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 513 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2024Predicting the functional outcome of intensive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke: results from the RIPS Study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdmission scores on six items predict discharge function after stroke rehab. Younger age, higher independence, fewer comorbidities, better cognition, lower stroke severity, and higher motor function at admission linked to better discharge outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2024Management of severe congenital femoral deficiency: Does surgical intervention enhance prosthetic function?Prosthetics and orthotics internationalNo significant differences in prosthetic function or quality of life were found between patients with severe congenital femoral deficiency who had surgery and those who did not. A small subgroup undergoing hip reconstruction showed better scores, but the study was too small to confirm this.
• Other2024Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Ownership Type Yields Mixed Performances on Quality Measures.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOwnership type was linked to mixed facility-level quality scores. Nonprofit IRFs had lower potentially preventable readmissions, while for-profit IRFs had higher facility-level function scores and discharge to community. It does not show either type delivers better care.
• PTOTCohort2024Relation Between Cognitive Assessment and Clinical Physical Performance Measures After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn people with mild traumatic brain injury, cognitive scores correlated strongly with complex physical tasks like agility and high-level mobility, but not with simple walking or dual-tasking. Dual-task performance reflected prioritization strategies rather than cognitive ability.
• PTOTRCT2024Enhanced recovery after surgery combined with quantitative rehabilitation training in early rehabilitation after total knee replacement: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineStructured, phased rehabilitation after knee replacement led to better knee function, shorter hospital stays, and higher patient satisfaction than conventional exercises. Patients in the structured group had slightly more pain in the first three days but recovered well by two weeks. The benefit was in the planning and tracking, not just the exercises.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Impact of Prescription Medicines on Work-Related Outcomes in Workers with Musculoskeletal Disorders or Injuries: A Systematic Scoping Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationEarly, long-term, or high-dose opioid use is consistently linked to slower return to work and longer disability in injured workers. Evidence for non-opioid medicines like NSAIDs and muscle relaxants is conflicting, with some studies suggesting they may also delay recovery.
• PTOTRCT2024The influence of prehabilitation in patients with liver cirrhosis before liver transplantation: a randomized clinical trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePrehabilitation improved liver frailty and Child-Pugh scores after one month, but very low patient adherence prevented any conclusions at three months. The study could not determine if prehabilitation is more effective than standard care for patients awaiting liver transplantation.
• Other2024A general theory of rehabilitation: Rehabilitation catalyses and assists adaptation to illness.Clinical rehabilitation
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Adjustable prosthetic sockets: a systematic review of industrial and research design characteristics and their justifications.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdjustable prosthetic sockets split into four design types: inflatable bladders, moveable panels, circumferential adjustment, and variable length. Commercial devices mostly use panels or circumferential straps, while research favours bladders. Most commercial designs lack published clinical evidence.
• PTRCT2023Effects of local vibration combined with extracorporeal shock wave therapy in plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding local vibration to shock wave therapy reduced plantar fascia thickness and pain more than shock wave alone. However, foot function improved similarly in both groups, so the extra treatment did not help patients walk better in the short term.
• PTOTOther2023Testing spasticity mechanisms in chronic stroke before and after intervention with contralesional motor cortex 1 Hz rTMS and physiotherapy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAfter rTMS plus physiotherapy, chronic stroke patients had less reflex-mediated wrist stiffness and better arm scores. Passive tissue stiffness did not change. Because both treatments were given together, rTMS alone cannot be credited.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Quadriceps strength, patellar tendon quality, relative load exposure, and knee symptoms in male athletes before the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMale athletes awaiting ACL surgery had significant quadriceps weakness and knee pain, but their patellar tendon quality was identical to the healthy leg. Clinicians should not assume the injured tendon has degraded structurally, as the uninjured side is a valid reference for recovery.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Relationship between resting-state functional connectivity and change in motor function after motor imagery intervention in patients with stroke: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAcross 13 studies, changes in resting-state brain connectivity correlated with motor function improvement after motor imagery or brain-computer interface interventions in stroke patients. This suggests a neural basis for these treatments but does not prove they cause the recovery.
• PTOTOther2023Post-stroke deficits in the anticipatory control and bimanual coordination during naturalistic cooperative bimanual action.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with right-hemisphere stroke showed the poorest anticipatory force scaling when lifting a weighted box. Both stroke groups had impaired coordination in the paretic hand, but adding weight improved how well the two hands worked together, suggesting some capacity was masked by low demand.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Essential training variables of arm-hand training in people with cervical spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineArm-hand training programmes for cervical spinal cord injury showed better before-after gains in programmes that used skill practice, real-life tasks, both hands and lasted at least 8 weeks.
• PTRCT2023Effects of high-intensity gait training with and without soft robotic exosuits in people post-stroke: a development-of-concept pilot crossover trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn four people with chronic stroke, high-intensity walking training with a soft exosuit improved walking speed and distance more than the same training without the device. The study is a small pilot, so treat this as early feasibility, not proof.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Understanding stroke survivors' preferences regarding wearable sensor feedback on functional movement: a mixed-methods study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors found wearable sensor reports easy to understand and motivating, but no single metric was preferred. They wanted real-time feedback tied to personal goals and emphasized that clinicians are still needed to interpret data and maintain accountability.
• PTSurvey2023Re-defining wearable robots: a multidisciplinary approach towards a unified terminology.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation78 wearable-robot stakeholders rated 34 terms mostly positive, but rehabilitation, dynamic and human-robot interaction needed clearer definitions.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Applications of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Upper Limb Motor Performance After Stroke: A Systematic Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairMost stroke rTMS trials still suppress the unaffected hemisphere, but this often fails to improve motor function. Evidence suggests matching the stimulation to the patient's specific nerve damage is critical, as suppressing the unaffected side can worsen outcomes in severely impaired patients.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023Person-centered care for people with aphasia: tools for shared decision-making.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAphasia does not automatically prevent shared decision-making. Supported conversation, written key words, yes/no choices, and co-created communication plans can help people with aphasia express preferences. Training and ongoing team support are needed.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule versus Functional Independence Measure in Traumatic Brain Injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineProxy WHODAS-12 scores differentiated mild from moderate traumatic brain injury more accurately than the Functional Independence Measure. Participation restrictions were more severe than activity limitations, especially in milder injuries, suggesting a need to assess social and community involvement specifically.
• SLPSystematic Review2023Models and Approaches for Comprehension of Dysarthric Speech Using Natural Language Processing: Systematic Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost dysarthric speech research focused on intelligibility, not actual meaning extraction. For speech-language pathologists, this review indicates current tools may still miss listener familiarity, topic knowledge, and context needed to understand patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with post-stroke spasticity before and after spasticity management including onabotulinumtoxina.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 735 adults with post-stroke spasticity, healthcare costs dropped significantly after starting spasticity management including onabotulinumtoxinA. This was driven by fewer hospitalizations, despite increased outpatient visits and pharmacy costs. The study did not prove the drug caused these savings.
• PTOTPilot2024Neurophysiological underpinnings of an intensive protocol for upper limb motor recovery in subacute and chronic stroke patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineTwo weeks of robotic arm training improved clinical scores in both subacute and chronic stroke patients. Subacute patients also showed smoother, faster movement and specific brain-wave changes, suggesting true motor recovery. Chronic patients improved clinically but without these kinematic or neural markers.
• PTOTCase Report2024Multidisciplinary physical rehabilitation program of individuals with spinal muscular atrophy in an inclusive school setting.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineA nine-year-old girl with type 2 SMA improved in sitting and rolling after a year of combined physiotherapy and hippotherapy. She sustained sitting for five minutes and gained strength, but could not walk. This single case cannot prove the treatment works.
• Cohort2024Predictors of participation in online self-management programs: A longitudinal observational study.Rehabilitation psychologyOlder age and high confidence predicted full completion of online pain programs, while prior online shopping predicted partial engagement. However, the overall model failed to accurately predict who would drop out, with poor statistical power. Clinicians cannot yet reliably identify non-compliant patients based on these baseline factors.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Neuropathic-like pain in knee osteoarthritis: exploring differences in knee loading and inflammation. A cross-sectional study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePatients with knee osteoarthritis and signs of neuropathic-like pain walked with higher dynamic load on the inner knee. They also reported worse pain and function. These are cross-sectional associations, so it is unknown if the load causes the pain or the pain changes the walking.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Cognitive-motor dual-task training improves dynamic stability during straight and curved gait in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding cognitive-motor dual-task training to conventional therapy improved dynamic balance and head stability during walking in people with multiple sclerosis. These gains persisted two months after training ended, offering a concrete way to enhance gait safety beyond standard exercises.
• SLPSurvey2024Experiences of health care services among people with cognitive disabilities and mental health conditions.Disability and health journalPeople with a cognitive disability reported less satisfying health care than adults without one. The gap was mainly in communication and time with providers. Among people with a cognitive disability, those with a co-occurring mental health condition reported similar experiences.
• PTOTPilot2024Text messaging intervention for fatigue self-management in people with stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis: A pilot study.Disability and health journal25 of 27 people with MS, stroke, or spinal cord injury completed a 12-week fatigue text program, with 93% retention and 85.17% text response among completers. This is feasibility, not proof fatigue improved.
• PTOTOther2024Do patients with neurological disorders benefit from immersive virtual reality? A scoping review on the emerging use of the computer-assisted rehabilitation environment.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineSeven studies on immersive VR show it safely improves gait, balance, and some cognitive skills in neurological patients. However, evidence on emotional symptoms is conflicting, and high costs mean this technology is not yet ready for routine clinical use.
• PTRCT2024Technology-assisted cardiac rehabilitation for coronary heart disease patients with central obesity: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA nurse-led bundle of assessment, goal setting, physician-approved exercise, website feedback, pedometer tracking, and chatroom support improved physical activity and lifestyle, and reduced BMI and waist size, but not quality of life or mood. Daily steps were not clearly higher at 12 weeks.
• OTOther2024Disability and COVID-19: Challenges, testing, vaccination, and postponement and avoidance of medical care among minoritized communities.Disability and health journalAdults with a disability were more likely to postpone or avoid medical care and report food, housing, medication, and transportation problems. Disability was not linked to lower COVID vaccination or testing, so access barriers did not show up as vaccine hesitancy.
• PTOTPilot2024Ankle proprioception in children with cerebral palsy.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with cerebral palsy needed larger ankle position differences to detect movement than peers. However, their consistency in judging positions was normal. This suggests the deficit is a shift in where they perceive neutral, not random error in sensing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Effects of an inpatient rehabilitation programme on functional capacity, quality of life and psychological distress in patients with post covid-19 condition: an observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with post-COVID-19 condition walked 100.8 m further on average after a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation programme. Those with weaker breathing muscles who received respiratory muscle training improved more than those who did not, but the programme included many other therapies, so the specific effect of the breathing training cannot be separated from the rest.
• PTOTCohort2023The Evolution of Hand Proprioceptive and Motor Impairments in the Sub-Acute Phase After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairHand proprioception and motor function often recover independently after stroke. Only 42% of patients showed matched changes in both. Patients with poor hand use at baseline had less proprioceptive recovery. Assess and treat these systems separately rather than assuming one drives the other.
• PTOTOther2023Lesion-specific cortical activation following sensory stimulation in patients with subacute stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFocal vibration of the biceps activated the sensorimotor cortex in patients with subcortical stroke but not in those with cortical or mixed stroke. Basal ganglia hemorrhage showed stronger activation than ischemia. This suggests vibration effects depend heavily on lesion location.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Immersive virtual reality gameplay detects visuospatial atypicality, including unilateral spatial neglect, following brain injury: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationImmersive VR gameplay was feasible for acute inpatient brain injury, with minimal motion sickness and acceptable usability. It detected visuospatial atypicality in 61.5% of patients versus 22.2% of controls, identifying attention problems missed by standard pen-and-paper neglect tests.
• PTOTCohort2023Duration of rehabilitation therapy to achieve a minimal clinically important difference in mobility, walking endurance and patient-reported physical health: an observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise duration needed for clinically important improvement ranged from 8 to 88 hours. Neurological patients with MS or Parkinson's required significantly more time than those recovering from knee or hip surgery. Patient-reported health improved with less exercise than mobility or walking endurance measures.
• PTOTOther2023Upper extremity asymmetry due to nerve injuries or central neurologic conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationUpper extremity asymmetry is mostly assessed in stroke and cerebral palsy using clinical kinematics and strength tests. Real-world data collection is increasing but remains limited. Most studies rely on low-level evidence, with few randomized trials or cohort studies.
• PTOTCohort2023Hospital admission is associated with disability and late musculoskeletal pain in individuals with long COVID.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHospitalized long COVID patients reported more musculoskeletal pain and worse balance, fatigue, and walking speed than those not hospitalized. Days in intensive care and on mechanical ventilation predicted higher pain intensity, suggesting severe acute illness drives late physical symptoms.
• PTOTQualitative2023Use of Virtual Reality in Interdisciplinary Multimodal Pain Treatment With Insights From Health Care Professionals and Patients: Action Research Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians and patients with chronic pain described VR as an addition to multimodal pain treatment, not a replacement. They used it to observe fear and beliefs, guide graded exposure and activity, and make exercise more fun.
• PTOTCase-Control2023In-depth quantification of bimanual coordination using the Kinarm exoskeleton robot in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy showed impaired bimanual coordination compared to typically developing peers. The ball-on-bar task best distinguished coordination deficits and related them to manual ability, while the object-hit task primarily reflected differences between the hands.
• PTOTPilot2023Effects of overground gait training assisted by a wearable exoskeleton in patients with Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEight patients with Parkinson's disease trained with a wearable hip exoskeleton. They walked faster and with longer strides immediately after training and one month later. However, standard clinical tests for motor symptoms and balance did not show significant improvement.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2023Transcranial direct current stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia: a meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding tDCS to conventional swallowing therapy improved swallowing and reduced aspiration/penetration in randomized trials. The trials tested tDCS plus therapy, not tDCS alone.
• PTOTOther2023Applications of wearable sensors in upper extremity MSK conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost upper limb musculoskeletal wearable sensor studies measured joint motion, not whether treatments helped. Clinical studies were mostly observational, with no randomized trials, so they do not show whether sensors improve care.
• PTOTCohort2023Accelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months as a predictor of symptoms of depression and anxiety 1 year after stroke: a multicentre prospective cohort study in central Norway.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAccelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months post-stroke did not predict depression or anxiety at 1 year after adjusting for stroke severity and other factors. Sedentary time, light, and moderate activity levels showed no significant link to mood outcomes.
• PTOTOther2023Multi-Site Identification and Generalization of Clusters of Walking Behaviors in Individuals With Chronic Stroke and Neurotypical Controls.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWalking patterns after stroke fall into four distinct, reproducible clusters, not just a single average profile. Fast walkers show marked asymmetry, while slow walkers split into two groups with different force deficits. Identifying which cluster a patient belongs to allows for targeted rehabilitation strategies rather than generic gait training.
• Other2024Refinement of a Preliminary Case Definition for Use in Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationDelayed symptoms like blurred vision predicted longer recovery better than immediate ones. Combining 'dazed' into possible cases, not probable, improved accuracy. This refines how self-reported TBI data is classified for public health tracking.
• Other2024Variation in identifying children and adolescents with disability and developmental disability in population-based public health surveys.Disability and health journalEstimated prevalence of developmental disability in U.S. children varies widely depending on the definition used. Diagnosis-based definitions yield higher prevalence than functional limitation definitions, meaning the choice of survey questions significantly alters who is counted as having a disability.