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 463 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSystematic Review2022Is Exercise Beneficial in Patients with Low Back Pain? - A Cochrane Review Summary with Commentary.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise helps chronic low back pain more than doing nothing, but the benefit is small. It is slightly better than some other treatments like education or electrotherapy, but no better than manual therapy. The gains in pain and function did not reach the threshold for clinical importance.
• PTOTPilot2022Metabolic Cost and Mechanical Efficiency of a Novel Handle-Based Device for Wheelchair Propulsion.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA new handle-based propulsion device let wheelchair users reach higher power outputs with less physical strain than standard push-rims. In this small study, both paraplegic and non-disabled participants showed better mechanical efficiency and lower heart rates when using the handle device.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Frequency and Characteristics of Medical Complications in Rehabilitation Settings: A Scoping Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople in inpatient rehabilitation often experienced medical complications, especially infections and neurological changes. Some needed transfer back to acute care. This review maps how common they are, not whether any treatment prevents them.
• PTQualitative2022The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions on Exercise Behavior Among People With Multiple Sclerosis Enrolled in an Exercise Trial: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesEight women with MS described different lockdown exercise experiences. Those already doing home-based trial exercise adapted and kept exercising, while facility-based participants lost in-person support and stopped walking. Both wanted home equipment, videos, and online peer contact.
• OTPilot2022Improving sleep apnea treatment adherence after traumatic brain injury: A nonrandomized feasibility study.Rehabilitation psychologyThirteen of seventeen veterans with brain injury and sleep apnea completed a four-module telehealth program to improve CPAP use. Retention and therapeutic alliance were high. Sleepiness and fatigue scores did not change significantly. The study tested feasibility, not whether the treatment works.
• PTOTPilot2022Compliance with a personalised home exercise programme in chronic low back pain patients after a multidisciplinary programme: A pilot randomised controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding a personalised home exercise calendar did not improve compliance compared to standard advice alone. Both groups exercised similarly over 12 weeks. The pilot's results are unreliable due to extreme data loss, with only 15 of 30 participants completing the logbooks.
• PTOTPilot2022Effects of nordic walking exercise on gait, motor/non-motor symptoms, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwelve people with Parkinson's disease improved their walking endurance and motor symptoms after six weeks of Nordic walking. These gains were still present three months later when they continued exercising on their own, and no falls occurred during the study.
• PTCohort2022Impact of Exercise Training at Different Intensity Levels on Cardiac Function and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineBoth moderate and higher-intensity cycling improved heart failure symptoms and exercise capacity. The higher-intensity group showed greater gains in peak oxygen uptake and workload than the moderate group. All patients also received medication, education and lifestyle advice, so the exercise component's contribution cannot be isolated.
• SLPCohort2022Complex Hallucinations in Hospitalized Rehabilitation Patients With COVID-19.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationEight of 37 post-COVID-19 rehab patients had hallucinations, all requiring ventilation. Their experiences were vivid visual scenes with fear and comfort themes. All returned home with functional gain after conventional interdisciplinary rehab.
• PTOTOther2022Perspectives on the Direction of Cancer Prehabilitation in the Pandemic and Beyond.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA home-based cancer prehabilitation program using phone calls and a digital diary improved walking distance, leg strength, and anxiety in 188 patients. It remained feasible during lockdowns, but without a control group, it is unclear if the program itself caused these gains.
• PTQualitative2022Enactive explorations of children's sensory-motor play and therapeutic handling in physical therapy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTherapeutic handling helped children play and move when the therapist synchronized with the child's intentions. When therapists led too rigidly or ignored the child's signals, play broke down and children resisted handling.
• SLPCohort2022Caring for Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Factors Associating with Health- and Care-Related Quality of Life of the Caregivers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregiver quality of life was linked to their own mental health and coping skills, not to their child's autism severity. Internalizing problems predicted health-related quality of life, while parenting stress predicted care-related quality of life.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Utility of transcranial magnetic stimulation in the assessment of spinal cord injury: Current status and future directions.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTMS can objectively measure corticospinal connectivity and silent periods in spinal cord injury, detecting residual function missed by clinical exams. However, inconsistent findings, high measurement error, and unknown clinical meaning limit its current use for guiding individual therapy.
• PTPilot2022Ankle strategy assistance to improve gait stability using controllers based on in-shoe center of pressure in 2 degree-of-freedom powered ankle-foot orthoses: a clinical study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWalking became more stable on a measure at the highest assistance, but body sway increased and another stability measure did not change in seven healthy adults using a powered ankle-foot orthosis.
• PTCohort2022Brief composite mobility index predicts post-stroke fallers after hospital discharge.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA brief discharge score using obstacle crossing, unsupported step test, gait speed, and walking disability predicted 3-month falls after stroke better than obstacle crossing alone. It was proof-of-concept, not a treatment.
• OTPilot2022Combining elements of the CO-OP Approach™ with education to promote healthy eating among older adults: A pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOlder adult volunteers found a diet group that combined education and self-set goals feasible and mostly helpful. Food tracking became burdensome, and they wanted more peer support and individualization; this did not test whether diets or dementia risk changed.
• Pilot2023Mindful Self-Care for Caregivers: A Proof of Concept Study Investigating a Model for Embedded Caregiver Support in a Pediatric Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism found a mindfulness self-care group safe, feasible, and acceptable. Stress and depression scores decreased, but without a control group this cannot show the group caused those changes.
• SLPCohort2023Structural and Pragmatic Language Impairments in Children Evaluated for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost children evaluated for autism had language impairments, with pragmatic deficits more common than structural ones. Structural language skills strongly predicted pragmatic competence. Early language delay was linked to current structural deficits but not to social or pragmatic impairment.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System: Identifying Barriers, Facilitators, and Strategies for Implementation in Research, Education, and Clinical Care.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationClinicians wanting to use the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS) mostly lack time and accessible examples. They need concrete, discipline-specific templates integrated into electronic health records, not just theoretical manuals, to make the system usable in daily practice.
• PTOTNarrative Review2023Integrative Prevention at Work: A Concept Analysis and Meta-Narrative Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIntegrative prevention at work requires coordinating primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention with health promotion, engaging stakeholders, and securing resources. The consequences are largely speculative and not formally demonstrated, so treat this as a framework for planning rather than proven efficacy.
• SLPSurvey2023Employment, Education, and Income for Canadians with Developmental Disability: Analysis from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCanadians with developmental disability had lower education, employment, income, and housing outcomes than non-disabled people. Speech therapy was among education supports they reported needing but least commonly provided.
• PTOTCohort2023Time-matched accelerometers on limbs and waist in children with CP give new insights into real-life activities after botulinum toxin treatment: A proof of concept study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAfter botulinum toxin injections plus home training, children with cerebral palsy walked less from three weeks through three months. In children injected in an arm, the more affected arm was not used more; the better arm was used more.
• SLPCohort2023Newborn Auditory Brainstem Responses in Children with Developmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersNewborn hearing tests showed delayed brain responses in infants later diagnosed with autism or speech impairment, but not in those with language impairment or general developmental delay. The test is not accurate enough to screen for these conditions alone, but suggests early neurological differences exist.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2023Balancing Fidelity and Flexibility: Usual Care for Young Children With an Increased Likelihood of Having Autism Spectrum Disorder Within an Early Intervention System.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEarly intervention providers serving toddlers with autism or suspected autism report using naturalistic strategies but often lack formal training in manualized programs. Parent-led goals, contractor pay and limited guidance make training hard, so usual care is flexible but variable.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Developmental Skills of Individuals with Angelman Syndrome Assessed Using the Bayley-III.Journal of autism and developmental disordersExpressive communication was a weakness in children with Angelman syndrome regardless of genetic subtype. Deletion subtypes had lower receptive communication and motor scores than other genetic subtypes. Bayley-III did not credit gestures, signs or AAC.
• PTOTRCT2023Preventing Pain and Stress-Related Ill-Health in Employees: A 6-Months Follow-Up of a Psychosocial Program in a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationNeither a supervisor-employee communication program nor psychoeducation reduced sick leave days or improved health outcomes in employees with pain and stress. The communication program showed no benefit over the educational lectures.
• PTOTCohort2023Age at Onset of Spinal Cord Injury is Associated with Increased Inpatient Care Needs, Reduced Independence at Discharge and a Higher Risk of Institutionalization after Primary Inpatient Rehabilitation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOlder age at spinal cord injury onset predicts more daily nursing hours and lower independence at discharge, but does not change length of stay or daily therapy time. For each additional year of age, the odds of needing institutional care after discharge rise by 1.03-fold.
• PTOTRCT2023Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on upper-limb impairment after stroke: A randomized, controlled, single-blind trial.Clinical rehabilitationAdding transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation to standard stroke rehabilitation did not improve upper limb motor recovery more than sham stimulation. The primary outcome showed no significant difference between groups.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Functioning and Disability in Community-Living People with Perceived Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Mixed Methods Study using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.Journal of rehabilitation medicineNext-of-kin rated people with cognitive impairment as having far more difficulty in daily life than the patients did themselves. Both groups agreed mobility was the least problematic area. Patients relied heavily on homecare and day centres to stay independent.
• PTOTOther2023Promoting Positive Health Outcomes in an Urban Community-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Preschool Aged Children on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPreschoolers with autism improved ball skills and upper body strength after 12 weeks of community-based physical activity. Locomotor skills and daily physical activity levels did not change. The intervention combined motor training, behavioral coaching, and group play.
• SLPCohort2023COVID-19 Morbidity Among Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Matched Controlled Population-Based Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPeople with ASD had higher recorded COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates than matched controls. This is a health-record comparison, not proof that ASD caused the difference.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Executive Function in Autism: Association with ADHD and ASD Symptoms.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with autism, executive function problems tracked with ADHD severity, not autism severity. Flexibility and emotional control were unrelated to either diagnosis. This suggests ADHD symptoms, not autism itself, drive most observed executive function deficits.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Early, Intense Rehabilitation Fails to Improve Outcome After Intra-Striatal Hemorrhage in Rats.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairEarly, intense rehabilitation failed to improve skilled reaching or reduce brain injury in rats with striatal hemorrhage. Neither timing nor duration of treatment provided benefit, challenging the assumption that high-intensity early rehab drives recovery in this specific injury model.
• PTSystematic Review2022Cost-Effectiveness of Physical Rehabilitation and Care of Older Home-Dwelling Persons after Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOnly 1 of 3 hip fracture rehabilitation interventions was cost-effective: comprehensive geriatric care in a geriatric ward. The others were not. This is economic evidence, not proof that one therapy is clinically better.
• OTCase Series2022Experiences of Persons With Executive Dysfunction in Disability Care Using a Social Robot to Execute Daily Tasks and Increase the Feeling of Independence: Multiple-Case Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesParticipants and caregivers described Tessa's spoken reminders as giving structure, prompting tasks, and reducing reliance on others. Some found it irritating or missed messages. The study combined Tessa with caregiver training and goal setting, so the robot alone was not tested.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Post-concussive symptoms mediate the relationship between sleep problems and participation restrictions among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSleep problems link to participation restrictions in veterans with mild TBI, but the path depends on the symptom type. Cognitive symptoms mediate both social and productivity restrictions. Mood symptoms affect only social participation, while vestibular symptoms affect only productivity. Screen for sleep issues to target these specific barriers.
• SLPRCT2022Brief Report: Feasibility of the Probabilistic Reversal Learning Task as an Outcome Measure in an Intervention Trial for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe probabilistic reversal learning task was feasible and acceptable for children and adolescents with autism, with over 95% completing testing. Performance improved after intervention, suggesting the task is sensitive to change in cognitive flexibility.
• Narrative Review2022Learning-based control approaches for service robots on cloth manipulation and dressing assistance: a comprehensive review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobots are learning to help with dressing through supervised learning, reinforcement learning, and imitation, but they remain confined to labs. They struggle with unfamiliar clothes and cannot yet safely interact with people, so there is no clinical evidence to change practice.
• PTOTOther2022Limb accelerations during sleep are related to measures of strength, sensation, and spasticity among individuals with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSleep movement data from ankle accelerometers predicted strength and sensation scores with high accuracy. This suggests passive overnight monitoring could offer a new, unobtrusive way to assess impairment in spinal cord injury without requiring active patient participation.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022A review of user needs to drive the development of lower limb prostheses.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationUsers prioritize safety, comfort, and social integration over pure function. They need to walk without constant visual attention, manage pain and heat, and feel the leg is part of their body. Current prostheses often fail these needs, driving dissatisfaction and rejection.
• Other2022A framework for clinical utilization of robotic exoskeletons in rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThis paper offers a decision-making framework for choosing and using robotic exoskeletons in gait training. It summarizes existing device features and trial data but reports no new patient outcomes. There is no evidence here that these devices improve walking.
• SLPSystematic Review2023A systematic review of mood and depression measures in people with severe cognitive and communication impairments following acquired brain injury.Clinical rehabilitationNo self-report mood measures can be recommended for adults with severe cognitive and communication impairments after brain injury. The clinician or observer-rated SADQ-10 and ADRS showed some validity in a small stroke aphasia study, but evidence is limited.
• OTSLPQualitative2023Clothes, Sensory Experiences and Autism: Is Wearing the Right Fabric Important?Journal of autism and developmental disordersTen autistic adults described fabrics as central to their daily comfort, not just aesthetics. They avoided abrasive textures like hessian and spandex, preferring satin and cotton. These choices helped them manage distress and maintain focus in educational settings.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2023Education on the consequences of traumatic brain injury for children and adolescents with TBI and families/caregivers: a systematic scoping review.Brain injuryPediatric TBI education mostly reached caregivers, not children alone. Written discharge instructions were common, and adding verbal or multimedia support appeared better for recall.
• Other2023Does Language Matter? Identity-First Versus Person-First Language Use in Autism Research: A Response to Vivanti.Journal of autism and developmental disordersLanguage choices in autism research can affect how autistic people are treated. This commentary argues that, but reports no original study or patient outcomes.
• OTQualitative2023A Self-Determination Theory Approach to Work Motivation of Autistic Adults: A Qualitative Exploratory Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor 12 employed autistic adults, work motivation centered on income, daily routine, and social connection rather than intrinsic interest. Competence relied on explicit feedback, while autonomy required stable structure and clear choices to be felt.
• OTOther2023Exploring the Health and Economic Burden Among Truck Drivers in Australia: A Health Economic Modelling Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe model estimated 6067 work-related deaths among Australian male truck drivers, AU$485 million healthcare costs and AU$2.6 billion productivity loss over 10 years. A hypothetical 10% health-burden reduction modelled AU$263 million in productivity savings.
• OTQualitative2023The Influence of Teleworking in a Pandemic Context on the Work Experience of Individuals with Physical Disabilities: A Quebec Qualitative Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPandemic telework was described as helpful for flexibility, transport, and home control, but harmful when equipment, manager support, quiet space, or social contact were lacking. These themes point to environmental and support gaps to check.
• OTSurvey2023Workplace Mental Health Disclosure, Sustainable Employability and Well-Being at Work: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Military Personnel with Mental Illness.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWhether military personnel disclosed their mental illness to a supervisor did not predict their work well-being. However, those who had a positive experience with that decision, typically due to supervisor support, reported better work ability and lower burnout. Stigma remained a risk.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023A Qualitative Exploration into the Sensory Experiences of Autistic Mothers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSeven autistic mothers described how pregnancy and childcare intensified sensory overwhelm, making touch and sound painful. Late diagnosis prevented them from understanding these reactions. They relied on downtime and online peer support, often feeling misunderstood by healthcare professionals.