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 396 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPMeta-Analysis2021Do animated triangles reveal a marked difficulty among autistic people with reading minds?Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic people scored lower than non-autistic people on all types of animated shapes, not just social ones. The gap was slightly wider for social animations, but the difference was small. This suggests general difficulty interpreting motion may contribute more than a specific inability to read minds.
• SLPCohort2021Factors Associated With Self-Perceived Hearing Handicap in Adults From Hispanic/Latino Background: Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.Ear and hearingIn Hispanic/Latino adults with hearing loss, self-reported hearing loss and higher acculturation to English predicted greater perceived handicap. However, overall handicap scores were lower than in non-Hispanic White adults, suggesting standard screening tools may miss difficulties in this population.
• PTCohort2021Hospital readmission in stroke survivors one year versus three years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation: Prevalence and associations in an Asian cohort.Journal of rehabilitation medicine24.0% of stroke survivors were readmitted within one year. Recurrent stroke, falls, seizures, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection were listed causes. Comorbidity, inpatient complications, and lower function at rehabilitation admission were associated with readmission.
• SLPQualitative2021Camouflaging in an everyday social context: An interpersonal recall study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described camouflaging as a exhausting, constant performance to appear non-autistic, which ironically hindered genuine connection. They reported feeling less anxiety and more ease when socialising authentically with supportive partners who accepted their autistic behaviours.
• PTOther2021Hidden Markov Model based stride segmentation on unsupervised free-living gait data in Parkinson's disease patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor daily Parkinson's disease gait data, a Hidden Markov Model scored higher on the main stride-detection measure than a template matching method. Short bouts were the weakest point.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021Self-management at the core of back pain care: 10 key points for clinicians.Brazilian journal of physical therapySelf-management support should be central for persistent low back pain. Reviews of trials reported small to moderate effects on pain, disability and self-efficacy for at least one year, but the evidence quality was low to moderate.
• PTCohort2021Normative Achilles and patellar tendon shear wave speeds and loading patterns during walking in typically developing children.Gait & postureShear wave tensiometry successfully tracked Achilles and patellar tendon loading in twelve typically developing children walking at five speeds. The method revealed distinct swing-phase tendon forces that standard joint moment data missed, providing a new way to visualize muscle-tendon behavior.
• SLPOther2021Can Dual Compression Offer Better Mandarin Speech Intelligibility and Sound Quality Than Fast-Acting Compression?Trends in hearingDual compression hearing aids improved speech understanding in noise by 0.9 dB compared to fast-acting compression. Users also preferred dual compression for comfort and clarity at +4 dB signal-to-noise ratio, though the small gain may not be noticeable to everyone.
• PTCohort2021Composite psychosocial risk based on the fear avoidance model in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Cluster-based analysis.Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports MedicinePatients with moderate-to-high preoperative fear-avoidance risk reported poorer knee function and quality of life during follow-up. They were less likely to report returning to sport at the same level without pain, though this result was not clear. Screening may identify risk.
• OTSLPRCT2021Modulation of atypical brain activation during executive functioning in autism: a pharmacological MRI study of tianeptine.Molecular autismA single dose of tianeptine shifted atypical brain activation in adults with autism towards typical patterns during attention tasks. However, it did not improve actual test performance, so this is a proof of concept for brain changes, not evidence of clinical benefit.
• PTRCT2021IncobotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of lower-limb spasticity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A phase 3 study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineHigher doses were not shown to work better than lower doses, but all incobotulinumtoxinA doses tested reduced plantar flexor tone in children with cerebral palsy lower-limb spasticity.
• PTOTQualitative2021Motivation for Rehabilitation in Patients With Subacute Stroke: A Qualitative Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSubacute stroke patients are driven by extrinsic factors like returning home, work, or family roles, not by enjoyment of therapy itself. Older patients often conserve energy by skipping self-training despite high motivation, so staff should assess motivation through conversation rather than just observing activity levels.
• SLPOther2021Effect of Digital Highlighting on Reading Comprehension Given Text-to-Speech Technology for People with Aphasia.AphasiologyDigital highlighting added to text-to-speech did not improve comprehension accuracy across no, word, or sentence highlighting for adults with chronic aphasia. Participants preferred sentence and word highlighting over no highlighting, but preference did not match measured accuracy.
• PTOther2021The detrimental association between fear of falling and motor performance in older cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.Gait & postureOlder cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and high fear of falling walked 16.1% slower and had 12.4% shorter strides than those with low fear. Postural sway did not differ.
• PTPilot2021Development of a supervised exercise programme for immigrant women: Feasibility study of a practical intervention in a physiotherapy setting.Journal of rehabilitation medicineImmigrant women found a locally delivered, privacy-focused exercise programme feasible and reported subjective benefits like pain reduction and better wellbeing. However, objective physical measures showed no significant change, so this study proves the programme can be run, not that it improves health outcomes.
• SLPCohort2021Susceptibility to Residual Inhibition Is Associated With Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Chronicity.Trends in hearingPeople with hearing loss at their tinnitus pitch were more likely to experience residual inhibition than those with normal hearing. In the normal hearing group, longer tinnitus duration made suppression less likely. Repeated testing produced stable, predictable suppression.
• SLPSystematic Review2021No Evidence That Music Training Benefits Speech Perception in Hearing-Impaired Listeners: A Systematic Review.Trends in hearingAcross 13 trials, music training did not improve speech perception in people with hearing loss or cochlear implants. Studies showing benefits lacked proper control groups or used flawed statistics. Do not prescribe music training expecting it to help patients understand speech better.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Generalizing the predictive relationship between 1-month motor skill retention and Rey-Osterrieth Delayed Recall scores from nondemented older adults to individuals with chronic stroke: a short report.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding visuospatial memory test scores to prediction models modestly improved accuracy for 1-month motor skill retention in older adults and people with stroke. The benefit was small and based on very few stroke patients, so it is not yet a clinical tool.
• PTCohort2021Parent-Reported PEDI-CAT Mobility and Gross Motor Function in Infants With Cerebral Palsy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationParents reported their infants' daily mobility accurately. Scores matched therapist assessments closely, even for babies with severe motor impairments. This allows PTs to use a short parent questionnaire to capture typical daily function without a lengthy clinic evaluation.
• SLPCase Series2021Simultaneous Intra- and Extracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation to Enhance Response Interpretation.Trends in hearingEarly drops in intracochlear electrical signals during cochlear implant insertion often reflect electrode position changes rather than cochlear damage. Simultaneous extracochlear recordings help distinguish these harmless shifts from true trauma, which typically appears as late signal decreases.
• PTCohort2021Considering Domain-Specific Experiential Learning: Self-Efficacy in Pediatric Physical Therapy Education.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationPhysical therapy students reported more confidence communicating with children and caregivers and handling children clinically after a pediatric curriculum. Starting confidence was linked to prior contact with children.
• SLPPilot2021Integrating Behavior of Children with Profound Intellectual, Multiple, or Severe Motor Disabilities With Location and Environment Data Sensors for Independent Communication and Mobility: App Development and Pilot Testing.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA new app let caregivers record children with severe or profound disabilities' sounds, movements, and facial expressions with location and weather data. It collected most data well, but indoor location detection was weakest, and no communication benefit was tested.
• SLPOther2021Validity and reliability of the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life (CIQOL)-35 Profile and CIQOL-10 Global instruments in comparison to legacy instruments.Ear and hearingThe CIQOL-35 and CIQOL-10 are validated tools for assessing quality of life in adult cochlear implant users. They show strong reliability and capture domains like listening effort and entertainment that standard speech tests and older questionnaires miss.
• PTOther2021Sampling rate influences the regularity analysis of temporal domain measures of walking more than spatial domain measures.Gait & postureLowering camera sampling rates distorts time-based gait variability and regularity, making steps appear artificially periodic. Spatial measures remain stable except at very low rates. Researchers should sample at ~120 Hz to ensure accurate gait analysis.
• SLPOther2021A Comparison of Environment Classification Among Premium Hearing Instruments.Trends in hearingPremium hearing aids classify environments very differently from each other and from human listeners. Devices A, B, and E agreed with humans on speech in quiet, but C and D switched to noise classes as volume rose. Music scenes caused the most disagreement across all brands.
• PTOther2021Using a simple rope-pulley system that mechanically couples the arms, legs, and treadmill reduces the metabolic cost of walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHealthy walkers used a rope-pulley system linking arms to legs on a treadmill. It did not assist leg swing as intended, but instead reduced net metabolic power by 17% by shifting propulsion demands from the legs to the whole body via the treadmill belt.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Women with cerebral palsy: A qualitative study about their experiences with sexual and reproductive health education and services.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineWomen with cerebral palsy reported that providers often assumed they were not sexually active, omitting basic sexual health education and exams. They faced physical barriers like inaccessible exam tables and privacy conflicts when needing assistance, leading to a heavy reliance on self-advocacy.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2021Sleep disorders in rare genetic syndromes: a meta-analysis of prevalence and profile.Molecular autismSleep disorders are common in rare genetic syndromes, but the type varies by syndrome. Screen for breathing issues in Mucopolysaccharidosis II, daytime sleepiness in Smith-Magenis, and insomnia broadly. Do not treat all poor sleep as behavioural.
• PTCohort2021Twelve-Week Quadriceps Strength as A Predictor of Quadriceps Strength At Time Of Return To Sport Testing Following Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyQuadriceps strength at 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction predicts strength at return-to-sport testing. This allows therapists to identify patients behind schedule early and adjust rehab before they transition out of structured care.
• SLPOther2021Naturalistic evaluation of preschoolers' spontaneous interactions: The Autism Peer Interaction Observation Scale.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceA new 3-hour observation scale reliably distinguished preschoolers with autism from typical peers, highlighting specific deficits in eye contact, complex social reciprocity, and conversation quality. It correlates with teacher ratings but shows weak links to standard diagnostic tools, suggesting it captures unique peer interaction skills.
• PTSystematic Review2021Functional electrical stimulation cycling exercise after spinal cord injury: a systematic review of health and fitness-related outcomes.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor adults with spinal cord injury, functional electrical stimulation cycling consistently improved lower-body muscle health across studies. It also often increased leg power and aerobic fitness. Evidence for other health outcomes was weaker and less consistent.
• PTCohort2021Individual stiffness optimization of dorsal leaf spring ankle-foot orthoses in people with calf muscle weakness is superior to standard bodyweight-based recommendations.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBody weight-based stiffness recommendations for dorsal leaf spring AFOs often prescribe orthoses that are too stiff. Experimentally optimizing stiffness to find a more flexible setting reduced walking energy cost by an additional 4.9% compared to the supplier's recommendation.
• PTOther2021Reducing the metabolic energy of walking and running using an unpowered hip exoskeleton.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAn unpowered hip exoskeleton reduced the metabolic cost of both walking and running in healthy young men. Walking energy use dropped by 8.2% and running by 9.1% at their respective optimal spring stiffnesses, or by roughly 7% for both at a single common setting.
• SLPCohort2021Rate of Communicative Gestures and Developmental Outcomes in Toddlers With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder During a Home Observation.American journal of speech-language pathologyAt home, toddlers with autism used fewer different gestures and communicated less often than toddlers with typical development. Their gesture inventory and overall communication rate were linked to later language and development scores.
• PTOTRCT2021Executive Function Moderates Functional Outcomes of Engagement Strategies During Rehabilitation in Older Adults.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationNo overall difference between Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation and standard physical and occupational therapy was found in this exploratory analysis. Higher clock drawing scores were associated with higher discharge function in patients receiving the Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation approach.
• OTOther2021A co-twin-control study of altered sensory processing in autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceWithin identical twin pairs, higher autism traits were still linked to less noticing and more avoiding sensory input. Sensitivity differences were found only in fraternal pairs. Across the sample, autism traits and diagnosis were linked to sensory differences.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews.International journal of sports physical therapyCorticosteroid injections relieve lateral epicondylitis pain in the short term (2-8 weeks). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are superior for long-term pain relief and function (beyond 8 weeks). PRP preparation and injection techniques vary widely across studies, limiting specific protocol guidance.
• OTQualitative2021Autistic adults' subjective experiences of hoarding and self-injurious behaviors.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceTen autistic adults described hoarding objects for emotional security and memory, not just special interests. Half reported self-injury to regulate distress or sensation. These behaviors serve specific functions. Ask about them directly, as they may be hidden from family.
• Other2021Distinct, dosage-sensitive requirements for the autism-associated factor CHD8 during cortical development.Molecular autismThe autism-associated factor CHD8 affects mouse brain development in a threshold way. Mild loss enlarged brains by increasing progenitor growth, severe loss made brains smaller through cell death. This does not test human therapy.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2021The Efficacy and Treatment Fidelity of Kinesiology Taping in Conjunction With Conservative Treatment Interventions Among Individuals With Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.International journal of sports physical therapyAdding kinesiology tape to shoulder exercises showed no significant pain reduction, but suggested large improvements in disability and range of motion. However, most studies had poor treatment fidelity, meaning the tape application was inconsistent, so these positive findings are unreliable.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2021Does Probe-Tube Verification of Real-Ear Hearing Aid Amplification Characteristics Improve Outcomes in Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Trends in hearingVerifying hearing aid settings with real-ear measures leads to better speech understanding and higher user preference than relying on initial fit alone. Patients prefer these verified fittings, though the clinical size of the benefit remains unclear.
• SLPRCT2021Oxytocin-induced increase in N,N-dimethylglycine and time course of changes in oxytocin efficacy for autism social core symptoms.Molecular autismIn men with autism, six weeks of oxytocin raised blood levels of a metabolite called DMG. This rise tracked with early behavioral improvements that faded by week four, but did not correlate with overall six-week outcomes, suggesting DMG marks timing of efficacy rather than total benefit.
• Pilot2021Feasibility of an Internet-Based Intervention to Promote Exercise for People With Spinal Cord Injury: Observational Pilot Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTen people with spinal cord injury engaged in a 4-week web-based exercise program with 75% overall consistency. Most attended videoconferences and completed activities, but fewer synced their activity monitors.
• SLPOther2021Instrumental Quality Predictions and Analysis of Auditory Cues for Algorithms in Modern Headphone Technology.Trends in hearingModels that track one-ear frequency changes predicted listeners' quality ratings of distorted sounds from smart headphones and hearing devices best. Both-ear-only predictions were weak. This is an algorithm evaluation, not patient outcome evidence.
• PTOther2021Comfort and discomfort during smartphone use on a bed.Work (Reading, Mass.)Smartphone users on a bed felt most comfortable at backrest angles of 142 to 120 degrees. Even in that preferred position, 36% reported lower-back discomfort and 24% neck discomfort.
• PTCase Report2021A Targeted Approach to Evaluating the Golfing Athlete with Low Back Pain: A Resident's Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA golfer with right-sided low back pain reported being pain-free after golfing and working out following seven visits of manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, home exercises, and education. The report describes a single person, not proof that this approach works.
• PTOther2021Reliability and Validity of the Y-balance Test in Young Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain.International journal of sports physical therapyYoung adults with chronic low back pain reached shorter distances on the Y-balance test than matched pain-free adults. Testers showed excellent agreement scoring the test after brief training. The test is portable and inexpensive.
• SLPOther2021Perceptions of people with aphasia about supporting reading with text-to-speech technology: A convergent mixed methods study.Journal of communication disordersMost people with aphasia were interested in text-to-speech reading support after trying it, but few used it daily. They valued choosing the voice and speed. The biggest worry was struggling to operate the device independently, not the cost.
• SLPSystematic Review2021Alternative and Augmentative Communication Technologies for Supporting Adults With Mild Intellectual Disabilities During Clinical Consultations: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesCommunication aids like patient passports and easy-read cards help adults with mild intellectual disabilities share health information. Evidence on whether they actually improve clinical outcomes is weak and mixed, with some tools showing no benefit over standard care.
• PTSurvey2021Does the Conservative Non-pharmacological Management of Knee Osteoarthritis in Switzerland Reflect the Clinical Guidelines? A Survey Among General Practitioners, Rheumatologists, and Orthopaedic Surgeons.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSwiss doctors rarely refer knee OA patients to exercise, estimating only 54% of their patients receive it. Patient disinterest is the top barrier. Doctors rely on clinical judgment and patient suffering rather than guidelines when deciding to refer to exercise.