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 460 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSurvey2023Work limitations as a moderator of the relationship between job crafting and work performance: results from an SEM analysis of cross-sectional survey data.Journal of occupational rehabilitationJob crafting predicted better work performance only through higher engagement. Having work limitations weakened the link between job crafting and performance. Self-directed job changes alone may not overcome the barriers faced by workers with disabilities.
• PTOTCohort2023Post-fracture rehabilitation pathways and association with mortality among adults with cerebral palsy.Clinical rehabilitationIn adults with cerebral palsy discharged home after a fracture, starting outpatient physical or occupational therapy within 6 months was associated with lower 1-year mortality. Each additional week of therapy correlated with a 13% unadjusted and 16% adjusted reduction in mortality risk.
• PTCohort2022Aging after stroke: how to define post-stroke sarcopenia and what are its risk factors?European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineStandard sarcopenia tests fail in chronic stroke survivors because the weak paretic hand triggers false positives. When using only the unaffected hand, prevalence drops to 18-25%. The affected upper limb loses more muscle and bone than the lower limb, suggesting walking and spasticity protect the legs.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Post stroke intervention trial in fatigue (POSITIF): Randomised multicentre feasibility trial.Clinical rehabilitationTelephone-delivered CBT for post-stroke fatigue showed no significant benefit over a leaflet at six months. Both groups improved similarly. The intervention was feasible to deliver but adherence was low, with only 59% of the intervention group attending four or more sessions.
• PTOTSurvey2022Worldwide Survey of Clinician Practice on use of Adjunctive Therapies Following Botulinum Toxin Injection for Spasticity.Journal of rehabilitation medicineClinicians worldwide mostly prescribe home exercise, stretching, and splinting after botulinum toxin for spasticity. The main barriers are lack of time, money, and evidence, not patient refusal. Practice patterns are largely uniform across settings.
• Cohort2022The Effect of CMS's Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Bundled Payment Model on Trajectories of Post-acute Rehabilitation Care After Total Hip Arthroplasty.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPatients discharged to rehab facilities in bundled-payment areas were less likely to return home by 90 days compared to those in non-bundled areas. However, overall escalation to institutional care decreased over time regardless of the policy.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Barriers to Enrollment in Post-Stroke Brain Stimulation in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairOnly 1.9% of acute stroke patients qualified for a brain stimulation trial. Most exclusions were due to strict study criteria like prior strokes or age, not safety concerns. This suggests future trials need broader eligibility to improve enrollment rates.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022How do stroke survivors and their caregivers manage post-stroke fatigue? A qualitative study.Clinical rehabilitationStroke survivors and caregivers described managing post-stroke fatigue through acceptance, pacing, rest, diaries, goals, and talking with family. Strategies varied by person, and many said clinicians had not discussed fatigue or its management.
• SLPCohort2022Contextual Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Connectome: Differential Effects of Deployment- and Non-Deployment-Acquired Injuries.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationCombat veterans with mild brain injury sustained during deployment showed less efficient brain communication and a less centralized network structure compared to those with non-deployment injuries. These differences persisted an average of 11 years post-injury, suggesting chronic neurobiological changes distinct from PTSD effects.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Skeletal Muscle Changes in the First Three Months of Stroke Recovery: A Systematic Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn the first three months after stroke, muscle strength on the affected side generally increased while muscle thickness decreased. These small-to-moderate strength gains occurred despite muscle wasting, suggesting early recovery may rely more on neural changes than muscle growth.
• Other2022Pros and Cons of Randomized Controlled Trials and Benchmarking Controlled Trials in Rehabilitation: An Academic Debate within the European Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThis paper is an academic debate about research methods, not a clinical study. Experts discussed when to use randomized trials versus observational benchmarking trials in rehabilitation. It contains no patient results or treatment outcomes to guide clinical decisions.
• Other2022Financial hardship experienced by people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.Disability and health journalDuring the Delta and Omicron waves, 52% of adults with disabilities struggled to pay household expenses, compared to 24% of nondisabled adults. They relied less on regular income and more on credit, savings, and social assistance. This disparity persisted even after accounting for job loss and demographics.
• PTOTQualitative2022Living With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTen people with cervical spinal cord injury described how the pandemic forced difficult trade-offs between infection risk and essential caregiving. They found telemedicine helpful for routine care but inadequate for hands-on therapy, while isolation and loss of support severely impacted mental health.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Supporting Sexual Functioning and Satisfaction During Rehabilitation after Spinal Cord Injury: Barriers and Facilitators Identified by Healthcare Professionals.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHealthcare professionals identified awkwardness and lack of training as key barriers to discussing sexual health in spinal injury rehab. They recommended normalizing the topic through standardized assessments, creating sex-focused patient resources, and actively including partners in care.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Physical therapy for facial nerve paralysis (Bell's palsy): An updated and extended systematic review of the evidence for facial exercise therapy.Clinical rehabilitationFacial exercise therapy is supported by recent evidence for improving facial function in Bell's palsy. However, the review could not combine data because studies varied widely in design, patient severity, and whether exercises were given alone or mixed with other treatments.
• Qualitative2022Pregnancy recommendations from women with intellectual and developmental disabilities to their peers.Disability and health journalWomen with intellectual disabilities advised peers to plan births early, research providers, and keep homes mold-free to satisfy child protective services. They emphasized asking for more time to understand care and relying on support people to advocate during medical decisions.
• PTOTOther2023Spasticity-related pain in children/adolescents with cerebral palsy. Part 2: IncobotulinumtoxinA efficacy results from a pooled analysis.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with cerebral palsy reported less spasticity-related pain after incobotulinumtoxinA injections, with relief deepening over four cycles. By the fourth cycle, 33.8% were pain-free during hard tasks. Without a placebo group, some improvement may reflect natural variation rather than the drug alone.
• SLPPilot2023The Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool for Mobile Health (BASTmHealth): Development and Compliance in 2 Weeks of Daily Reporting in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMost people with chronic TBI completed daily symptom reports via text message over two weeks, with 96.7% compliance among those who finished. The tool was rated easy to use, but those who dropped out had more severe symptoms.
• PTOther2023The Associations Between Illness Perceptions and Expectations About Return to Work of Workers With Chronic Diseases and Their Significant Others: A Dyadic Analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers on sick leave and their partners or family members shared similar views about the illness and the worker's return to work. More negative illness perceptions in either person linked to lower expectations of returning to work within six months for both.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Injury Profiles of Police Recruits Undergoing Basic Physical Training: A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationInjury risk during police training was significantly higher for female recruits and those aged 30 or older. Lower limb and shoulder injuries caused the most time away from training, suggesting prevention efforts should target these areas and high-risk groups.
• PTOTCohort2023Acute Occupational and Physical Therapy for Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAdults with COVID-19 who received therapy often had impaired activity tolerance, balance, strength, and cognition. ICU patients improved on mobility and daily activity scores by discharge, but gains were not compared with patients who did not receive therapy.
• OTSurvey2023Initial Evidence for Reliable and Valid Use of Scores on the 8-Item Econ-QOL Short Form to Measure Economic Quality of Life in Caregivers of Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe 8-item Econ-QOL short form seems a dependable way to ask caregivers of persons with TBI about economic quality of life. It identified caregivers below or possibly below the poverty line as having worse economic well-being.
• PTOTQualitative2023Developing A Conceptual Framework for Early Intervention Vocational Rehabilitation for People Following Spinal Cord Injury.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEarly vocational rehab for spinal cord injury works by building hope through consistent team messaging and trusting relationships. Speed and direction are governed by the patient, not the clock. No time pressure to return to work may help, but evidence is limited to New Zealand's compensation system.
• PTOTCohort2023Natural Course of Muscular Strength, Physical Performance, and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMost hospitalized COVID-19 patients improved over 12 weeks, but sit-to-stand speed remained slow in many. Hand grip strength was normal in almost all, so lower-limb function lagged behind.
• OTRCT2023A study of prisms and therapy in attention loss after stroke (SPATIAL): A feasibility randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationAdding brief prism adaptation training to routine occupational therapy for stroke patients with spatial inattention showed no benefit. The intervention was feasible and acceptable to patients and therapists, but the authors concluded it is not worth pursuing in a larger trial.
• OTSurvey2023Positive Organizational Psychology Factors as Serial Multiple Mediators of the Relationship between Organization Support and Job Satisfaction Among Peer Support Specialists.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPerceived organizational support was linked to higher job satisfaction in peer support specialists, but this link was fully explained by three workplace factors: autonomous motivation, work engagement, and organizational commitment. Direct support alone did not predict satisfaction once these factors were accounted for.
• PTRCT2022Efficacy of telehealth core exercises during COVID-19 after bariatric surgery: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineEight weeks of telehealth-supervised core exercises improved core endurance, balance, and walking distance in patients six months after bariatric surgery. The control group, who did not perform the exercises, showed no significant changes in these outcomes.
• PTPilot2022Feasibility of repeated session error-augmentation gait training for people with nontraumatic transtibial amputation.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalStep length symmetry improved one week after repeated split-belt error-augmentation training in people with non-traumatic transtibial amputation. Seven of eight completed training, but one developed a residual limb blister and there was no control group.
• Other2022The development of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enrollment accessibility (SNAP-access) score.Disability and health journalMost state SNAP websites lack enrollment options and information that people with disabilities need. Few offer email, phone, or TTY enrollment, and most omit accommodation details. This tool highlights gaps in digital access for benefits, not clinical outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Telehealth and Remote Interventions for Children With Cerebral Palsy: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesEvidence for telehealth in children with cerebral palsy is scarce and of poor quality, primarily from underpowered pilots. While aggregate results suggest telehealth may match or improve face-to-face care for hand function, clinical recommendations are not possible due to methodological flaws and inconsistent outcome measures.
• PTOTPilot2022Muscle adaptations in acute SCI following overground exoskeleton + FES training: A pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding exoskeleton and electrical stimulation to standard care helped six people with acute spinal cord injury build leg muscle volume. It also improved static balance. However, the study was too small to prove these changes were real or to confirm the treatment works.
• PTOTCohort2022Increasing the Amount and Intensity of Stepping Training During Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Improves Locomotor and Non-Locomotor Outcomes.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPrioritizing high-intensity stepping in inpatient stroke rehab improved walking speed and distance compared to usual care. This occurred without hurting balance or transfer scores. However, falls increased in the high-intensity group. The study was non-randomized and relied on historical controls.
• PTOther2022The Impact of Cognitive Impairment on Robot-Based Upper-Limb Motor Assessment in Chronic Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChronic stroke survivors with visual-spatial and executive problems tracked a robot crank worse, even when their arm motor scores were similar. Robot upper-limb assessment may reflect thinking as well as movement.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Varus Knee Limits Pain Relief Effects of Laterally Wedged Insoles and Ankle-Foot Orthoses in Medial Knee Osteoarthritis.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with less severe knee varus alignment experienced greater pain relief from both laterally wedged insoles and ankle-foot orthoses. A mechanical axis deviation under approximately 14.5 mm predicted a positive response to either device with over 80% sensitivity.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Effects of Different Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Haemodynamic Responses and Motor Performance in Acute Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFive daily sessions of dual-montage tDCS before physical therapy improved lower-limb strength and walking speed more than other tDCS types or sham. Upper-limb function did not differ between groups. Brain blood flow measurements showed no significant changes in any group.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Association Between Anxiety Symptoms, Depression Symptoms, and Life Satisfaction Among Individuals 1 Year After Spinal Cord Injury: Findings From the SCIRehab Project.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAnxiety symptoms alone did not predict life satisfaction once depression was considered. However, depression moderated the link, meaning anxiety became significant when interacting with depression levels. Clinicians should monitor both anxiety and depression together to understand quality of life after spinal cord injury.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Facilitators and barriers to patient-centred goal-setting in rehabilitation: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationProviders often believe they are patient-centred but remain directive, creating a barrier to goal-setting. Patients feel unprepared and excluded from the team. The review identifies provider attitudes and lack of time as the primary obstacles, suggesting interventions must target provider beliefs and workflow, not just patient education.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2022Compliance with Upper Limb Home-Based Exergaming Interventions for Stroke Patients: A Narrative Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHome exergaming compliance varies widely because prescriptions are inconsistent and technical barriers are common. Patients often exceed time limits if allowed, but drop out due to pain, fatigue, or hardware failure. Successful programmes need familiarization, remote support, and realistic dosing to sustain engagement.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022A meta-synthesis of individual, interpersonal, and systemic factors impacting resilience after traumatic brain injury.Rehabilitation psychologySurvivors of traumatic brain injury describe resilience as shaped by three levels. Individual barriers include cognitive decline and identity loss, countered by behavioral strategies like task breakdown. Interpersonal factors involve stigma and isolation, mitigated by strong support networks. Systemic barriers include lost employment and poor service access, eased by vocational support and accessible community resources.
• PTOTQualitative2022Recovering from COVID-19 - A Process Characterised by Uncertainty: A Qualitative study.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople recovering after hospital treatment for COVID-19 described fluctuating symptoms, everyday tasks becoming hard, and strategies such as pacing, planning, reminders, and asking for help.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2022Competing at the Cybathlon championship for people with disabilities: long-term motor imagery brain-computer interface training of a cybathlete who has tetraplegia.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA pilot with tetraplegia improved BCI race times during training but slowed down before competition. The authors link this drop to stress and unstable relaxation signals, suggesting future training must focus on maintaining calm states under pressure.
• PTOTSurvey2023Factors Influencing Mobility During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationDuring the early pandemic, 26.3% of older adults said physical activity was worse, while most reported no change in home or housework mobility. Walking volume, falls, pain, health, assistance, comorbidities, fear of falling, and pleasant neighborhoods were linked to better mobility.
• OTQualitative2023"I noticed that when I have a good supervisor, it can make a Lot of difference." A Qualitative Study on Guidance of Employees with a Work Disability to Improve Sustainable Employability.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployees with work disabilities mostly liked their supervisors' guidance, but wanted clearer communication, appreciation, and growth opportunities. Most did not notice changes after supervisor training, so this study cannot show the training worked.
• PTOTCohort2023Does Consulting an Occupational Medicine Specialist Decrease Time to Return to Work Among Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients? A 12-Month Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationConsulting an occupational medicine specialist within three months of total knee replacement did not speed up return to work. Patients who saw a specialist returned to work later than those who did not, especially those with high preoperative expectations of their work ability.
• Other2023Organisational Policies and Practices for the Inclusion of Vulnerable Workers: A Scoping Review of the Employer's Perspective.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEmployers reported workplace inclusion practices for vulnerable workers, mostly disabled employees. Employer studies on migrants were absent, and coverage of other vulnerable groups was sparse. Effect evidence was limited.
• PTRCT2023Effect of Multicomponent Home-Based Training on Gait and Muscle Strength in Older Adults After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Single Site Randomized Trial.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA targeted home exercise program did not improve walking speed more than an active control program in older adults after hip fracture surgery. Both groups improved walking speed; targeted training improved non-fractured leg strength more.
• Cohort2022Traumatic Brain Injury Classification Variability During the Afghanistan/Iraq Conflicts: Surveillance, Clinical, Research, and Policy Implications.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOf 426,450 military members with a qualifying TBI diagnosis, 38.5% were captured only by the DoD surveillance rules, and 73% of those had non-precise codes. A recorded military TBI may not confirm injury.
• SLPPilot2022Usability and validity of a virtual reality cognitive assessment tool for pediatric traumatic brain injury.Rehabilitation psychologyA VR game assessing executive function was well-tolerated and showed modest reliability for working memory and inhibition, but poor flexibility scores and weak validity against parent reports. It is not yet ready for clinical use.
• SLPOther2022Exploring racial performance disparities with the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS) in an acute brain injury rehabilitation setting.Rehabilitation psychologyBlack patients scored lower than White patients on specific 3MS items for repetition and comprehension, even after adjusting for age and injury type. Total scores showed no racial difference. A low total score should not be read as impairment without considering the patient's history and race.
• Other2022Characterizing the Services of a Rehabilitation Centre Specialized in Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder using the International Classification of Service Organization in Rehabilitation 2.0 and Implications for Health Reporting: A Demonstration Project.Journal of rehabilitation medicineApplying a new service classification to a spinal cord rehabilitation centre showed it captures most data needed for national reporting. Several categories, including patient-centredness and governance, remain missing from current Swiss health statistics.