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 514 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSurvey2024Preferences for risks and benefits of treatment outcomes for chronic low back pain: Choice-based conjoint measure development and discrete choice experiment.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients with chronic low back pain valued walking at least 1 mile, walking outside for short distances, and accomplishing basic household routines most strongly. Avoiding much difficulty with thinking was also a strong preference.
• PTOTOther2024Disparities in Access to Spasticity Chemodenervation Specialists in the United States: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMedicare beneficiaries in nonurban areas and communities with large Hispanic populations face greater difficulty accessing spasticity chemodenervation specialists. Urban areas had significantly fewer beneficiaries per provider, while regions with at least 25% Hispanic beneficiaries had significantly more beneficiaries per provider.
• Other2024Rationale for the Development of a Traumatic Brain Injury Case Definition for the Pilot National Concussion Surveillance System.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationTraumatic brain injuries are often missed in hospital records. A new surveillance system uses a three-tier case definition based on symptom type, number, and timing to better capture mild injuries that never reach a doctor.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering a stroke Early Supported Discharge service - An example from Ireland.Clinical rehabilitationStroke home rehabilitation teams in Ireland were unevenly resourced, with staff shortages and limited psychology access constraining delivery. Most teams dropped telerehabilitation after COVID, while families needed clearer information and support.
• PTOTCohort2024Clinical prediction model for interdisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation in osteoarthritis patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA prediction model identified factors like fewer pain locations, higher disability, and higher self-efficacy as predicting success in interdisciplinary rehabilitation. With an AUC of 0.71, the model discriminates well but requires external validation before clinical use.
• PTPilot2024Safety, walking ability, and satisfaction outcomes of the NEURO TRONIC stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis (SCKAFO): A comparative evaluation to the E-MAG active SCKAFO.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalThe primary knee-joint safety outcome did not differ significantly between NEURO TRONIC and E-MAG stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthoses in adults with neuromuscular knee weakness. Perceived walking effort favoured NEURO, but this small uncontrolled study cannot prove superiority.
• PTOTSurvey2024Performance of the Physical Functioning Activities of Daily Living Scale in the 2020 Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe 8-item PFADL scale reliably measures physical function in Medicare patients. It is best for identifying limitations, as 26% of respondents scored at the maximum, leaving little room to detect differences among those with higher function. Use it to screen for disability, not to grade top performers.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Mixed methods, single case design, feasibility trial of a motivational conversational agent for rehabilitation for adults with traumatic brain injury.Clinical rehabilitationTwo adults with traumatic brain injury and four clinicians found a conversational agent helpful for maintaining rehabilitation goals between appointments. Participants reported good usability and motivation, though the small sample and short duration limit conclusions about clinical effectiveness.
• PTOther2023Validating the Safe and Effective Use of a Neurorehabilitation System (InTandem) to Improve Walking in the Chronic Stroke Population: Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesIn a simulated home test, 14 of 15 adults with chronic stroke completed key InTandem walking-device tasks without errors. The one error involved sensor setup and a software bug. This was about safe use, not improved walking.
• PTOTPilot2023Movement Component Analysis of Reaching Strategies in Individuals With Stroke: Preliminary Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with mild-to-moderate stroke rely heavily on trunk flexion and shoulder elevation to reach, rather than using their arm joints. This method visualizes these compensatory strategies, helping therapists set specific goals to reduce inefficient movement patterns.
• PTOTOther2023Muscle redundancy is greatly reduced by the spatiotemporal nature of neuromuscular control.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesComputer modeling shows that because muscles cannot change force instantly, the brain has far fewer coordination options than previously thought. This explains why minor strength changes can force patients to adopt entirely new movement patterns.
• PTCohort2023Exercising More Than 150 min/wk After Concussion Is Associated With Sleep Quality Improvements.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdolescents who averaged more than 150 minutes/week of exercise after concussion reported greater sleep quality improvement over one month than those who did not. This does not prove exercise caused the change.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Recovery of activities of daily living in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit or medical care unit: an observational study on the role of rehabilitation in the subacute phase.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-ICU patients arrived with worse function but recovered to the same level as medical ward patients. Independence improved from a Barthel score of 10 to 70. This proves early rehab helps severe cases catch up, but without a control group, we cannot separate the treatment's effect from natural recovery.
• PTOTQualitative2023Clinicians' Perspective on Implementing Virtual Hospital Care for Low Back Pain: Qualitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians worry virtual care for back pain misses serious pathology and worsens inequity for older or culturally diverse patients. They fear losing the therapeutic relationship and face liability for falls at home, but support it if hybrid visits and clear safety nets are used.
• PTSLPSystematic Review2023Scoping review: quality of life of siblings of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, have a vision or motor impairment.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSiblings of children with hearing, vision, or motor impairments had mixed quality of life: some had higher depression and behavior problems, while others showed stronger prosocial behavior and close sibling relationships.
• PTOther2023Sensorimotor rhythm and muscle activity in patients with stroke using mobile serious games to assist upper extremity rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors showed stronger brain activation during shoulder exercises when using a vibration-feedback smartphone game compared to standard instruction. Muscle activity also increased for the shoulder, but not for the elbow or wrist. This short-term lab test does not prove the game improves functional recovery.
• SLPQualitative2023Shared decision making: audiology student perspectives.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAudiology students defined shared decision making as a collaborative process where the patient holds the final responsibility. They relied heavily on tangible tools like decision aids to structure appointments and manage complex hearing loss options, viewing these resources as essential for translating theory into practice.
• Narrative Review2023Boosting brain-computer interfaces with functional electrical stimulation: potential applications in people with locked-in syndrome.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThis review argues that combining brain-computer interfaces with electrical muscle stimulation could restore communication in locked-in syndrome. It synthesizes evidence from stroke and spinal cord injury but reports no new patient outcomes. It is a theoretical proposal for future research.
• SLPOther2023Identifying the Active Ingredients of a Computerized Speech and Language Therapy Intervention for Poststroke Aphasia: Multiple Methods Investigation Alongside a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTherapists who documented a clear reason for tailoring exercises saw better word retrieval. Patients who practiced naming words in full sentences also improved more. These two elements drove success in computerized speech therapy, regardless of total practice time.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2023Survival and causes of death in adults with spina bifida in Sweden: a population-based case-control study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdults with spina bifida died at a rate 7.3 times higher than matched controls over 25 years. While most died from their congenital condition, they also had higher rates of death from urinary system diseases and genitourinary cancers compared to the general population.
• PTOTPilot2023Prediction of Physical Activity Patterns in Older Patients Rehabilitating After Hip Fracture Surgery: Exploratory Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesIn this small exploratory analysis, a machine learning model correctly predicted two physical activity patterns for all seven patients in the test set using only the first week of wearable data. This suggests early activity levels may forecast recovery trajectories, but the tiny sample size makes these results preliminary.
• SLPQualitative2023Understanding identity construction among deaf adolescents and young adults: implications for the delivery of person and family-centered care in audiological rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFive deaf adolescents described identity as separate from disability, rooted in faith, culture, and school belonging. They faced stigma and fatigue from explaining themselves. Clinicians should ask about these psychosocial factors, not just hearing loss.
• PTOTPilot2023Mixed methods usability evaluation of an assistive wearable robotic hand orthosis for people with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive people with spinal cord injury tried a wearable robotic hand for grasping. Four improved their hand function scores, but one got worse because the device blocked their existing tenodesis grasp. Donning took almost five minutes and required assistance, which users disliked.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Establishing a Clinical Care Pathway to Expedite Rehabilitation Transitions for Stroke Patients With Dysphagia and Enteral Feeding Needs.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationA clinical pathway using PM&R consultation to identify stroke patients likely to recover swallowing allowed transfer to rehab with a nasogastric tube. This group achieved oral diet significantly faster than those receiving early PEG placement.
• PTOTRCT2024Peripheral artery disease causes consistent gait irregularities regardless of the location of leg claudication pain.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicinePeople with peripheral artery disease showed similar gait impairments and walking distances regardless of whether their claudication pain was in the calf, thigh, or buttock. The location of pain did not predict specific muscle group dysfunction.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Outcomes following intensive day rehabilitation for young people in Western Australia.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYoung people in intensive day rehab improved in function and goal attainment, with gains maintained at six months. But with no control group, natural recovery or community therapy may explain some progress, so do not assume the programme alone caused the change.
• PTCohort2024The relationship between chronic diseases and the intensity and duration of low back pain.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAmong adults with low back pain, those who reported one or more chronic diseases also reported higher pain intensity and longer pain duration. Hypertension and arthritis were linked to longer pain; hypothyroidism to higher intensity. This is association, not cause.
• PTOTOther2024Paired DBS and TMS Reveals Dentato-Cortical Facilitation Underlying Upper Extremity Movement in Chronic Stroke Survivors.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDirect stimulation of the cerebellum in stroke survivors with severe arm weakness facilitated motor cortex activity at short intervals. This excitatory effect was stronger in those with more severe impairment, suggesting the cerebellum may compensate for lost brain function in these patients.
• OTSurvey2024Age-related smartphone use patterns among individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury.Brain injuryMost respondents with moderate-to-severe TBI owned a smartphone, but those aged 45 and older used fewer functions beyond calls and fewer apps. Therapists should check what clients actually use before recommending phone-based reminders.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Achieving Functional Goals During a Skilled Nursing Facility Stay: A National Study of Medicare Beneficiaries.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFewer than half of skilled nursing facility residents met their documented discharge goals for self-care and mobility. Residents aged 90+, those with cognitive impairment, amputations, or incontinence had significantly lower odds of meeting these goals compared to younger, orthopedic patients.
• PTOTCohort2024Comparison of Upper Extremity Function and Daily Use in Individuals with and without Post Stroke Depression.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDepression did not affect arm function during early rehabilitation but was linked to significantly worse arm use and independence at six months. Clinicians should monitor mood closely when patients transition home, as depression may hinder the carryover of therapy gains to daily life.
• PTOTNarrative Review2024Functional Brain Changes Following Burn Injury: A Narrative Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairBurn injuries cause measurable changes in brain function and plasticity, but treatments targeting these changes have not yet proven effective. Evidence suggests that early intervention may help, but current clinical recommendations remain speculative and require further testing.
• PTSystematic Review2024The influence of bias in randomized controlled trials on rehabilitation intervention effect estimates: what we have learned from meta-epidemiological studies.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation trial quality checks gave mixed answers. Trials that did not hide who got which treatment, did not blind assessors, omitted key outcomes, or had unclear funding can point to larger effects, but the evidence is too limited to guide practice.
• Narrative Review2023Assessment, patient selection, and rehabilitation of nerve transfers.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper is a narrative review summarizing existing expert recommendations on assessing nerve injuries, selecting patients for nerve transfer surgery, and managing post-operative rehabilitation. It reports no new data or outcomes, so there is nothing here to change your practice on.
• OTProtocol2023Co-designing a Canadian adaptation of a lifestyle-oriented intervention aimed to improve daily functioning of individuals living with chronic pain: a multi-method study protocol of REVEAL(OT) Canada.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis paper describes a plan to adapt a Danish occupational therapy intervention for Canadian chronic pain clinics. It outlines how researchers will co-design and test the program's feasibility with patients and clinicians, but reports no results or outcomes yet.
• PTOTOther2023Spatial mapping of posture-dependent resistance to passive displacement of the hypertonic arm post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPost-stroke arm stiffness is not uniform. It depends heavily on where the hand is in space, with strong forces pulling toward a central equilibrium and less resistance in the middle of the workspace. This pattern is driven by muscle activity, not just tight tissues.
• PTOTQualitative2023Stakeholders' Perspectives, Needs, and Barriers to Self-Management for People With Physical Disabilities Experiencing Chronic Conditions: Focus Group Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with physical disabilities, caregivers, and experts described self-management as physical activity, nutrition, medication, and mental health. They wanted accessible digital programs with peer support, education, and ways to identify symptom triggers; fatigue, pain, cost, and medication complexity were barriers.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Figuring Out Life After Covid-19: a Qualitative Study From Sweden.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients hospitalized for COVID-19 reported feeling abandoned by the healthcare system one year post-discharge. They struggled to navigate follow-up care, often pushing themselves to exhaustion or avoiding exercise due to fear, while highlighting the critical need for structured rehabilitation support.
• PTOTOther2023Reduced physical activity level was associated with poorer quality of life during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a sub-study of the last-long trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors who reported less physical activity during lockdown were significantly more likely to report poorer quality of life. This association remained after adjusting for loneliness, mental health, and social activity. No participants reported improved activity or quality of life.
• PTOTOther2023The impact of lesion side on bilateral upper limb coordination after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRight hemisphere stroke made alternating two-hand circles harder to coordinate. Left hemisphere stroke made simultaneous circles harder, especially the weaker hand's path. This pattern could help choose two-hand practice.
• PTQualitative2023A Brain Computer Interface Neuromodulatory Device for Stroke Rehabilitation: Iterative User-Centered Design Approach.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke survivors and physiotherapists viewed the brain-computer interface device as a useful tool, not a therapist substitute. They valued its ability to increase rehabilitation intensity but flagged the headset's poor social acceptability and complex setup as major barriers to home use.
• PTOther2023Audiovisual biofeedback amplifies plantarflexor adaptation during walking among children with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren and adolescents with cerebral palsy increased calf muscle activity during treadmill walking with every biofeedback type. Audiovisual feedback, alone or with an exoskeleton, held the gain longest. Combined feedback was faster than audiovisual feedback, not larger. The gain stopped when feedback stopped.
• SLPOther2023Time course from cochlear implant surgery to non-use for congenitally deaf recipients implanted as children over ten years ago.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesChildren who stopped using cochlear implants were most likely to reject them around ages 9 to 11 or in early adulthood. All had relied on sign language or gesture as their main communication mode. This describes a pattern of risk rather than proving that any specific factor causes non-use.
• PTOTCohort2023Agreement Between Single Raters and Team Rating When Applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health's Rehabilitation Set.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA multidisciplinary team assessing patients with the ICF Rehabilitation Set reached the same conclusions as a single rater and took the same amount of time. This suggests teams can share the assessment burden without losing accuracy or slowing down care.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Quality of life, exercise capacity, cognition, and mental health of Chilean patients after COVID-19: an experience of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at a physical and rehabilitation medicine unit.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-COVID patients completing an 8-week multidisciplinary program showed significant gains in walking distance, strength, and mental health. However, nearly one-third dropped out. Baseline balance and fatigue scores helped predict who would leave early, allowing for targeted support.
• PTOTRCT2023The Effect of Group Training or Spinal Orthosis on Quality of Life and Potential Plasma Markers of Pain in Older Women With Osteoporosis. A Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationNeither group exercise with home exercises nor an activating spinal orthosis produced no clear quality-of-life benefit over 6 months in 113 older women with osteoporosis and back pain. Mobility scores were worse in the orthosis group than controls.
• PTOTQualitative2023Delivery of a community-based peer mentorship program for people with spinal cord injury at a rehabilitation center.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeer mentors were on site with a rehab team that included PTs and OTs. Patients sometimes confused mentors with clinicians. Shared workspace, informal talks, and a written agreement on boundaries were described as important for collaboration.
• PTOTRCT2023Cost-utility of a multicomponent intervention for fibromyalgia versus usual care: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA multicomponent programme improved quality-adjusted life years significantly compared with usual care, with costs rising slightly but staying well below the standard willingness-to-pay threshold. Adherence was high, and excluding those who attended fewer than 8 sessions showed cost savings.
• SLPSurvey2024COVID-19 and Remote Learning: Predictive Factors of Perceived Improvement or Worsening of the Voice in Brazilian Teachers.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationMost teachers reported no voice change during remote learning. Those who improved used their voice less and at lower intensity. Those who worsened used their voice more and at higher intensity. Voice symptoms appearing or disappearing tracked with these changes.
• Cohort2024Improving the quality of evidence production in rehabilitation. Results of the 5th Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Meeting.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThis paper reports on a methodological meeting aimed at improving research design in rehabilitation. It contains no clinical trial data, patient outcomes, or intervention results, so it does not provide evidence to guide direct patient care.