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 538 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2024Speech-in-Noise Assessment in the Routine Audiologic Test Battery: Relationship to Perceived Auditory Disability.Ear and hearingWord recognition in quiet did not predict patients' perceived difficulty understanding speech in noise. Speech-in-noise testing and hearing thresholds did predict this disability, but many patients with normal test scores still reported significant trouble.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Hearing Aid Amplification Improves Postural Control for Older Adults With Hearing Loss When Other Sensory Cues Are Impoverished.Trends in hearingOlder adults with hearing loss and impaired balance systems stood more steadily on foam when wearing hearing aids. The improvement was not linked to how long they had used the devices, suggesting the benefit comes from immediate access to environmental sound cues rather than long-term adaptation.
• SLPCohort2024Story Grammar Analyses Capture Discourse Improvement in the First 2 Years Following a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.American journal of speech-language pathologyAdults with severe TBI showed significant narrative improvements over the first 2 years. Story grammar analysis of a complex retell detected these gains early. Longer post-traumatic amnesia predicted poorer recovery, while higher education predicted better narrative structure.
• SLPOther2024Auditory Spatial Bisection of Blind and Normally Sighted Individuals in Free Field and Virtual Acoustics.Trends in hearingVirtual audio via headphones severely degraded rear sound localization for all participants, while frontal performance remained comparable to real loudspeakers. Blind individuals performed as well as sighted controls in free field, contradicting prior reports of specific spatial deficits in blindness.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2024The Convergent Validity of the SWAY Balance Application to Assess Postural Stability in Military Cadets Recovering from Concussion.International journal of sports physical therapyThe SWAY app failed to detect balance differences in military cadets with recent concussions compared to healthy controls. It also showed no correlation with the gold-standard NeuroCom test. Clinicians should not rely on SWAY scores to assess post-concussion balance deficits or guide return-to-activity decisions.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Enhancing touch sensibility with sensory electrical stimulation and sensory retraining.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSub-threshold electrical stimulation improved texture discrimination within the treated group, but the difference versus sham failed significance after correction. Stimulation increased scanning speed and brain activity, yet no direct clinical benefit was proven for patients.
• SLPCohort2024Computer-based Auditory Training by New Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients Is Associated With Durable Improvements in Cochlear Implant Quality of Life.Ear and hearingNew adult cochlear implant users who used computer-based auditory training did not have greater speech recognition gains at 12 months, but reported larger quality-of-life gains.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Understanding the post-diagnostic support priorities of autistic adults in the United Kingdom: A co-produced modified Delphi study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults prioritise support that is accessible regardless of location and delivered by autism-trained professionals. They want individualised plans that respect their communication preferences, address the impact of late diagnosis and masking, and offer flexible, 'step-on step-off' access to services.
• OTSLPCohort2024Auditory Neural Responses and Communicative Functioning in Children With Microcephaly Related to Congenital Zika Syndrome.Ear and hearingChildren with microcephaly from congenital Zika syndrome showed lower caregiver-reported communication and altered auditory brain responses. Peripheral hearing was normal. Cortical responses to speech were delayed and differentiated less, but present, suggesting central processing differences rather than deafness.
• PTOTOther2024Exploring the challenges of avoiding collisions with virtual pedestrians using a dual-task paradigm in individuals with chronic moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with chronic traumatic brain injury walked closer to virtual pedestrians and started avoiding them later when doing a cognitive task. They did not hit the obstacles, but their strategy was riskier than healthy adults, who widened their path and slowed down.
• SLPSurvey2024Relationships Between Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Short Form SSQ12 Item Scores and their Use in Guiding Rehabilitation for Cochlear Implant Recipients.Trends in hearingThree specific SSQ12 questions predict overall hearing difficulty in cochlear implant users. Low scores on understanding one person with a TV on, judging vehicle distance, or hearing sound clarity indicate a need for targeted rehabilitation, while high scores suggest the user is coping well.
• SLPOther2024Externalization of Speech When Listening With Hearing Aids.Trends in hearingHearing aids made words seem closer to or inside the head than unaided listening, especially with closed domes and behind-the-ear microphones. This was a small laboratory study in young adults, not evidence of everyday benefit or harm.
• PTOTCohort2024Prediction of long-term functional outcome following different rehabilitation pathways after stroke unit discharge.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients planned for home or outpatient rehab after stroke had higher odds of independence at 1 and 5 years than those with no planned rehab. Inpatient rehab was linked to lower odds of independence, but these patients had more severe strokes and comorbidities.
• OTQualitative2024Autistic adults' experiences of financial wellbeing: Part II.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described financial wellbeing as precarious even when budgeting strictly. Stable income and accessible government support were paramount, while executive function challenges and lack of early financial education made planning difficult. Social dynamics ranged from helpful family buffers to financial abuse.
• PTNarrative Review2024Enhancing the Diagnosis of Lateral Ankle Sprains: The Role of MSK Diagnostic Ultrasound in Evaluating ATFL and CFL.International journal of sports physical therapyA technique guide for ultrasound of lateral ankle ligaments. It describes probe positions and tear appearances, but reports no patient outcomes or diagnostic accuracy.
• PTCase Report2024Clinical Diagnosis of Scapular Dyskinesis in a Youth Softball Pitcher: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA youth softball pitcher with shoulder pain and a scapular dyskinesis diagnosis received seven weeks of physical therapy. Her strength and scapular test improved, but she still had pitching discomfort. Five months later she reported no pain after home exercises and gradual pitching.
• PTQualitative2024The influence of contextual factors on an intervention for people with disabilities from support persons' and health personnel's perspectives: a focus group study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSupport persons and health personnel said water dance sessions for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities were feasible and acceptable when managers protected time, training and clear roles were provided, and the same support person stayed with the participant.
• RCT2024Video mirror feedback induces more extensive brain activation compared to the mirror box: an fNIRS study in healthy adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 33 healthy adults, watching a video of their own hand move produced more activation in a brain area linked to body perception than a mirror box, but motor areas showed no consistent advantage and no patient outcomes were tested.
• PTSurvey2024Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychological Outcomes in Participants with Symptomatic and Non-Symptomatic Knees after ACL Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter ACL reconstruction, people with symptomatic knees reported worse quality of life, more fear of activity, and lower resilience than people with non-symptomatic knees. Physical activity levels did not differ.
• OTQualitative2024'I live in extremes': A qualitative investigation of Autistic adults' experiences of inertial rest and motion.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described 'inertia' as a daily struggle to start or stop tasks, ranging from paralysis to hyperfocus. They found external prompts helpful for initiation but jarring if they interrupted flow. Support should aim to reduce disabling aspects while preserving the joy of deep engagement.
• Cohort2023The neuroanatomical substrates of autism and ADHD and their link to putative genomic underpinnings.Molecular autismBrain scans show autism and ADHD have distinct structural signatures, but co-occurring ADHD significantly changes the cortical thickness patterns in autistic individuals. These anatomical differences align with genes linked to autism development, not ADHD risk genes.
• Other2023Variation in Caregiver-Reported Child Sleep Patterns and Problems by Family Socioeconomic Indicators.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren in poverty had longer times to fall asleep and shorter nighttime sleep, but parents reported sleep problems at similar rates across income groups. Parents with more education were four times more likely to report a sleep problem, often triggered by bedtime difficulties.
• PTOTCase Report2024Long-term functional and clinical outcome of combined targeted muscle reinnervation and osseointegration for functional bionic reconstruction in transhumeral amputees: a case series.Journal of rehabilitation medicineDisability scores improved after bone anchoring, nerve rerouting, prosthetic training and fitting. The men used the prosthesis daily and felt it was part of their body. Because several treatments were given together, no single component can be credited.
• PTOTCohort2024The use of accelerometer bracelets to evaluate arm motor function over a stroke rehabilitation period - an explorative observational study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChange in wrist movement over stroke rehab did not track change in clinical arm function, although readings matched arm function scores at the start and were still related at the end. Ten of 18 patients did not change their self-reported arm use.
• PTOTCohort2024Improving physical movement during stroke rehabilitation: investigating associations between sleep measured by wearable actigraphy technology, fatigue, and key biomarkers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 18 stroke inpatients, no sleep link was found for affected-side movement. More night wakings tracked with weaker non-affected grip, and longer time to fall asleep tracked with better non-affected block performance. Fatigue was common but not linked to movement.
• OTQualitative2024Clinical Utility and Usability of the Digital Box and Block Test: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFour occupational therapists rated a digital Box and Block Test prototype as more professional and easier to evaluate than the wooden version, though bulkier to transport. They suggested softer block edges and audible end-of-test signals.
• PTRCT2024Effects of flexor reflex stimulation on gait aspects in stroke patients: randomized clinical trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring a single session, stroke patients walked faster and farther with sole-of-foot reflex stimulation than without, but most gait parameters did not change and the speed gain was below reported clinically meaningful values.
• PTOTCohort2024The independence of impairments in proprioception and visuomotor adaptation after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with impaired position sense still adapted to visual distortions at normal rates. Proprioceptive deficits and visuomotor adaptation impairments occur independently, so a patient’s poor body awareness does not predict their ability to learn from visual feedback.
• PTNarrative Review2024An Apparent Achilles Heel of the NFL: Have Achilles Tendon Injuries Significantly Increased to Unacceptably High Incidence Levels in the NFL and if so, why? A Clinical Insight.International journal of sports physical therapyThe author argues that Achilles tendon ruptures in the NFL have increased significantly and suggests that risk factors are complex, involving both modifiable and non-modifiable elements rather than just turf surfaces.
• PTSurvey2024Use of standardised outcome measures among physiotherapists in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyAmong 241 physiotherapists in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, only 27% used standardised outcome measures all the time. Lack of time (48%) and administrative support (36%) were the main barriers.
• SLPCohort2024Social Communication and Parent Verbal Responsiveness Across Interaction Contexts in Toddlers on the Autism Spectrum.American journal of speech-language pathologyToddlers communicated most during book sharing and play with people. Parents followed in with verbal comments during these activities, but used more directives during chores and transitions. Communication occurred in all contexts, supporting the use of everyday routines for intervention.
• PTOTQualitative2024Managers' perceptions on the implementation of community-based rehabilitation in KwaZulu-Natal.The South African journal of physiotherapyManagers in KwaZulu-Natal said community-based rehabilitation was held back by poor coordination, lack of training and weak monitoring. Where active programmes existed, they described better access to services and support for parents.
• SLPQualitative2024Experiences of interpersonal victimization and abuse among autistic people.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described abuse patterns similar to non-autistic people, but said being autistic made them easier to target, harder to recognize abuse, and gave abusers ways to use their autism against them. Better relationships and sex education was their main request.
• PTOther2024Quadriceps vascular occlusion does not alter muscle action or balance: A cross-sectional study.The South African journal of physiotherapyA thigh cuff that partly restricted blood flow did not change quadriceps strength or muscle recruitment in healthy women. Balance was largely unchanged, except a front-to-back sway speed difference during one-legged standing.
• SLPCohort2024A Large-Scale Study of the Relationship Between Degree and Type of Hearing Loss and Recognition of Speech in Quiet and Noise.Ear and hearingPatients with conductive hearing loss understood speech in noise as well as those with normal hearing when sound was loud enough. Those with sensorineural or mixed loss struggled in noise even with mild hearing loss. Word recognition in quiet missed these difficulties.
• SLPCase Report2024Intensive Voice Treatment following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection for a Speaker with Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia: An Exploratory Case Study.Seminars in speech and languageIn one woman with abductor laryngeal dystonia whose voice had not improved after botulinum injections, intensive teletherapy was followed by increased sustained vowel time, better perceived voice quality, and a normal voice handicap score by 3 months.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Barriers to healthcare and a 'triple empathy problem' may lead to adverse outcomes for autistic adults: A qualitative study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described a 'triple empathy problem' where communication breaks down due to autism-specific differences, general doctor-patient mismatches, and medical culture. Barriers like sensory overload and phone-only appointments led to healthcare avoidance and severe, self-reported adverse outcomes.
• PTOTOther2024An enhancement of the Genium™ microprocessor-controlled knee improves safety and different aspects of the perceived prosthetic experience for unilateral and bilateral users.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn upgraded microprocessor knee reduced stumbles by 85% and pain scores overall, but did not change standard mobility or balance test results. Bilateral users reported significantly greater ease and safety in daily activities than unilateral users, though no physical performance gap closed.
• Other2024Human immunodeficiency virus diagnosis and care among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are publicly insured.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAmong adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities covered by Medicare or Medicaid, only 0.12% without known HIV had HIV testing in one year. Among those with diagnosed HIV, 71% received HIV medication. Adults with autism and intellectual disability had lower testing and medication receipt.
• SLPCohort2024Listening-Related Fatigue in New and Experienced Adult Cochlear Implant Users.Ear and hearingNew cochlear implant users report a rapid drop in listening-related fatigue within two weeks of activation, stabilizing by three months. However, fatigue remains significantly higher than in people without hearing loss. Audiograms do not predict fatigue levels; perceived hearing handicap and listening effort do.
• Narrative Review2024A path to recovery for overlooked populations and their unique challenges: integrating rehabilitation in palliative care for patients with substance use disorders.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThere are no original patient outcomes to report in this narrative review of palliative rehabilitation and substance use disorders.
• Pilot2024Cerebrovascular Reactivity Following Spinal Cord Injury.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationCerebrovascular response time was 25% slower in grey matter for people with spinal cord injury compared to controls, while overall reactivity was unchanged. Longer time since injury and more frequent low blood pressure episodes were associated with reduced cerebrovascular capacity.
• Other2023Pharmacogenetic Testing in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluated in a Precision Medicine Clinic.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPIn youth with autism referred for genetic drug testing, poor medication response was a referral reason for 66% and adverse reactions for 49%. More co-occurring diagnoses went along with more reactions. This was descriptive.
• Other2023Age-related changes in neural responses to sensory stimulation in autism: a cross-sectional study.Molecular autismAutistic children showed stronger brain responses to sensory stimulation than typically developing peers only in pre-teen years. By the teen years, these differences largely disappeared. Older age was linked to increased brain activity in regions used for emotional regulation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Prevalence and nature of prior developmental and medical concerns in toddlers who screen positive for autism in primary care.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNearly 80% of toddlers who screened positive for autism already had documented developmental concerns. Motor delays appeared earliest, often before one year. Clinicians should view a positive screen as confirmation of existing concerns rather than a sudden new finding.
• Cohort2023EEG functional connectivity in infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismInfant brain connectivity did not distinguish those later diagnosed with autism from those who were not. The main analysis found no significant differences. Exploratory links between connectivity and symptom severity were weak, inconsistent across sites, and failed statistical correction.
• PTOTCohort2023Age-Specific Probability of 4 Major Health Outcomes in Children with Spina Bifida.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPContinence improves with age, but mobility and skin integrity worsen. For children with spina bifida, expect bladder and bowel incontinence to decrease from ages 5 to 19, while the risk of pressure sores and loss of walking ability increases steadily. These trends hold regardless of sex or race.
• PTSurvey2024The knowledge and attitude concerning sport-related concussion among coaches: A survey study.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost Jordanian sports coaches in this survey had low knowledge of concussion and attitudes that did not match safety guidelines. They struggled most with return-to-play protocols and symptom recognition. Coaches who had received concussion training showed better knowledge, suggesting targeted education could improve sideline safety.
• SLPQualitative2024Exploring quality of life post sudden onset hearing loss: A convergent parallel approach.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsTwo adults with sudden hearing loss and three family members described severe communication barriers and social withdrawal. Patients reported audiologists provided basic information but lacked emotional support. This highlights a gap in counselling, not a proven solution.
• PTCohort2024Changes in caregiving risk and motor function among older adults participating in community gatherings in Koshigaya city.Journal of physical therapy scienceFrail older adults in community exercise groups saw lower caregiving risk scores and better leg strength after six months. Healthy participants showed no benefit in risk scores, and leg strength gains were the only motor function improvement seen across the whole group.