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 509 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2024Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Does Not Significantly Affect Midlife Cognitive Functioning Within the General Population: Findings From a Prospective Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationMidlife cognitive tests showed no meaningful difference between people with a history of mild traumatic brain injury and those without. Any small initial gap in processing speed disappeared once childhood IQ, education, and substance use were accounted for.
• PTPilot2024Comparative Study of the Pain, Function, and Biomarkers of Joint Disease in the Transition to Adulthood in Individuals With and Without Cerebral Palsy.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAdolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy had more hip and knee pain, poorer function, and higher serum MMP-1 than peers without CP. COMP and MMP-3 did not differ.
• PTOTCohort2024Is More Always Better? Financially Motivated Therapy and Patient Outcomes in Skilled Nursing Facilities.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationTherapy minutes just over payment thresholds were linked to slightly higher chances of functional improvement and community discharge. The community discharge association was strongest for patients receiving under 500 weekly therapy minutes.
• PTCohort2024Daily steps and stepping cadence increase one-year following prosthesis osseointegration in people with lower-limb amputation.Disability and rehabilitationTwelve months after osseointegration, people with lower-limb amputation took more daily steps, walked in longer bouts, and had higher step cadence. They also received rehabilitation, so the increase cannot be credited to osseointegration alone.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A Descriptive Analysis of Access to Assistive Technology in Children With Acquired Brain Injury: The Right to Assistive Devices.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOnly 55% of prescribed assistive devices reached patients, with an average delay of 69.4 days. Insurance barriers caused most non-deliveries. Clinicians should anticipate significant delays and actively track device status rather than assuming prescriptions are fulfilled.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Associations of Prior Head Injury With Mild Behavioral Impairment Domains.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationMultiple prior head injuries are associated with higher rates of impulse dyscontrol and affective dysregulation in older adults. These behavioral symptoms appeared decades after the injury. Single injuries showed no such association. Screen for mood and behavioral changes in patients with a history of repeated head trauma.
• PTOTSurvey2024Gender differences in prosthesis-related outcomes among veterans: Results of a national survey of U.S. veterans.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationWomen veterans reported slightly lower self-reported mobility than men, but satisfaction with their prosthesis, fit, and service quality did not differ significantly. Women were also less likely to use their prescribed prosthesis in the past year. These findings suggest comparable care experiences despite mobility differences.
• PTCohort2024Head Control Contributes to Prediction of Emergence From the Minimally Conscious State in Children Admitted to Inpatient Rehabilitation.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn children in inpatient rehabilitation after brain injury, any independent head control at admission helped identify those likely to emerge from a minimally conscious state. Its absence did not rule out emergence, and trunk control did not predict emergence.
• OTCohort2024Training for Supervisors to Improve Sustainable Employment of Employees with a work Disability: A Longitudinal Effect and Process Evaluation from an Intervention Study with Matched Controls.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSupervisor training showed no clear improvement in employees' sustainable employment over 12 months. Supervisors gained knowledge and confidence, but workplace behavior did not clearly change, and one isolated employment difference appeared at 8 months.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Trajectories of Daily Postconcussion Symptoms in Children.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildren with moderate or high acute concussion symptoms often had persistent symptoms at 45 days. Specific early symptoms like headache, balance problems, and fogginess predicted slower recovery. Daily symptom monitoring may help identify children needing early rehabilitation referrals.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Racial and Ethnic Inequities in the Return-to-Work of Workers Experiencing Injury or Illness: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers from non-White and racial/ethnic minority groups were less likely to return to work after a non-occupational injury or illness compared to White workers. Evidence for occupational injuries was insufficient to draw conclusions.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Climb up! Head up! Climbing improves posture in Parkinson's disease. A secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationSport climbing improved forward-stooped posture in Parkinson's disease, reducing the distance from the neck to the wall by 1.7 cm. This physical change did not improve quality of life or reduce fear of falling, but offers a concrete option for correcting spinal flexion.
• OTCohort2023Who Returns to work? Exploring the Role of Interpersonal Problems in Occupational Rehabilitation.Journal of occupational rehabilitationHostile and dominant interpersonal traits predicted a lower chance of returning to work after rehabilitation, but overall interpersonal problems did not. A one-point higher score on this specific trait was associated with a 56% lower chance of returning to work.
• OTSLPCohort2023Identification of Factors in Moderate-Severe TBI Related to a Functional Decline in Cognition Decades After Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOnly 11% of moderate-severe TBI survivors showed functional cognitive decline over 20 years. Older age at injury and longer post-traumatic amnesia were the key predictors. Health behaviors like alcohol use or income did not add predictive value beyond these injury factors.
• Other2023Tnfa , Il6 , Cxcl1 , and Adam8 Genes Are the Early Markers After Mouse Tail Intervertebral Disc Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn mice, specific inflammation genes spiked immediately after disc injury. TNFα and IL6 returned to baseline within a week, but CXCL1 and ADAM8 stayed elevated for four weeks. This suggests treatments targeting early markers must start immediately, while later markers persist.
• Cohort2023Risk of Adverse Outcomes Among Veterans Who Screen Positive for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Veterans Health Administration But Do Not Complete a Comprehensive Evaluation: A LIMBIC-CENC Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans who screened positive for TBI but did not complete the comprehensive evaluation had higher mortality and opioid use disorder risk than those evaluated. However, those evaluated had higher rates of substance and alcohol use disorders. The un-evaluated group used fewer health services, suggesting missed care opportunities.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Which items of the modified Barthel Index can predict functional independence at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation? A secondary analysis retrospective cohort study.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationIndependence in personal hygiene and bladder control on admission strongly predicted better functional outcomes at discharge for both neurological and orthopedic patients. Neurological patients also benefited from independence in feeding and transfers, while orthopedic patients benefited from independence in dressing.
• PTOTCohort2023Physical Activity and Fitness Levels of Individuals With Ataxia: A Cross-Sectional Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMost people with ataxia in this study were sedentary, and those who were active had higher fitness. In sedentary people, lower fitness tracked with more severe ataxia, but the study cannot show activity changes ataxia.
• PTOTOther2023Greater engagement in valued activities is associated with less barriers to quitting smoking among smokers with mobility impairments.Disability and health journalSmokers with mobility impairments who engaged in more valued activities reported less depression and higher confidence to quit. Finding a replacement for activities lost to disability was linked to lower depressive symptoms and greater self-efficacy, though this does not prove the activities caused these benefits.
• PTOTOther2023Development of a Short Form Assessment Combining the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity and the Wolf Motor Function Test for Evaluating Stroke Recovery.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA new 15-item upper extremity assessment combines items from two common stroke tests. It measures a single construct of functional capacity and can distinguish five different levels of recovery. It is not yet proven to track change over time or work well for severe impairment.
• SLPCohort2023Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden: An Independent Biomarker for Anomia Treatment Responsiveness in Chronic Stroke Patients With Aphasia.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke patients with more small vessel disease in the brain showed less improvement in naming after semantic therapy. This held true even after accounting for aphasia severity and lesion size. Scanning for these markers may help predict who will benefit most from treatment.
• PTPilot2023Evaluation of Power Wheelchair Dynamic Suspensions for Tip Prevention in Non-ADA Compliant Surfaces.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA new power wheelchair with electronic suspension kept users significantly more stable and completed more pothole trials than their own wheelchairs or a pneumatic version. Users rated it highly for usability, though the study involved only 10 participants in a controlled lab.
• PTOTRCT2023Efficacy of supervised home-based, real time, videoconferencing telerehabilitation in patients with type 2 diabetes: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineSix weeks of supervised video-call exercise lowered blood sugar markers and improved walking distance, strength, and waist size in people with type 2 diabetes. The control group, which received only general advice, showed no such changes.
• Pilot2024Evaluating the benefits of a second pain treatment following a clinical trial.Rehabilitation psychologyVeterans who chose a second pain treatment after a trial saw small improvements in depression and worst pain, but average pain did not change. Mindfulness users reported less pain interference than hypnosis users, though no group was clearly superior overall.
• PTOTQualitative2024Supportive mobility devices across the lifespan in Cerebral Palsy: a modified Delphi study to establish stakeholder research priorities.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyNine US stakeholders with cerebral palsy, families, and clinicians ranked research priorities for mobility devices. They prioritized trial equipment access, provider training, and shared decision-making. These themes guide future study design, not current clinical practice.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Safety of botulinum toxin injections in children less than one year old: A retrospective chart review.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn 47 infants treated with botulinum toxin, only two reported adverse events. One had transient fever and vomiting, and one had mild weakness. No significant systemic issues occurred at doses below 16 U/kg, suggesting the treatment may be safer than feared in this age group.
• PTOTCohort2024A Single Dermatome Clinical Prediction Rule for Independent Walking 1 Year After Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationNormal pinprick at both lateral heels within 31 days after spinal cord injury was associated with 86% reporting independent walking at 1 year. Any pinprick at either heel was associated with 76%.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"Alone in the dark": A qualitative study of treatment experiences among young adults with a recent concussion and anxiety.Neuropsychological rehabilitationYoung adults with recent concussions and anxiety found provider advice like strict rest and vague instructions isolating and confusing. They wanted clear guidance on pacing activities, early referrals for mental health support, and concrete help with daily life accommodations.
• OTRCT2024Effectiveness of a Stigma Awareness Intervention on Reemployment of People with Mental Health Issues/Mental Illness: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationUnemployed people with mental health issues who used a stigma-awareness decision aid alongside usual vocational support were more likely to find and keep paid work at 12 months. The intervention did not reduce decisional conflict about disclosure.
• PTOther2024Quantitative analysis of interface pressures in transfemoral prosthetic sockets.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalIn 10 people with transfemoral amputation, socket pressures varied by task and design, with mean minimum 41.8 kPa and mean maximum 113.8 kPa. The study did not prove one design is safer or show that these pressures cause discomfort.
• Protocol2024The IndieTrainer system: a clinical trial protocol exploring use of a powered wheelchair training intervention for children with cerebral palsy.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyNo results are reported. This is a clinical trial protocol for a powered wheelchair training intervention in children with cerebral palsy.
• OTSystematic Review2024Informal Network Members' Perspectives and Experiences on Work for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Thematic Synthesis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationParents and informal networks describe struggling to find work that fits their relatives' specific needs. They often act as advocates to bypass long waiting lists or create their own opportunities. Many face a conflict between wanting community jobs and fearing exploitation or loss of financial benefits.
• PTOther2023The role of an active muscular subsystem in prone instability test during rest and leg raise conditions.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn 33 adults with long-standing low back pain, posterior-anterior spine displacement was reduced during leg raise at L1-L4 but not L5. Sex did not change displacement, so prone instability test results should not be read differently for men and women.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for deafblindness. Part I: a systematic review of outcome measures.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineResearchers assessed deafblindness using 314 different outcome measures, but only three were specific to the condition. Most tools measured depression or generic vision and hearing loss. Clinicians should not assume standard hearing or vision tests capture the combined functional impact of deafblindness.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023The impact of sport on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of people with chronic breathlessness: A mixed-methods systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationSports like dance and Nordic walking were safe and had high attendance, improving exercise capacity. However, they did not significantly improve health-related quality of life. Participants valued the social cohesion and enjoyment, which may explain better engagement than standard rehabilitation.
• PTOTRCT2023Multicomponent Home-based Physical Therapy Versus Usual Care for Recovery After Hip Fracture.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationHome-based physical therapy after usual care improved walking speed and physical performance scores more than usual care alone. Both the specific exercise group and the active control group showed similar gains, suggesting that additional therapy sessions themselves may drive recovery.
• PTOTCohort2023ICF framework in cardiac rehabilitation: a real-life implementation in post-cardiac surgery and chronic heart failure patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCardiac rehabilitation improved functioning in both post-surgery and chronic heart failure patients, but those with heart failure started with worse body function impairments and made smaller gains than surgery patients. High comorbidity complexity predicted poorer outcomes at discharge.
• PTPilot2023Developing new intermuscular coordination patterns through an electromyographic signal-guided training in the upper extremity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTen healthy adults trained six weeks with EMG biofeedback learned to separate brachioradialis and biceps activation and use new upper-limb muscle coordination patterns when asked to use the trained strategy. Habitual patterns did not change.
• PTOTCohort2023Walking ability of individuals fitted with transfemoral bone-anchored prostheses: A comparative study of gait parameters.Clinical rehabilitationBone-anchored prostheses restored walking speed and cadence to levels similar to able-bodied individuals and conventional socket prostheses. The main difference was a narrower step width and shorter double support time compared to socket users, which may suggest better stability.
• PTOTOther2023Improving physical activity in hospitalized patients: The preliminary effectiveness of a goal-directed movement intervention.Clinical rehabilitationHospitalized patients in usual care with movement sensors and daily goals averaged 50 active minutes per day versus 38 without. Patients also reported less difficulty moving at discharge. This was a pre-post study, so other factors may explain the change.
• Narrative Review2023How Subjective and Objective Factors in Research and Practice May Perpetuate Health Disparities Among Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationThe paper argues that implicit bias, low health literacy, and poor trust contribute to worse outcomes for patients with traumatic brain injury, especially among racial and ethnic minorities. It calls for better measurement of these subjective factors and clinician self-reflection, but reports no original data or tested interventions.
• PTOTCohort2023aBnormal motION capture In aCute Stroke (BIONICS): A Low-Cost Tele-Evaluation Tool for Automated Assessment of Upper Extremity Function in Stroke Patients.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairA machine learning tool using smartphone video scored 16 of 33 Fugl-Meyer items with 78.1% to 82.7% accuracy compared to expert raters. This shows a low-cost way to assess arm function remotely, though it cannot yet measure all movements or strength.
• Other2023Reporting Rigor of Cancer Rehabilitation Interventions: Application of the CReDECI-2 Guidelines.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationCancer rehabilitation trials rarely report enough detail to be replicated. Only 18% described the theory behind the intervention, and just 12% reported whether the treatment was delivered as planned. Most trials omitted costs, resources, and process evaluations, leaving clinicians unable to judge feasibility.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023Physical functioning factors predicting a return home after stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationHigher independence in motor daily living tasks strongly predicts stroke discharge home. Quick checks like rolling, sitting, standing, transferring, and walking 10m are useful initial indicators. Thresholds of 20 on the Berg Balance Scale and 26 on motor Functional Independence Measure at admission help distinguish patients likely to return home.
• PTOTRCT2023Effectiveness of the home-based training program Tele-UPCAT (Tele-monitored UPper Limb Children Action Observation Training) in unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy who did a 3-week home action observation program had greater improvement in hand use than children receiving usual care, and the improvement was retained at later follow-up.
• PTOTPilot2023The impact of shoulder pathologies on job discontinuation and return to work: a pilot ultrasonographic investigation.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineShoulder surgery and jobs requiring forceful arm movement were linked to taking leave, while full-thickness supraspinatus tears were also associated with job discontinuation. However, ultrasound findings did not predict return to work; pain and disability scores were the borderline factors.
• Case-Control2023The Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences with Long-term Mood and Anxiety Disorders After Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury: A Population-based Case-Control Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAfter childhood TBI, at least one documented adverse childhood experience was associated with later mood or anxiety disorders: 91 of 114 children who developed them versus 41 of 114 matched children who did not. The study cannot show cause.
• Survey2023Food insecurity gaps in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program based on disability status.Disability and health journalLow-income households that included someone with a disability were more likely to be food insecure, even when they received SNAP. Benefit amounts and enrollment did not close the gap, so this is not proof that SNAP caused or fixed the problem.
• OTCohort2024Longitudinal neurocognitive effects of nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant among older adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease: A description and comparison with sibling donors.Neuropsychological rehabilitationOlder adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease who had low-intensity stem cell transplant showed no decline in overall thinking, memory or attention. Some processing speed and body-symptom scores improved, but siblings improved too, so transplant alone is not proven.
• Cohort2024Changes in Patterns of Referral for Inpatient Rehabilitation Cancer Patients Due to COVID-19: A Retrospective Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationCancer inpatient rehabilitation referrals increased by 1% during early COVID-19, despite 30% fewer hospital admissions. The referral mix shifted significantly from neurosurgery to hematology, and transfers back to acute care doubled.