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 546 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2024Assessment of retention of training in improving the accuracy of needle penetration depth.Journal of physical therapy scienceFifteen acupuncture students improved needle-depth accuracy on a gel from 4.2 mm error to 1.3 mm after two weeks of demonstration, fingertip contact, guide-piece, and daily practice, and the gain remained 28 days later.
• SLPOther2024Cross-cultural adaptation of the Voice-related Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals - VENI to Brazilian Portuguese.CoDASThe Brazilian Portuguese VENI voice questionnaire was pre-tested with 21 nonbinary people, and standard responses were more common than non-applicable responses for every item. It can help speech therapists ask about voice experiences.
• PTSystematic Review2024A review of evidence on mechanical properties of running specific prostheses and their relationship with running performance.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEvidence linking running prosthesis stiffness to speed or energy cost is inconsistent. Studies used different tests, and several used the same data, so this review cannot guide prosthesis selection.
• SLPRCT2024Immediate effects of photobiomodulation on saliva production.CoDASPhotobiomodulation did not differ from placebo for self-perception or measured saliva in healthy adults. Measured saliva increased at 9 J and decreased at 18 J and 24 J in both groups, so the laser alone cannot explain the changes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Brain glutathione and GABA+ levels in autistic children.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBrain scans found no difference in glutathione or GABA levels between autistic and non-autistic children. Higher GABA in motor and thalamus regions correlated with ADHD inattention scores, but this secondary finding was not adjusted for multiple comparisons.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Noninvasive analysis of overactive muscle structure and elasticity after botulinum toxin type A injection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineBotulinum toxin injections temporarily improve muscle elasticity at four weeks, but show no structural change at short-term. At long-term, muscle volume decreases in children with cerebral palsy. This suggests caution regarding reinjection timing in this population.
• SLPOther2024No association between alexithymia and emotion recognition or theory of mind in a sample of adolescents enhanced for autistic traits.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn adolescents, alexithymia did not explain why autistic traits relate to poor emotion recognition or theory of mind. Autistic traits alone predicted these difficulties. One unpre-registered subgroup finding suggested alexithymia linked to lower theory of mind in non-autistic youth only, but this did not hold after adjusting for verbal IQ.
• SLPCase Report2024Breastfeeding outpatient in primary care as an important action to promote breastfeeding: experience report.CoDASThis paper describes how a community health center in Brazil set up a breastfeeding clinic run by a speech-language pathologist. It reports the service structure and the problems mothers brought in, such as pain and latch issues, but provides no evidence that the intervention changed breastfeeding outcomes compared to standard care.
• Other2024CFI: a VR motor rehabilitation serious game design framework integrating rehabilitation function and game design principles with an upper limb case.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThis paper proposes a theoretical design framework for virtual reality rehabilitation games and demonstrates how to build a specific game prototype. It does not report any clinical trial results, patient outcomes, or effectiveness data, so there are no findings here to change your practice on.
• PTOTOther2024Musculoskeletal complaints, physical work demands, and functional capacity in individuals with a brachial plexus injury: An exploratory study.Work (Reading, Mass.)For people with one working arm, four video-based ergonomic tools agreed on workload scores, but their risk ratings did not. A self-report questionnaire did not match any tool. Pain in the healthy arm was not linked to workload or measured capacity, so these tools cannot explain who develops pain.
• PTOther2024Changes in acceleration and deceleration factors associated with active gait speed adjustment.Journal of physical therapy scienceWhen 16 healthy young adults sped up after a cue, center-of-mass acceleration changed first vertically, then front-back and side-to-side. When they slowed down, three muscles did not rise above maximum walking, but biceps femoris rose briefly. This is mechanics, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Selective orthotic constraint of lower limb movement during walking reveals new insights into neuromuscular adaptation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWalking in a rigid ankle orthosis caused immediate and progressive drops in muscle activation on the treated leg, while the untreated leg showed increased activity. This reveals a bilateral neuromuscular adaptation to mechanical constraint in healthy adults, not a treatment effect for patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Characterising the social interaction style of autism in young adult males with fragile X syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRYoung men with fragile X syndrome and autism split evenly between active and passive social styles. Crucially, neither style predicted their cognitive, language, or adaptive skills. A passive presentation does not mean lower ability; do not underestimate a patient's capacity based on how they initiate social interaction.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Stroke survivors' long-term participation in paid employment.Work (Reading, Mass.)Half of stroke survivors with pre-stroke jobs still had employment contracts at 30 months, but many were on sick leave. Those who stayed in the workforce reported better quality of life and communication, yet non-work participation remained restricted and less satisfying.
• PTRCT2024Prognostic Factors and Treatment Effect Modifiers for Physical Health, Opioid Prescription, and Health Care Utilization in Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders in Primary Care: Exploratory Secondary Analysis of the STEMS Randomized Trial of Direct Access to Physical Therapist-Led Care.Physical therapyThe STEMS trial did not find a meaningful physical health advantage from adding an offer of direct access to physical therapy to GP care. Belief in managing pain predicted better health, fewer opioid prescriptions, and less care use. Severe pain predicted the opposite.
• Other2024Role of autonomic, nociceptive, and limbic brainstem nuclei in core autism features.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBrainstem microstructure differences relate to autism features in children. A specific brainstem cluster linked to social communication and awareness was replicated in adolescents. These findings are biological associations, not evidence that brainstem changes cause autism or predict treatment response.
• PTSLPCase-Control2024Differences in cough strength, respiratory function, and physical performance in older adults with and without low swallowing function in the repetitive saliva swallowing test.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults with low swallowing screening had weaker cough and breathing muscles than matched controls. Lung function and physical tests were similar. The analysis included 14 low swallowing and 14 controls.
• OTSurvey2024Differences in how women and men in a Swedish population-based sample think about sick leave: A cross-sectional vignette study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Men were more likely than women to say it was not reasonable for a person with mild to moderate depression symptoms to be sick-listed for a couple of weeks. The man or woman named in the written case did not change this judgement.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024Nil per os in the management of oropharyngeal dysphagia-exploring the unintended consequences.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNil per os (NPO) does not reliably prevent aspiration pneumonia and causes significant harm, including dehydration, muscle wasting, and reduced quality of life. Clinicians should avoid using NPO as a default intervention and instead weigh the transfer of risk to other body systems.
• Cohort2024Short report: Transition to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision and the prevalence of autism in a cohort of healthcare systems.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThe switch to the new medical coding system did not cause sudden jumps in autism diagnosis rates. Increases in young children reflect a gradual trend of earlier screening, not a coding artifact. Historical data comparing autism prevalence before and after the change remains valid.
• SLPRCT2024Effects of athletic tape on orofacial pain and jaw movements after 24 hours of use: a randomized clinical trial.CoDASIn adults with TMD, 24-hour athletic tape on the masseter did not improve jaw movement and did not differ from unstretched tape. Pain fell only at a few points within each group, with no advantage for stretching.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Associations between Executive Functions and Sensorimotor Performance in Children at Risk for Learning Disabilities.Occupational therapy internationalPoor standing balance and weak sentence repetition were the strongest predictors of being at risk for learning difficulties in preschoolers. These two factors predicted risk better than IQ or age, suggesting clinicians should screen for balance and verbal working memory alongside cognitive tests.
• OTOther2024Adolescent/Young Adult Self-Management and Independence Self-Report Scale: Preliminary psychometric findings.Child: care, health and developmentIn 159 adolescents and adults with spina bifida, preliminary data support the AMIS II SR self-report scale. It separated everyday independence from condition-specific self-management, and participants reported more independence for condition tasks.
• OTOther2024Examining the associations among knowledge, empowerment, and advocacy among parents of transition-aged youth with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEmpowerment, not just knowledge, strongly predicts whether parents advocate for their children. Parents who feel empowered are more likely to move from individual to peer and systemic advocacy. Interventions should prioritize building confidence and control over simply teaching service rules.
• SLPQualitative2024'[M]y own pace and space, without the pressures': Online learning experiences of audiology students.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsAudiology students described online learning as flexible, cost-effective and less exhausting, but also reported time-management problems, weak instructor presence, poor peer connection, load-shedding and feeling unprepared for clinical practicals.
• PTOTOther2024The Functional Dexterity Test in Adult Populations: An Exploration of a Simplified Test Protocol and Parameters Guided by Statistical Outcomes.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsA simplified Functional Dexterity Test scored as speed, without penalties, showed dexterity declines linearly with age in healthy adults. Dominant hands were faster by 0.054 pegs per second, and males faster by 0.047 pegs per second.
• SLPOther2024Modeling the Intelligibility Benefit of Active Noise Cancelation in Hearing Devices That Improve Signal-to-Noise Ratio.Trends in hearingSimulated hearing aids with active noise cancelation had higher speech-in-noise metric scores than standard aids, especially above 70 dB SPL and with at least 4 dB signal-to-noise improvement. No people tested this.
• PTOTOther2024Cultural adaptation and Sepedi translation of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsThe Sepedi version of a balance-confidence questionnaire was culturally adapted and gave stable results when given again to 32 older rural adults. It can help assess balance confidence, but this study did not test whether it predicts falls.
• OTCohort2024Atypical pattern separation memory and its association with restricted interests and repetitive behaviors in autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children showed weaker memory for distinguishing similar objects than neurotypical peers. This difficulty varied across individuals, with some children over-generalizing and others under-generalizing. More severe repetitive behaviors were linked to over-generalizing, suggesting memory profiles may need to be assessed to tailor learning strategies.
• PTOTSurvey2024Patient-reported outcome survey of user-experiences in the spinal cord injured-community with MPPT for treating wounds and pressure injuries and for controlling soft tissue infection caused by osteomyelitis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSpinal cord injury patients reported a 100% closure rate for wounds and control of fistula symptoms using MPPT powder. Most treated themselves without nursing support. These are self-reported experiences from a small group, not proof of efficacy.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Neural basis of lower-limb visual feedback therapy: an EEG study in healthy subjects.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWatching video feedback of a moving leg activated the brain's motor areas, but adding mental imagery or physical movement to the viewing caused much stronger brain activity and post-movement validation signals. Passive watching alone did not trigger these stronger effects.
• Other2024Setting the European standards for training in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineNo patient outcomes are reported. The paper describes updated European training standards for physical and rehabilitation medicine physicians.
• SLPCase Report2024Ultrasonographic analysis of the hyoid bone distance in individuals with neurogenic oropharyngeal dysphagia.CoDASUltrasound showed the hyoid bone moved less upward during swallowing in adults with neurogenic oropharyngeal dysphagia than in healthy adults. Food consistency did not change the measurement.
• PTOTPilot2024A Feasibility Study of a Physical and Occupational Therapy-Led and Parent-Administered Program to Improve Parent Mental Health and Infant Development.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsA therapist-led program teaching parents massage and motor exercises was feasible and acceptable. Parent anxiety, depression, and sense of competence improved significantly from admission to discharge, but without a control group, it is impossible to know if the program caused these changes or if parents simply felt better as their infants improved.
• PTPilot2024Combined Effects of Glenohumeral Mobilization, Stretching, and Thoracic Manipulation on Shoulder Internal Rotation Range of Motion.International journal of sports physical therapyAdding thoracic manipulation before shoulder mobilization or stretching reduced range of motion gains compared to doing the shoulder techniques alone. For stiff shoulders, perform posterior glide mobilization or sleeper stretches independently to maximize internal rotation.
• PTCase Report2024Clinical Progression and Load Management For Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy In A Long-Distance Runner: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA runner with severe buttock pain from hamstring tendon injury reported pain dropping from 7/10 to 1/10 after 12 weeks of progressive loading exercises. The plan increased difficulty only when daily pain stayed at 4/10 or less, moving from isometric holds to running.
• Other2024Gene Expression Profiles Perturbed by Injury to the Mouse Intervertebral Disc.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMouse tail disc injury triggered 592 gene changes. Novel markers like Chl1 and Lum appeared alongside inflammation pathways. This is animal lab work, not human data. Do not apply to patient care.
• PTOTOther2024Use of cortical hemodynamic responses in digital therapeutics for upper limb rehabilitation in patients with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain activation data to digital rehab scores improved the accuracy of classifying stroke patients' motor impairment severity. Patients with limited function showed increased brain activity in motor and planning areas, while those with better function showed no significant activation.
• SLPCase Series2024Clinical impact and in vitro characterization of ADNP variants in pediatric patients.Molecular autismAll 15 children with ADNP variants had global developmental delay. Eight had autism, and 13 had distinctive facial features. In lab tests, most mutations disrupted how the protein sits in the cell nucleus, but not by blocking its entry signal alone.
• SLPOther2024In-situ Audiometry Compared to Conventional Audiometry for Hearing Aid Fitting.Trends in hearingModern hearing aid software automatically corrects for low-frequency leakage in open-fit devices. In-situ thresholds matched conventional audiometry within 5 dB for 11 patients. Clinicians can trust in-situ results for fitting, provided they follow manufacturer guidelines on dome selection.
• PTCase Report2024Treatment of developmental hip dysplasia with manual therapy following Pavlik harness failure: a case report with long-term follow-up.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapyIn a child whose hip dysplasia persisted after a Pavlik harness, daily manual therapy was followed by less limping, normal walking, and later X-ray findings. This describes a case, not proof the therapy works.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Validity and Reliability of Dynamic and Functional Balance Tests in People Aged 19-54: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyThe Y-Balance Test, Star Excursion Balance Test, and one-arm Functional Reach Test are valid and reliable for assessing dynamic balance in healthy adults aged 19-54. Different tests measure distinct skills, so scores cannot be directly compared between them.
• PTOther2024Evaluation of the accuracy of ChatGPT's responses to and references for clinical questions in physical therapy.Journal of physical therapy scienceOverall, ChatGPT's answer content was rated almost correct, but 40.5% of references were fictitious. Check every reference before using it.
• OTQualitative2023Exploring the usability of a smartphone application to monitor fatigue and activity for people with acquired brain injury.The British journal of occupational therapySeven people with acquired brain injury found a fatigue-tracking app easy to use, especially the energy battery metaphor. Carrying a second phone and quiet notifications were major barriers. Self-monitoring changed how they understood fatigue, but sensor data failed because phones were kept in bags.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2023Prioritising patients for hospital occupational therapy to reduce inpatient falls: A retrospective case-control study to identify predictive patient falls risk factors.The British journal of occupational therapyEarly occupational therapy input was associated with an 81% reduction in falls within the first 48 hours of admission. Key risk factors for early falls included impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, impulsivity, and mobilising without assistance.
• OTPilot2023Usability of a mobile phone application to enhance activities of daily living in occupational therapy services for breast cancer survivors.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTTwenty-nine breast cancer survivors rated the MAIA app 63 out of 100 for usability after one month. The app lets occupational therapists send activity advice, but the app study measured usability only.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Analyzing Time Use by Occupation Area between Weekdays and Weekends by Gender of Parents in Single-Parent Families.Occupational therapy internationalSingle parents spent 197.65 more minutes on work weekdays than weekends. Weekends brought more sleep, leisure, and home care. Women used weekends for media and relationships. Men chose outdoor activities. These patterns show where time deficits occur for this group.
• SLPOther2024The word-with-noise test: development, validation and reference values.CoDASThe Word-with-Noise test reliably distinguishes people with hearing loss who struggle in noise from normal-hearing listeners. It uses a fixed 55 dBHL noise background to find the speech threshold, taking about nine minutes per ear to administer.
• SLPOther2024Cross-cultural adaptation of the Iranian Voice Quality of Life Profile into Brazilian Portuguese.CoDASThe Iranian voice quality-of-life questionnaire was adapted into Brazilian Portuguese. Thirty-six adults at risk for dysphonia understood all 43 items, and no item needed change. It is not yet validated, so it should not be used as a validated measure.
• Other2024Empowering sickle cell disease care: the rise of TechnoRehabLab in Sub-Saharan Africa for enhanced patient's perspectives.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis article describes the setup of a new rehabilitation facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo that uses virtual reality and mobile technology for sickle cell patients. It reports no clinical outcomes or study results, so it does not change practice.