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 492 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTQualitative2023Health Management Occupations During COVID-19: Experiences of Older African Americans With Multimorbidity.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthOlder African Americans with multiple chronic conditions said pandemic closures and fear interrupted care, medication, exercise, and social routines. OTs can target habits and community supports. Some participants also reported respite, home routines, and new connections.
• PTOTSLPOther2023A modified two-dimensional sensory organization test that assesses both anteroposterior and mediolateral postural control.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new balance test that moves the platform sideways as well as forward and back causes much greater side-to-side sway than the standard version. This confirms it successfully challenges the body's ability to sense sideways position, filling a gap in assessing fall risk.
• SLPOther2023Electrically Evoked Auditory Brainstem Responses in Children Fitted with Hearing Aids Prior to Cochlear Implantation.Trends in hearingNo link was seen for hearing aid duration or response thresholds. Earlier hearing aid fitting was linked to shorter brainstem response times before cochlear implant surgery.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023The Community Rehabilitation Assessment: patient and clinician-reported outcomes in ambulatory rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients in ambulatory rehab showed large improvements in daily activities and walking speed. The new assessment captured these changes, but without a control group, it is unclear how much was due to treatment versus natural recovery.
• SLPOther2023Unique profile of academic learning difficulties in Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRParents reported significantly greater difficulties in math and spatial skills than in reading for children with Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome. Reading problems were variable, but math and spatial deficits were consistent across the group, suggesting a specific learning profile.
• SLPCohort2023Distinct social attention profiles in preschoolers with autism contrasted to fragile X syndrome.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPreschoolers with autism and fragile X syndrome both showed reduced initial eye contact and less attention to social scenes than typical peers. However, children with fragile X looked at faces as much as typical peers did, while those with autism looked at faces significantly less.
• PTOther2023Criteria-Based Rehabilitation Following Revision Hip Arthroscopy: A Clinical Commentary.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper proposes a criteria-based rehabilitation protocol for revision hip arthroscopy, moving through protection, endurance, strength, power, and return to sport. It is a clinical commentary, not a study, so it offers expert recommendations rather than tested interventions.
• Narrative Review2023Clinical application of electroacupuncture in enhanced recovery after surgery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis review summarizes existing studies on electroacupuncture for surgical recovery. It reports no new patient data or outcomes of its own, so it does not provide a direct finding to act on in clinical practice.
• SLPOther2023Automated Adaptive Wideband Acoustic Stapedius Reflex Thresholds in Adults With Normal Hearing and Sensorineural Hearing Loss.Ear and hearingA wideband reflex test identified sensorineural hearing loss better than a standard reflex test, especially for moderate loss. It also used fewer trials than an earlier wideband method.
• PTCohort2023The Effects Of Differing Density Of Swim-Training Sessions On Shoulder Range Of Motion and Isometric Force Production In National and University Level Swimmers.International journal of sports physical therapyUniversity-level swimmers had lower shoulder strength at baseline and showed greater drops in range of motion and strength after a single hard training session compared to national-level swimmers. These changes were clinically meaningful for the university group but did not reach statistical significance for most measures due to the small sample size.
• SLPSystematic Review2023Exploring the Correlations Between Measures of Listening Effort in Adults and Children: A Systematic Review with Narrative Synthesis.Trends in hearingListening effort measures do not agree with each other. Self-reported effort and fatigue questionnaires correlate better with each other than with physiological or behavioural tests. Clinicians should not assume one tool captures all aspects of listening effort.
• OTQualitative2023Social Networks May Shape Visually Impaired Older Adults' Occupational Engagement: A Narrative Inquiry.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFive women with age-related vision loss described how family provided practical help for daily tasks, while friends offered companionship for leisure. Peers with similar vision loss were key for sharing specific coping strategies. Reciprocity in relationships helped them maintain a sense of independence.
• PTOTOther2023Cognitive Impairments After Stroke Do Not Attenuate Explicit Visuomotor Adaptation in Reaching and Savings With the Unaffected Arm.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke participants using their unaffected arm adapted to a 40° reaching rotation and relearned it as well as age-matched controls, despite lower cognitive screening scores. Both older groups were less accurate than young controls.
• PTOTSurvey2022The impact of COVID-19 on hand therapy practice.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsHand therapists reported more stress, smaller caseloads, and sudden telehealth use during the early pandemic period. They described PPE, reduced in-person care, and uncertainty about future. This is a self-report survey, not patient outcome evidence.
• OTOther2022Alberta Rating Index for Apps: Study of Reliability and Validity.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieA new tool for rating mental health apps showed moderate to high reliability for occupational therapists and adults with mental health conditions, but low reliability for older adults. Therapists rated apps stricter than other groups. The tool correlates moderately with existing scales.
• OTSLPQualitative2023Deaf Identity Under Pressure: Experiences of Deaf Persons in Iceland.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationSix culturally Deaf Icelanders described their identity as tied to a shrinking community. They feared sign language extinction due to cochlear implants and felt isolated by the small group size, with some seeking connection abroad.
• PTOther2023Self-Movement Screening using the Symmio Application is Reliable and Valid for Identifying Musculoskeletal Risk Factors.International journal of sports physical therapyUntrained people scored their own movement on a phone app almost as well as a physical therapist did. The app identified pain with movement and balance deficits accurately, though it missed general movement dysfunction. Use it to spot issues, not to rule them out.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2023Transitions for older people with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge others: A rapid scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDOlder adults with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge others often move in crisis when future planning, needs assessment and specialist support are late or missing. Early person-centred planning, communication supports and access to specialist teams are described as key.
• PTNarrative Review2023Adductor Strains in Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyAdductor strains require distinguishing muscle from tendon injury, as treating a tendon issue as a muscle strain is counterproductive. Rehabilitation should progress from short-length isometrics to long-length eccentrics. Return-to-play testing must assess adductor strength unilaterally, as bilateral squeeze tests are invalid.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Changes in physical function of frail elderly females in the one-year long-term care prevention program.Journal of physical therapy scienceFrail women attending a one-year community care prevention program maintained walking speed, balance, and overall function, but grip strength significantly decreased. The program focused on lower limb exercise, leaving upper limb strength unaddressed.
• PTOther2023Upper Quarter Injury Rates and Risk in United States High School Athletes Prior To and During the Prolonged Sport Stoppage.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter a prolonged high school sport stoppage, upper quarter injury rates and risk were higher in 2020-2021 than 2019-2020. The increase was seen in males, collision sports, and field/court sports; females and individual sports did not show the same increase.
• PTOTOther2023The Swedish King's Parkinson's disease Pain Scale: Validation and pain prevalence in persons with mild-moderate severity Parkinson's disease.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe Swedish King's Parkinson's Pain Scale correlates strongly with visual pain scores and captures pain independently of balance. In mild-moderate Parkinson's, 57% reported pain, mostly musculoskeletal. Use this scale to identify pain types that require specific rehabilitation strategies.
• PTOTCase-Control2023Muscle Strength, Oxygen Saturation and Physical Activity in Patients with Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Compared to Asymptomatic Controls.International journal of sports physical therapyPatients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome had lower resting oxygen saturation and quit treadmill tests 3.5 minutes earlier than controls, but showed no differences in muscle strength or daily activity. Pain levels, not physiological deficits, distinguished the groups.
• SLPSystematic Review2023A comparison of methods for measuring camouflaging in autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSelf-report, parent-report, and discrepancy measures of camouflaging correlate moderately but are not interchangeable. Self-report captures internal effort; parent-report and discrepancy methods capture observable behavioral changes. Choose the method based on whether you need to assess subjective experience or external presentation.
• SLPOther2023An Effect of Gaze Direction in Cocktail Party Listening.Trends in hearingLooking at the talker they were listening to improved digit recall among competing talkers in 10 young adults with normal hearing, even without lip-reading cues. The benefit was not consistent across all positions.
• SLPOther2023Effect of Real-Ear Adjusted Stimuli on Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential Variability in Children and Young Adults.Ear and hearingAdjusting VEMP stimulus levels using real-ear-to-coupler difference values did not reduce variability in cervical or ocular VEMP amplitudes or asymmetry ratios in children and young adults. Both ear canal volume and RECD adjustments effectively protected against unsafe noise exposure.
• OTSLPCohort2023How do autistic people fare in adult life and can we predict it from childhood?Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchOnly 5% of autistic young adults lived independently, and many needed support from family or services. Childhood IQ and adaptive skills could forecast living situation and employment, but not mental health or friendships.
• OTPilot2023Measuring Arm and Hand Joint Kinematics to Estimate Impairment During a Functional Reach and Grasp Task after Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke participants with similar arm function scores showed very different joint movement patterns on a sensor glove. The glove can map arm and hand joint movement patterns, but this small pilot did not test whether it improves therapy.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Resting energy expenditure in adolescents with Down syndrome: a comparison of commonly used predictive equations.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRThe Institute of Medicine equation accurately predicted resting energy expenditure in adolescents with Down syndrome, matching measured values. Other common equations overestimated or underestimated needs by up to 140 kcal per day. Use IOM for weight management, but monitor individual responses carefully.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Environmental determinants for participation among stroke survivors in Africa, a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors in Africa faced severe environmental barriers to participation. Inaccessible transport, buildings, and homes restricted mobility and therapy access. While family support was often positive, societal stigma and lack of assistive devices hindered reintegration. These factors drove survivors to self-imposed isolation.
• OTQualitative2023Knowing and accepting oneself: Exploring possibilities of self-awareness among working autistic young adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceWorking autistic adults described self-awareness as a skill they actively build, not a deficit. They learn from past experiences to manage energy, rely on informal support for daily tasks, and use diagnosis to understand their own functionality rather than just fitting neurotypical norms.
• PTOther2023Identifying Conservative Interventions for Individuals with Subacromial Pain Syndrome Prior to Undergoing a Subacromial Decompression: A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyMost studies of shoulder surgery patients listed physical therapy and injections as prior care, but rarely described the exercises, dosage, or who delivered them. Clinicians cannot judge whether conservative care was adequate because the literature omits the specifics.
• OTOther2023Eye-tracking control of an adjustable electric bed: construction and validation by immobile patients with multiple sclerosis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThe eye-tracking bed-control system let patients with MS change bed positions, but they were slower and less efficient than controls. Practice helped, and seven of 16 who could use it preferred it.
• Narrative Review2023Genomic strategies to untangle the etiology of autism: A primer.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThis paper reviews how genetic variants contribute to autism, but it reports no new clinical trial or diagnostic test results that would change immediate therapy practice.
• OTQualitative2023Occupation's Role in Inclusion of Spanish-Speaking Older Adults in a Senior Center.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthSpanish-speaking elders described feeling included when the senior center proactively offered regular activities in Spanish, staff learned their interests, and bilingual staff made first contact. When English-only information assumed they would ask, they did not connect.
• SLPSystematic Review2023Language and Literacy Strategies for Indigenous Children: A Scoping Review.Seminars in speech and languageMost language and literacy strategies for Indigenous children lack strong evidence. Only 28 of 92 strategies had compelling support, mostly mainstream techniques like modeling language or targeted vocabulary. Clinicians should adapt these carefully, as few studies included children with disabilities.
• SLPOther2023Testing and Development of Slightly Thick Infant Formula Recipes for Dysphagia Management: An Australian Perspective.DysphagiaThickened infant formula is highly variable. Aptamil thickener recipes reached the correct consistency after 10 to 15 minutes, while Supercol recipes varied widely and blocked syringes. Wait at least 10 minutes after mixing and always flow test before feeding.
• SLPRCT2022Characteristics of children on the autism spectrum who benefit the most from receiving intervention in inclusive versus specialised early childhood education settings.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism who showed low attention to playful adults made fewer social gains in inclusive settings than in specialised ones. High social interest predicted better outcomes only in inclusive classrooms. No overall setting advantage was found for the whole group.
• OTOther2022Characterizing Cognition in Everyday Life of Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthOlder adults who felt their thinking was worsening but scored normal on tests reported less memory satisfaction, more everyday planning and working memory problems, and completed fewer real-world tasks than healthy adults. This suggests asking about daily tasks, not only test scores.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Implementing the Get SET Early Model in a Community Setting to Lower the Age of ASD Diagnosis.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPImplementing the Get SET model in community pediatric practices lowered the average age of autism diagnosis to 22.9 months. Screening tool use rose from 15% to 74%, and referrals increased from 24% to 79%. However, only 22% of diagnosed children started ABA therapy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Switching attention deficits in post-stroke individuals with different aphasia types.AphasiologyPeople with non-fluent aphasia made more errors and responded slower than controls when switching attention between tones. People with fluent aphasia also made more errors but responded at normal speeds. These deficits occurred even without language tasks, suggesting attention problems are distinct from language loss.
• PTOTQualitative2023Perspectives of users for a future interactive wearable system for upper extremity rehabilitation following stroke: a qualitative study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTherapists and stroke survivors want wearable systems that adapt to each person's specific impairment level and goals. They prioritized devices that track both the quality and quantity of movement, capturing compensatory trunk motions during functional tasks like dressing or cooking.
• OTCohort2023The cognitive profile of middle-aged and older adults with high vs. low autistic traits.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMiddle-aged and older adults with high autistic traits performed worse on working memory and complex attention tasks than matched peers. They reported more cognitive decline, but this self-report difference disappeared when depression symptoms were controlled. Informant reports showed no group differences.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Cognitive-motor dual-task interference in adults with sickle cell disease.Gait & postureMost adults with sickle cell disease slowed down when walking and talking. They often prioritized the conversation over their gait. This dual-task assessment was feasible and acceptable. It may help identify functional decline earlier in this population.
• OTPilot2023Feasibility of a new homebased ballistocardiographic tool for sleep-assessment in a real-life context among workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)A new bed-based sleep sensor captured usable data in 70% of nights after initial setup problems were fixed. It matched diary reports for time in bed but not total sleep time. Nearly half of users felt the assessment itself disturbed their sleep, limiting its readiness for routine use.
• SLPCohort2023A study of respiratory sinus arrhythmia and stuttering persistence.Journal of communication disordersResting breathing-linked heart-rate variability did not differ among children who stuttered and persisted, recovered, or did not stutter. During a speaking task after a neutral video, persisting children showed less change in this measure than non-stuttering children.
• PTOther2023The effect of initiation prediction and non-prediction on muscle relaxation control.Journal of physical therapy scienceMotor cortex excitability increased during rapid muscle relaxation compared to sustained contraction. This cortical boost occurred regardless of whether the relaxation cue was predictable or sudden, suggesting the brain prepares for the act of letting go rather than just the start of movement.
• Systematic Review2023Outcome measures for economic evaluations and cost-effectiveness analyses of interventions for people with intellectual disabilities: A methodological systematic review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDUsual quality-of-life questionnaires like the EQ-5D can be hard for people with intellectual disabilities to answer and may miss caregiver effects. Only three studies were found. Alternatives still need testing in this population.
• OTOther2023Development of a Swedish short version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for cognitive screening in patients with stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe short Swedish MoCA, at a score of ≤12, correctly identified 97.41% of stroke patients with cognitive impairment, but it is a screening test, not a diagnosis.
• OTQualitative2023Stakeholders' Expectations of Return-to-Work After Spinal Cord Injury: A 1-Year Follow-Up.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthWorkers with spinal cord injuries felt pressured to match their pre-injury productivity, while employers struggled to adjust expectations to new physical and cognitive limits. Both groups bypassed rigid insurance regulations to make part-time work sustainable, hiding the true schedule from authorities.