted Display and Adaptive Software With Adolescents in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Case Report.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTwo adolescents in intensive care completed VR gaming added to usual early mobility physical therapy for an average of 27 minutes per session, with no serious adverse events related to the intervention, although technical issues and adverse events occurred.
• OTSLPRCT2021Clinical effectiveness of the sequential 4-channel NMES compared with that of the conventional 2-channel NMES for the treatment of dysphagia in a prospective double-blind randomized controlled study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSequential 4-channel electrical stimulation improved swallowing scores and reduced aspiration more effectively than conventional 2-channel stimulation in stroke patients. Both groups received standard swallowing exercises, so the benefit cannot be attributed to the electrical device alone.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Narrative review of clinical practice guidelines for treating people with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury.NeuroRehabilitationOnly 17 clinical practice guidelines for moderate-to-severe TBI rehabilitation met rigorous vetting standards since 2010. Most guidelines focus on symptom control rather than functional recovery, and many published documents labeled as guidelines lack the necessary systematic review process to be trustworthy.
• SLPCohort2021Outcomes of newborn hearing screening at an academic secondary level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsNewborn hearing screening at a South African hospital failed to meet quality benchmarks. Nearly half of screened babies were referred for repeat testing, far above the 5% target. Most infants with refer results did not return for follow-up, and no risk factors predicted referral.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Healthcare-seeking behavior and awareness of physical therapy among Japanese residents in Thailand: a descriptive study.Journal of physical therapy scienceJapanese residents in Thailand mostly use hospitals, not physical therapy clinics. Younger groups used PT more than older adults, who preferred prevention. Word-of-mouth was the main source of healthcare information.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021How to objectively assess and observe maladaptive pain behaviors in clinical rehabilitation: a systematic search and review.Archives of physiotherapyOnly two brief observation tools passed the authors' clinic and quality checks: the Pain Behaviour Scale and the Behavioral Avoidance Test-Back Pain. Both are validated only for chronic low back pain.
• PTOTCohort2021Relationship between gait speed and trunk muscles in frail elderly individuals.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 12 frail older adults, thicker lower abdominal and deep core muscles correlated with faster walking. This links trunk structure to gait speed but does not prove that strengthening these muscles improves walking or prevents falls.
• Systematic Review2021Prediction in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPrediction differences in autism were mixed: brain responses to repeated tones and faces often showed less dampening, and social predictions were often impaired, but many learned predictions were intact. The review did not conclude that therapy helps.
• PTOTCohort2021The utility of upper limb loading device in determining optimal walking ability in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoMost participants could progress to a cane or no device, walking faster and further than walker users. Upper limb loading correlated with walking ability, suggesting the device may help therapists identify who can safely reduce support.
• OTRCT2021Virtual interview training for autistic transition age youth: A randomized controlled feasibility and effectiveness trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth using a virtual interview simulator alongside school transition services showed better interview skills and higher competitive employment rates than those receiving services alone. They also reported less interview anxiety. The training was feasible for teachers to deliver.
• PTOTQualitative2021Parents' Perspectives on a Computer Game-Assisted Rehabilitation Program for Manual Dexterity in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Qualitative Analysis of Expectations, Child Engagement, and Benefits.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesParents found game-assisted hand therapy more engaging than conventional therapy for children with cerebral palsy, noting improved dexterity and interest. They requested more frequent updates to maintain challenge and expressed interest in home-based use.
• PTQualitative2021Parents' perspectives on nusinersen treatment for children with spinal muscular atrophy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents described choosing nusinersen as weighing survival, disease progression, and their child's daily life. Clear, neutral physician communication and accessible information helped them feel able to accept or decline treatment.
• OTOther2021Effect of asymmetrical buttock pressure on forces exerted in buttock movement when using a reclining chair.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe overall sliding force on the buttocks during reclining did not change with a 2 cm cushion height difference. When pressure was asymmetrical, the high-pressure side had higher sliding force than the low-pressure side.
• OTSurvey2021Evaluating the self-determination continuum towards seeking support among people with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities mostly sought support because it helped them or fit their values. Finding support personally useful was linked to higher life satisfaction; feeling no motivation was linked to lower life satisfaction.
• OTSLPCohort2021Early Pandemic Experiences of Autistic Adults: Predictors of Psychological Distress.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNearly half of autistic adults reported moderate-to-severe psychological distress early in the pandemic. Distress levels remained stable over two months despite worsening life disruptions. Frequent hopefulness predicted lower distress and greater resilience, suggesting emotional supports should target hope.
• Narrative Review2021Mind the translational gap: using iPS cell models to bridge from genetic discoveries to perturbed pathways and therapeutic targets.Molecular autismThis review explains how laboratory-grown stem cells can model autism biology. It contains no clinical trials or patient outcomes, so there is nothing here to change your current therapy practice.
• SLPOther2021The Feasibility and Reliability of a Digits-in-Noise Test in the Clinical Follow-Up of Children With Mild to Profound Hearing Loss.Ear and hearingMost children with hearing loss could complete the Digits-in-Noise test during routine visits, but 15% could not finish the second list due to attention or time. The test showed high reliability, though the current two-list procedure needs optimization for clinical use.
• SLPOther2021Effects of Hearing Loss on School-Aged Children's Ability to Benefit From F0 Differences Between Target and Masker Speech.Ear and hearingHearing aid users with mild-to-severe loss recognized speech in noise better when the target voice was 9 semitones higher than the background. This benefit was smaller than in normal-hearing peers and less pronounced in children under 12.
• SLPCohort2021Methodological aspects of using a wearable eye-tracker to support diagnostic clinical evaluation of prolonged disorders of consciousness.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWearable eye-tracking was feasible for assessing consciousness in four patients. In most disagreements with clinical scores, the tracker detected responses the clinicians missed. This suggests it might uncover hidden consciousness, but the study was too small to prove it works.
• PTCohort2021The role of pre-season health characteristics as injury risk factors in female adolescent soccer players.Journal of physical therapy scienceHistory of concussion correlated with more injuries in female high school soccer players. Pre-season neck pain and dizziness were associated with slower eye movement test scores, but subjective complaints alone did not predict injury count in this small sample.
• SLPCohort2021Tinnitus and 3-Year Change in Audiometric Hearing Thresholds.Ear and hearingPersistent tinnitus was linked to greater risk of hearing getting worse over 3 years, including in women whose baseline hearing tests were normal. Bothersome tinnitus showed stronger links. Ask about tinnitus and consider hearing surveillance.
• SLPOther2021Mapping Meta-Therapy in Voice Interventions onto the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System.Seminars in speech and languageNo patients or outcomes are reported. This conceptual mapping of voice therapy meta-therapy offers no clinical finding to act on.
• PTOTSurvey2021Smartphone addiction and its association with upper body musculoskeletal symptoms among university students classified by age and gender.Journal of physical therapy scienceUniversity students classified as addicted to their smartphones were far more likely to report neck and shoulder pain than those who were not. This association held even after adjusting for age and gender, with female students and those over 20 also showing higher rates of symptoms.
• SLPOther2021Place-Pitch Interval Perception With a Cochlear Implant.Ear and hearingCochlear implant users could hear pitch direction but not musical intervals. They rated melodies as equally out-of-tune whether the notes were spaced correctly or distorted. This explains why music often sounds discordant to implant users despite good speech understanding.
• PTCase-Control2021Lower limb kinematics of single-leg squat performance in patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn patients with an ACL-deficient knee, the injured leg showed less knee valgus during a single-leg squat than the uninjured leg. This counterintuitive finding suggests patients may subconsciously avoid the valgus position to protect the unstable knee.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical validation of kinematic assessments of post-stroke upper limb movements with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExoskeleton-based kinematic assessment accurately predicted motor impairment in severely impaired stroke patients. Shoulder internal/external rotation and grip pressure were the strongest predictors. This method took 6 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for the clinical Fugl-Meyer Assessment.
• SLPNarrative Review2021Functional Voice Assessment and Therapy Methods Supported by Telepractice, VoiceEvalU8, and Estill Voice Training.Seminars in speech and languageNo study methods or results are reported. The narrative clinical review with hypothetical cases describes ideas for functional voice assessment and therapy but provides no evidence to change practice.
• OTSLPCohort2021Understanding Stability and Change in Perceived Social Support in Parents of Autistic Children and Adolescents.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPerceived social support, parent stress, and child behavior problems remained stable over one year. Higher support predicted lower stress and fewer behavior problems at 6 months, but stress and behavior did not predict later support. Interventions targeting support may help, but stability suggests early access is key.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Exploring an e-learning community's response to the language and terminology use in autism from two massive open online courses on autism education and technology use.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceLearners in autism education courses found no single preferred term. Self-advocates and families mostly chose 'autistic', while professionals varied. All groups agreed the key rule is to ask the individual what they prefer and respect their choice over any standard terminology.
• SLPOther2021The ASL-LEX 2.0 Project: A Database of Lexical and Phonological Properties for 2,723 Signs in American Sign Language.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationFrequent American Sign Language signs were rated less iconic and shorter in ASL-LEX 2.0, a database of 2,723 signs that may help SLPs choose assessment or teaching targets.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Predictors of mental health among parents of children with cerebral palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran: A web-based cross-sectional study.Research in developmental disabilitiesCaregiver burden predicted anxiety, depression, and stress more strongly than income or education. About half of parents reported anxiety symptoms. For therapists, this means assessing and reducing the daily load of care, not just the child's function, is central to supporting the family.
• PTSystematic Review2021The future of General Movement Assessment: The role of computer vision and machine learning - A scoping review.Research in developmental disabilitiesAutomated video analysis of infant general movements is advancing, but no current tool matches trained human assessment. It may support early referral later, not replace clinical evaluation.
• PTOther2021Effect of the use of a body weight-supported walker on gait parameters in hemiplegic stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceWith 25% body weight supported in a walker, 19 hemiplegic stroke patients walked faster, with longer strides and more symmetrical steps than with their usual walking aid. This was a single supported walk, not evidence that training improved walking.
• PTOTRCT2021Augmented efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation on the virtual reality-based cycling training for upper limb function in patients with stroke: a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to virtual reality cycling reduced spasticity and improved participation in stroke patients. However, it did not improve upper limb motor function compared to sham stimulation plus the same exercise. The benefit was specific to tone and daily life involvement, not movement quality.
• OTSLPOther2021Listening Effort in School-Aged Children With Limited Useable Hearing Unilaterally: Examining the Effects of a Personal, Digital Remote Microphone System and a Contralateral Routing of Signal System.Trends in hearingA personal remote microphone helped children with one-sided hearing loss understand speech and listen with less effort in most classroom-like conditions. A CROS system only helped when speech came from the deaf side. It made listening worse when speech came from the hearing side.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Not just at school: Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder in a weight management program in a community pediatric setting.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism completed an inclusive weight management program at the same rate as peers without autism. They achieved similar weight outcomes. Adaptations like predictable routines and sensory adjustments allowed them to participate fully alongside typically developing children.
• SLPSurvey2021Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?Molecular autismAutistic adults who reported more camouflaging had more generalised anxiety, social anxiety and depression symptoms. The link was strongest for anxiety and similar across men and women. This was an association, not proof camouflaging caused poor mental health.
• SLPCase-Control2021Autism Detection in Children by Combined Use of Gaze Preference and the M-CHAT-R in a Resource-Scarce Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdding a 15-second gaze test to the M-CHAT-R improved autism screening accuracy in Peruvian children, raising specificity from 63% to 92%. This reduced false alarms but lowered sensitivity to 64%, meaning some cases would be missed.
• OTSLPQualitative2021'It's not that they don't want to access the support . . . it's the impact of the autism': The experience of eating disorder services from the perspective of autistic women, parents and healthcare professionals.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic women with anorexia described standard eating disorder treatments as mismatched to their needs. Cognitive behavioural therapy failed because it assumed abstract skills they lacked, while group therapy caused shutdown due to social demands. Practical occupational therapy and emotion-focused dialectical behaviour therapy were valued more highly.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Factors associated with falls in community-dwelling older adults: an analysis based on subscales of the frailty screening index.Journal of physical therapy scienceFalls in older adults were linked to three specific frailty signs: not walking weekly, feeling slower, and unexplained tiredness. These items predicted falls better than the total frailty score. Check these three questions when screening community-dwelling patients.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Using Biofeedback to Reduce Step Length Asymmetry Impairs Dynamic Balance in People Poststroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairUsing visual feedback to reduce step length asymmetry in people post-stroke increased forward body rotation during walking, suggesting impaired dynamic balance rather than improvement. The strategy used to achieve symmetry matters, as participants varied in how they compensated.
• PTOTCohort2021Shedding light on light exposure in elderly with intellectual disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRElderly people with intellectual disabilities in group homes spend their day in low light. They rarely get the bright exposure linked to better sleep and mood, especially on weekends. This is a descriptive finding, not proof that lighting changes cause their health issues.
• PTPilot2021Effects of Orthoses on Standing Postural Control and Muscle Activity in Children With Cerebral Palsy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationA custom orthosis reduced center-of-gravity sway compared with bare feet or the usual AFO, and reduced eyes-closed loss of balance compared with bare feet. Muscle activity did not decrease.
• SLPSurvey2021Assessing the quality of support and discovering sources of resilience during COVID-19 measures in people with intellectual disabilities by professional carers.Research in developmental disabilitiesProfessional carers of people with intellectual disabilities rated contact quality lower during lockdown, 3.08 of 5 versus 3.90 before. They most often recognized positive thinking, 85.9% of clients, and rated routine highest for resilience.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Evaluation of sex differences in preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder enrolled in the study to explore early development.Research in developmental disabilitiesPreschool boys and girls with autism symptoms scored almost identically on behavior, development, and screening tests. Small differences in restricted interests were not clinically meaningful. Screening tools appear equally sensitive for young children of both sexes, so do not assume girls present differently at this age.
• PTCohort2021Biomechanical Changes During a 90º Cut in Collegiate Female Soccer Players With Participation in the 11.International journal of sports physical therapySoccer players using the 11+ warm-up showed a clinically meaningful reduction in risky knee collapse during a 90° cut on their non-dominant leg. This change did not reach statistical significance, so treat it as a promising signal rather than proof of efficacy.