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 503 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPCase-Control2023Dichotic Sentences Test Performance of Adults with communication complaints.CoDASNormal-hearing adults with communication complaints scored far below expected levels on the Dichotic Sentences Test, especially when listening to two speakers at once. This test may help identify auditory processing issues that standard hearing checks miss.
• OTRCT2023Worker role perceptions and work participation among people with mental health issues taking part in interventions focusing on everyday life.Work (Reading, Mass.)Both activity-based occupational therapy interventions improved how capable participants felt for work, but neither changed their belief they could hold a job in the future. Satisfaction with non-work daily life and self-esteem drove these gains in work readiness.
• PTOther2023The FreeD module's lateral translation timing in the gait robot Lokomat: a manual adaptation is necessary.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDefault settings on the Lokomat FreeD module shift weight to the stance leg too early in the gait cycle. Manually delaying the timing by about 5% moves this weight shift closer to the pattern seen in normal overground walking.
• Other2023Estimating the extra disability expenditures for the design of inclusive social protection policies.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper discusses how to estimate the extra costs of disability for social protection policies. It does not report clinical outcomes or treatment effects, so there is nothing here to change therapeutic practice.
• PTSLPOther2023Effects of simulated kyphosis posture on swallowing and respiratory functions.Journal of physical therapy scienceSimulating severe kyphosis lowered measured swallowing muscle activity, tongue pressure, vital capacity, and cough peak flow in healthy young adults compared with upright posture. This was a posture simulation, not evidence about older patients with real kyphosis.
• OTQualitative2023Experiences of Using Weighted Blankets among Children with ADHD and Sleeping Difficulties.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with ADHD and sleep problems described weighted blankets as helping them stay calm, feel safe, and fall asleep faster, but only if the weight, bed setup, and household routines fit their individual needs. Some found them painful, too hot, or too heavy, and a few preferred the lighter control blanket.
• OTQualitative2023Men's Lived Experiences of Breast Cancer and Changes in Occupation.Occupational therapy internationalMen with breast cancer described feeling marginalized by healthcare environments designed for women, experiencing stigma around masculinity, and losing engagement in daily occupations due to treatment side effects. Many found new meaning and identity through advocacy, transforming their diagnosis into a platform for raising awareness and supporting other men.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Genetic and environmental contributions to co-occurring physical health conditions in autism spectrum condition and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Molecular autismChildren with autism or ADHD, even at subclinical levels, have higher odds of epilepsy, asthma and gut problems. Twin data show shared genetic factors drive most of these links. This suggests screening for physical health issues is warranted across the neurodevelopmental spectrum.
• OTOther2023Meaningful Activity, Psychosocial Wellbeing, and Poverty During COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapiePeople living in poverty reported that physical distancing restrictions made daily life harder and reduced meaningful activity. Depression and anxiety spiked in the autumn of 2020 but returned to baseline by the following spring. Alcohol use increased, though not to hazardous levels.
• PTOTRCT2023sEMG-controlled forearm bracelet and serious game-based rehabilitation for training manual dexterity in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor people with MS, adding MYO Armband games to conventional physical therapy did not improve the main gross manual dexterity outcome. Some wrist motion and grip strength differences appeared, but the Armband's separate effect cannot be separated.
• OTSystematic Review2023A scoping review of interventions using occupation to improve mental health or mental wellbeing in adolescent populations.The British journal of occupational therapyThe most common occupation or activity interventions for adolescent mental health were physical activity and relaxation, often delivered in schools, and were reported to have some benefits. Study quality was low, and none targeted choice or balance of everyday occupations.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Family Perspectives on In-Home Multimodal Longitudinal Data Collection for Children Who Function Across the Developmental Spectrum.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPFamilies want in-home data collection to be flexible, pausable during medical crises, and to include siblings. They value receiving their own data to understand their child's invisible symptoms. This feedback shapes how to design accessible research for complex needs.
• PTOTOther2023Validity, Reliability, and Efficiency of a Standard Goniometer, Medical Inclinometer, and Builder's Inclinometer.International journal of sports physical therapyDigital inclinometers measured shoulder and forearm range of motion faster and more reliably than a standard goniometer in healthy adults. A cheap builder's inclinometer performed similarly to a medical one, but clinicians must stick to one device type for tracking change.
• OTPilot2023A Telehealth Delivered Toilet Training Intervention for Children with Autism.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFamilies completing all telehealth coaching by an occupational therapist, email check-ins, and online education reported child toileting gains. The intervention was rated acceptable, but no control group means cause cannot be confirmed.
• PTOTOther2023The impact of walking on the perception of multichannel electrotactile stimulation in individuals with lower-limb amputation and able-bodied participants.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWalking reduces sensitivity to electrical feedback on the thigh in able-bodied people, requiring stronger or more spaced-out signals. In amputees, the effect varies wildly by person and socket fit, meaning calibration must happen while walking, not sitting.
• SLPRCT2023Individual Differences in Response to Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation With Language Therapy in Subacute Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWhile tDCS did not improve naming overall, older patients over 55 gained more words than those receiving sham therapy. Patients with college or graduate degrees also benefited more from tDCS than those with less education.
• OTSLPCohort2023Working memory of school-aged children on the autism spectrum: Predictors for longitudinal growth.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFor autistic children, learning behaviours and teacher closeness predicted working memory gains, but special education services did not. Higher socioeconomic status meant better starting scores, yet the gap never closed. Early support matters most, as later services failed to catch those behind.
• PTOTOther2023Evaluating Psychometric Properties of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form in a Heterogeneous Sample of Post-Operative Patients.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo short versions of the knee function questionnaire (6 and 8 items) track patient recovery as reliably as the original 18-item form. They save time and work consistently across age and sex groups, allowing clinicians to measure true change after surgery.
• SLPCohort2023Effects of Kangaroo Care on the development of oral skills and achievement of exclusive oral feeding in preterm infants.CoDASPreterm infants in Kangaroo Care Units reached independent oral feeding in a median of 4.5 days, compared to 10 days in conventional care. However, these infants gained less weight and were lighter at discharge than those in conventional units.
• SLPCohort2023Quality of life in dysphagia and anxiety and depression symptoms pre and post-thyroidectomy.CoDASPatients undergoing thyroidectomy reported improved swallowing-related quality of life and reduced anxiety and depression scores three months after surgery. However, no correlation was found between dysphagia severity and emotional symptoms, suggesting these issues may need separate clinical monitoring.
• PTOther2023Acromiohumeral distance changes with posture in healthy adults and patients while wearing a shoulder abduction brace.Journal of physical therapy scienceWhile wearing a shoulder abduction brace, the space between the acromion and humeral head was smaller lying down than sitting in healthy adults and postoperative patients. The authors recommend supporting the elbow when lying down.
• PTOther2023Novice Inter-Rater Reliability on the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) After a 4-Hour Training Session.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter just four hours of training, physical therapy students scored the same patients very differently on the SFMA checklist, and both missed more movement problems than an expert. A single short course does not make a clinician reliable at this screen.
• SLPSurvey2023Perspectives of Indian speech language pathologists towards assessing adolescents with language impairments.CoDASIndian speech-language pathologists mostly assess adolescents with language impairments using formal tests, but many use tools designed for adults with aphasia or dysarthria. Pragmatics was the most valued assessment domain, followed by syntax and semantics. Lack of culturally appropriate tools and clinician inexperience were major barriers.
• SLPOther2023Evaluation of deep marginal feedback cancellation for hearing aids using speech and music.Trends in hearingDeep learning feedback cancellation worked well for speech but degraded music quality, especially when trained only on speech. Combining it with traditional adaptive feedback cancellation improved stability and preference for music, but the deep model alone was not sufficient.
• Other2023The activation of mGluR4 rescues parallel fiber synaptic transmission and LTP, motor learning and social behavior in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome.Molecular autismIn mice with Fragile X syndrome, a drug activating mGluR4 receptors restored cerebellar synaptic plasticity. This improved motor learning in skilled reaching and eyeblink conditioning, and normalized social interaction behaviors compared to untreated mice.
• SLPOther2023A Data-driven Distance Metric for Evaluating the effects of Dynamic Range Compression in Adverse Conditions.Trends in hearingA new signal-processing metric compared hearing aid compression systems in noisy, reverberant rooms. It found a scene-aware compressor approximates the ideal target better than standard fast-acting systems in noise, but offers no advantage over slow-acting systems when reverberation is present.
• SLPCohort2023Activities and participation of children with language disorders in outpatient care according to the ICF.CoDASIn 32 children with language disorders, records showed common difficulties in learning, communication, daily routines, and self-care. Many of these details were not reported in the records.
• SLPCohort2023The learning performance and behavior of school children during the COVID-19 pandemic school closures: from the perspectives of parents and teachers.CoDASFor 19 second-graders, behavior scores did not significantly change between June and December 2020, though many children showed borderline or altered emotional and behavioral signs at both points. Families reported increased contact with schools and more time spent on reading at home.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Effect of very early supported discharge versus usual care on activi-ties of daily living ability after mild stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineVery early supported discharge sped up recovery of complex daily tasks like shopping and transport. By three months, home-based teams helped patients with mild stroke do these tasks better than usual care, but the groups were equal by one year.
• PTOther2023A Model for Applying Situational Awareness Theory to the Return to Sport Continuum.International journal of sports physical therapyA proposed framework links situational awareness to return-to-sport stages, suggesting athletes need to demonstrate reactive control in chaotic environments before full competition. This is a theoretical model, not tested evidence, so it cannot be used to justify or deny clearance for a patient.
• SLPCohort2023Fitting a Hearing Aid on the Better Ear, Worse Ear, or Both: Associations of Hearing-aid Fitting Laterality with Outcomes in a Large Sample of US Veterans.Trends in hearingBilateral hearing aid fittings had better long-term use than unilateral ones. If fitting only one ear, the better ear persisted in use more than the worse ear, though satisfaction scores were slightly lower than bilateral. Symmetric hearing loss users persisted least with unilateral devices.
• OTSurvey2023Changes in Daily Occupations Patterns, Optimism, and Positive Affect During COVID-19 Lockdown.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieDuring a two-week lockdown, people spent more time on recreation, rest, and sleep than before. Women saw a larger increase in non-work activities than men. A small link was found between feeling good and doing recreational activities, but optimism did not correlate with daily occupation patterns.
• OTOther2023Refining the psychometric properties of the Trinity Student Occupational Performance Profile - A self-report measure of occupational performance difficulties within the student role.The British journal of occupational therapyThe refined Trinity Student Occupational Performance Profile is a 54-item self-report measure for university students. It reliably identifies specific occupational difficulties, helping therapists target interventions on high-demand areas like managing anxiety and time pressures.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023The pursuit of intimacy: intimate relationship development for women with physical disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSix women with physical disabilities described intimacy as central to well-being, not just sex. They faced stigma and physical barriers but found hope through shared values and communication. Caregiver roles often conflicted with romantic intimacy, creating distinct challenges for relationship development.
• OTCohort2023Examining Usability, Acceptability, and Adoption of a Self-Directed, Technology-Based Intervention for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost stroke survivors could use a self-directed gaming device, averaging 26 minutes of daily arm training. However, those with more severe strokes found it less acceptable. Usability and ease of use predicted actual daily use, while intent to use did not.
• OTSLPCohort2023Executive Functioning, Language, and Behavioral Abilities Related to Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Down Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPYouth with Down syndrome and untreated sleep apnea showed significantly more emotional regulation and internalizing behavior challenges than those with treated or no apnea. No significant differences were found for language, attention, or overall social functioning scores, though untreated groups trended worse.
• Cohort2023Health Effects of Sleep Quality in Premutation Carrier Mothers of Individuals With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesPoor sleep predicted more depressive symptoms four years later for all mothers. For physical health conditions, poor sleep was only harmful for mothers with mid-range CGG repeats, not those with lower or higher repeat counts.
• PTPilot2023Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Factors During 90° Change of Direction are Associated to Non-Contact ACL injury in Female Soccer Players.International journal of sports physical therapyFour of sixteen players injured their ACL. Those players had stiffer cuts, dropping hips and leaning trunks. A simple video score caught these differences, with injured players never scoring above 7 out of 10.
• SLPCohort2023ICF and perception of functioning according to children/adolescents in follow-up with speech/language disorders.CoDASChildren with speech disorders reported that therapy made speaking and socializing easier. They also noticed family and friends becoming more supportive. This suggests asking patients directly about their daily life can reveal improvements that standard clinical tests might miss.
• OTOther2023Initial diagnostic impressions of trainees during autism evaluations: High specificity but low sensitivity.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchWhen trainees thought autism was present after five minutes, 86% were later diagnosed. When they thought autism was absent, 29% still had autism. Extremely confident trainee impressions matched the final diagnosis 96% of the time.
• OTSurvey2023Investigating the effect strength of positive risk-taking barriers on discharge decisions in occupational therapy intermediate care: A factorial survey.The British journal of occupational therapyOccupational therapists were less likely to recommend home discharge when they perceived limited patient capacity or lack of family support. Experienced therapists recommended discharge more often than novices. Blame culture only reduced discharge recommendations for semi-experts, not novices or experts.
• SLPPilot2023Telemonitoring of children with risk indicators for Autism Spectrum Disorder: preliminary findings.CoDASRemote parental guidance did not significantly change pragmatic skills in seven children at risk for autism. Descriptive trends showed more communicative acts, but the primary outcome was null, so this is not proof the intervention works.
• Systematic Review2023Methods for integrating postural control into biomechanical human simulations: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExisting computer simulations of human balance rely heavily on simplified mathematical controllers rather than realistic biological processes. No current model accurately replicates how the nervous system integrates sensory feedback, so these tools cannot yet guide clinical therapy decisions.
• PTOther2023The Effect of Volitional Preemptive Abdominal Contraction on Biomechanical Measures During A Front Versus Back Loaded Barbell Squat.International journal of sports physical therapyAdding volitional abdominal bracing to barbell squats did not change muscle activation but slowed movement and reduced lumbar extension. Front squats produced higher trunk muscle activity and lower hip and ankle moments than back squats, regardless of bracing.
• OTNarrative Review2023A working taxonomy for describing the sensory differences of autism.Molecular autismAutistic sensory issues are often described with vague terms like 'sensitivity', which mixes up brain responses, perception, body reactions, feelings, and behaviour. This review proposes a five-level taxonomy to separate these constructs, helping clinicians assess and communicate specific sensory differences accurately.
• OTQualitative2023Louisiana trucking companies' implementation of workplace health promotion programs: Explanatory sequential mixed method case study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Trucking company staff valued health programs but cited lack of time and resources as barriers. Drivers were seen as needing incentives to participate, while logistical complexity and competing safety priorities hindered implementation.
• OTCohort2023Quality of life, sense of coherence and occupational balance one year after an occupational therapy intervention for people with depression and anxiety disorders.Work (Reading, Mass.)People with depression and anxiety who kept working or returned to work improved their quality of life, while those on continuous sick leave did not. All groups showed some gains in occupational balance, but small sample sizes mean these patterns are tentative.
• PTOther2023A Novel Intrinsic Foot Muscle Strength Dynamometer Demonstrates Moderate-To-Excellent Reliability and Validity.International journal of sports physical therapyA $75 foot muscle dynamometer showed moderate-to-excellent reliability in healthy adults. It agreed with a handheld dynamometer but was not interchangeable. Wider feet and more walking days correlated with higher force output.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Goal-setting and personalization under the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework: Community reintegration program for post-stroke patients.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-stroke patients shifted from setting vague goals like 'walking better' to specific, environment-based goals like 'using the subway' after goal-setting with therapists. This suggests that prompting patients to describe their real-life contexts early in rehab helps them define more meaningful and achievable targets for community reintegration.
• SLPSystematic Review2023Occurrence of changes in the auditory evoked potentials of smokers: systematic review of the literature.CoDASNormal-hearing adult smokers showed altered auditory brainstem and cortical responses compared to non-smokers. Tests like BAEP, P300 and MMN detected these changes before standard hearing tests did.