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 561 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Health outcomes of former division I college athletes.Brain injuryFormer collision sport athletes reported more cognitive complaints, impulsivity, rage, and sleep apnea than non-collision athletes. However, the 6.2% response rate means these findings may reflect selection bias, so they do not prove collision sports cause these health issues.
• Narrative Review2025Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinical experiences: A narrative review of curricula and educational interventions.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPhysiatry clerkships help students learn musculoskeletal exams and disability care, but virtual options fall short on hands-on skills. No consensus exists on the best way to teach these topics.
• PTOTRCT2024Immersive visualization of movement in patients with hemophilic ankle arthropathy. Multicenter, single-blind, randomized clinical trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWatching 15-minute immersive ankle movement videos daily for 4 weeks reduced joint pain in patients with hemophilic ankle arthropathy. Pain scores dropped by about 1 point on a 10-point scale, a change seen in 75% of participants.
• PTOTRCT2024Effectiveness of Pilates compared with home-based exercises in individuals with chronic non-specific low back pain: Randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationSupervised Pilates reduced pain and disability more than home exercises, but the difference was too small to matter clinically. However, Pilates led to a clinically relevant improvement in quality of life that persisted at six months.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Long-term life expectancy in severe traumatic brain injury: a systematic review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineSurvivors of severe traumatic brain injury face significantly reduced life expectancy compared to the general population. The risk of death remains elevated for years, particularly for those with limited mobility or self-care abilities, though independent walking improves survival prospects.
• PTOTRCT2024Efficacy of a new video observational training method (intensive visual simulation) for motor recovery in the upper limb in subacute stroke: a feasibility and proof-of-concept study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineEarly intensive video feedback training did not significantly improve upper limb function compared to control at 6 weeks, but showed greater recovery at 3 and 4 months. Both groups improved similarly by 6 months, with no significant difference remaining.
• PTOTRCT2024Effects of high-definition tDCS targeting individual motor hotspot with EMG-driven robotic hand training on upper extremity motor function: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn this small pilot trial, adding personalized brain stimulation before robotic hand training led to greater improvements in arm motor function and reduced finger stiffness compared to robotic training alone. These benefits were still present six months later. The study was too small to confirm this works for everyone.
• PTOther2024Reliability and usability of a novel inertial sensor-based system to test craniocervical flexion movement control.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new sensor-based test for neck movement control was usable and safe, but reliability varied. The progressive version showed moderate to good agreement between raters, while the random version had poor repeatability in patients with neck pain.
• PTOther2024Cross-step detection using center-of-pressure based algorithm for real-time applications.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA center-of-pressure treadmill algorithm detected 94% of cross-steps without lower-limb sensors in simulated real-time testing. It also detected all native gait events. This may help gait training research. It was not tested for patient outcomes.
• PTOTOther2024Three-month functional training programme improves knee joint function in athletes post-ACL reconstruction surgery.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAthletes who did 3 months of structured functional training after ACL surgery recovered knee strength and balance better than those who just waited for natural healing. The training group reached a hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio of 67.46% on the injured side, compared with 56.52% in the control group.
• PTOTCase Report2024A confounding pediatric spinal cord injury: Anterior, central, or both?Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineA two-year-old with a cervical spinal cord injury recovered distal arm function before proximal strength. This atypical pattern, combined with conflicting imaging and clinical signs, makes standard adult prognostic models unreliable for predicting long-term recovery in young children.
• PTOTOther2024Evidence based clinical practice guideline for follow-up care in persons with spinal cord injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new guideline recommends spinal cord injury follow-up care at 3, 6, and 12 months post-rehab, then annually. It urges checking for secondary conditions like pain, bladder issues, and mobility changes, though the evidence behind these schedules is currently low.
• PTOTCohort2024Analysis and relationship between the volume of upper limb lymphoedema and pressure pain threshold, neural range of motion, pain intensity, kinesiophobia, pain hypervigilance and catastrophizing in breast cancer survivors.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineBreast cancer survivors with lymphoedema had higher sensitivity to pressure pain and greater fear of movement than those without. However, the actual volume of the swollen limb did not correlate with pain intensity or fear levels. Treating the swelling size alone may not address the patient's pain experience.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024The inertial-based gait normalcy index of dual task cost during turning quantifies gait automaticity improvement in early-stage Parkinson's rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new turning-based dual-task index detected gait automaticity changes after 12 weeks of action observation training in early Parkinson's, while standard walking speed and dual-task cost measures showed no group difference. Balance and quality of life also improved more with training.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Unveiling the burden of COPD: perspectives on a patient-reported outcome measure to support communication in outpatient consultations-an interview study among patients.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNine COPD patients described how a pre-visit questionnaire helped them identify and disclose hidden psychosocial struggles like loneliness and depression. They valued clinicians asking direct follow-up questions based on these answers, which made conversations feel deeper and more personal.
• PTOTRCT2024The sustainability of exercise following colorectal surgery: A qualitative study of participants in the PREPARE-ABC trial.Clinical rehabilitationPatients described a cancer exercise trial as a turning point that motivated long-term activity, especially those previously inactive. Support, flexibility, and finding enjoyment helped sustain habits. Walking dominated, while strengthening was less frequent. This reflects patient perceptions, not proof of efficacy.
• PTCohort2024Is the Silfverskiöld Test a valid tool for evaluating calf muscles spastic overactivity in patients with stroke? A retrospective observational study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThe Silfverskiöld Test did not accurately distinguish which calf muscles were causing spasticity in stroke patients. It failed to predict the results of selective nerve blocks, suggesting clinicians should not rely on this test alone to decide which muscles to treat.
• PTOTCohort2024Does diagnosis matter? Evaluating impact of pediatric chronic pain diagnosis on pain and function.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with chronic pain improved in pain and function after an interdisciplinary program, regardless of diagnosis. Most baseline differences between pain types disappeared by discharge, though those with widespread pain continued to show more emotional impairment.
• OTCohort2024Neighborhood Deprivation and Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury Among Older Adults.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOlder adults hospitalized for traumatic brain injury who lived in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods spent fewer days at home over the next year than those in the least disadvantaged neighborhoods, even after adjustment.
• PTOTRCT2024Enhancing upper extremity muscle strength in individuals with spinal cord injury using low-intensity blood flow restriction exercise.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn ten people with spinal cord injury, low-intensity blood flow restriction exercise increased forearm strength by 7.5 kg over 8 weeks, compared to 4.4 kg with standard high-load training without blood flow restriction. Both groups improved, but the blood flow restriction side gained more.
• PTOTRCT2024Lasting effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on the inducibility of synaptic plasticity by paired-associative stimulation in humans.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA single 20-minute session of anodal tDCS over the motor cortex enhanced brain plasticity responses six hours later. Splitting the same total stimulation time into multiple shorter blocks failed to produce this benefit, suggesting continuous duration matters more than repetition for lasting effects.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Perturbational complexity index in assessing responsiveness to rTMS treatment in patients with disorders of consciousness: a cross-over randomized controlled trial study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTen days of active brain stimulation improved consciousness scores and brain complexity in patients with minimally conscious state compared to sham. Seven of twenty patients responded. All patients also received routine rehabilitation, so the effect of stimulation alone cannot be separated.
• SLPRCT2025A Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial of Prebiotic Supplementation in Children with Autism: Effects on Parental Quality of Life, Child Behaviour, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and the Microbiome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSix-week GOS plus dietetic advice did not improve parental quality of life, child social or mealtime behaviour, or overall GI symptoms in autistic children more than placebo plus dietetic advice. It increased Bifidobacterium, but did not give clear clinical benefit.
• SLPPilot2025Brief Report: Telehealth Music-Enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training in Autism: A Single-Subject Feasibility Study of a Virtual Parent Coaching Intervention.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAll parents learned to use the music-enhanced autism imitation coaching strategies with fidelity, and they kept using them after online coaching. Children's spontaneous imitation did not consistently increase.
• PTOTCase-Control2025Delayed Cortical Responses During Reactive Balance After Stroke Associated With Slower Kinetics and Clinical Balance Dysfunction.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke survivors showed delayed brain responses to balance loss, linked to poorer clinical balance. When forced to rely on the paretic leg, these delays correlated with slower corrective body movements. Loading the nonparetic leg masked these deficits, allowing normal-speed reactions.
• OTOther2025Brief Reports: Influence of Friendship on Loneliness Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Japan.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with autism reported higher loneliness than peers, and this difference was fully explained by lower companionship scores. For therapists, this suggests that facilitating shared activities and time spent together with friends may be more critical for reducing loneliness than addressing conflict or communication skills alone.
• PTOTRCT2025IpsiHand Brain-Computer Interface Therapy Induces Broad Upper Extremity Motor Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChronic stroke patients using a brain-computer interface hand device for 12 weeks improved upper limb movement by 8.1 points on the Fugl-Meyer scale. Gains occurred in both the shoulder and hand, exceeding the threshold for clinical benefit, with no adverse events reported.
• OTSLPCohort2024Brief Report: The Factors Associated with Social Cognition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children without intellectual disability scored lower than neurotypical peers on theory of mind, working memory, and inferential thinking. Theory of mind was the strongest differentiator, correctly identifying 82% of the autistic group, but performance relied heavily on general cognitive abilities.
• PTOTOther2024Gamified Practice Improves Paretic Arm Motor Behavior in Individuals With Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairTen days of gamified arm training improved movement speed and clinical scores in chronic stroke patients. The benefit held across ages and impairment levels, though the average score change was small. No control group means these gains could reflect natural recovery or practice effects.
• SLPQualitative2024Identifying Barriers and Implementation Strategies to Inform TBI Screening Adoption in Behavioral Healthcare Settings.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationProviders in behavioral health settings reported that lack of time, staff, and private space, along with unclear next steps after a positive screen, prevented them from adopting traumatic brain injury screening. They indicated that leadership mandates and billing support would be more effective than financial incentives.
• SLPCohort2024Adaptive Behavior in Young Autistic Children: Associations with Irritability and ADHD Symptoms.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn young autistic children, higher irritability was linked to poorer socialization skills, even after accounting for ADHD symptoms. This suggests that targeting emotional regulation may support social development more effectively than addressing attention or activity levels alone.
• Cohort2024Using the Infant Sibling-Design to Explore Associations Between Autism and ADHD Traits in Probands and Temperament in the Younger Siblings.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn families with an autistic older child, higher autistic traits in the sibling linked to lower approach in the infant, while higher ADHD traits linked to higher activity. These were small associations, not predictions of a diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024The international classification of functioning, disability and health in clinical practice, research findings and their impact on training and education.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAcross early intervention and child psychiatry projects, clinicians described ICF-based parent conversations and joint case discussions as helping them share a common language and involve parents. The paper reports perceptions, not tested health outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Psychometric Properties of Vestibular and Ocular Measures Used for Concussion Assessments: A Scoping Review.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVestibular and ocular tests for adult concussion show highly variable accuracy. The Community Balance and Mobility Scale and Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening appear most promising, while the widely used Balance Error Scoring System has inconsistent results. Many tests lack reliability data, especially for monitoring long-term recovery.
• SLPOther2024How Well Can we Diagnose Autism in Adults? Evaluating an Informant-based Interview: The Dutch Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview - Adult Version (3Di-Adult).Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Dutch 3Di-Adult interview correctly identified 80.6% of adults with autism and 93.3% of controls when compared to clinical diagnosis. It takes about 42 minutes to administer but requires an informant and should not be used alone.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Cognitive Performance is Associated With 1-Year Participation and Life Satisfaction Outcomes: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationPeople with brain injuries who improved their memory over the first year reported higher life satisfaction. Those who improved executive function participated more in social and community activities, but neither cognitive gain predicted returning to work or school.
• Other2024Feasibility and Safety of a Home-based Electroencephalogram Neurofeedback Intervention to Reduce Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Cohort Clinical Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHome-based EEG neurofeedback was feasible and safe for chronic neuropathic pain, with no serious adverse events. Pain and mood scores improved in the nine participants analysed, but most felt little change, and the study could not prove the treatment worked.
• PTOTRCT2024Effects of mirror therapy in post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome type-1: a randomized controlled study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding mirror therapy to standard hand rehabilitation for acute post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome did not improve pain, strength, or function more than standard care alone. Both groups improved similarly, so mirror therapy offered no extra benefit.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Randomized controlled trials as a source of evidence in rehabilitation: a critical analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineRCTs in rehabilitation cannot isolate single causes because treatments are multimodal, personalized, and context-dependent. Efficacy trials suit short-term component tests, while effectiveness trials better reflect real-world practice. Clinicians should judge RCTs by their purpose: proving a mechanism works or legitimizing a program.
• PTCase Report2024Physical therapist management and coordination of care to prevent pathological hip fracture from metastatic disease: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne woman with breast cancer bone metastases reported worsening left hip pain with walking during physical therapy. The therapist reported this to the physician, and imaging and prophylactic hip fixation followed. She later walked 140 feet with a walker at discharge.
• PTOTQualitative2024Exploring stroke survivors' and physiotherapists' perspectives of the potential for markerless motion capture technology in community rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors and physiotherapists see potential in markerless motion capture for home rehab but warn it suits only 10-20% of caseloads. Barriers include cost, digital access, and safety risks. It supplements rather than replaces therapist contact, especially for those with cognitive or perceptual impairments.
• Pilot2024How does fatigue affect handstand balance? a non-linear approach to study fatigue influence in handstand performance.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFatigue increased side-to-side sway and altered balance complexity in healthy male gymnasts performing handstands. Force plates detected these changes more reliably than wearable sensors. This exploratory work does not establish clinical norms or treatment effects for patients.
• PTOTPilot2024Enhancing stroke rehabilitation with whole-hand haptic rendering: development and clinical usability evaluation of a novel upper-limb rehabilitation device.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTherapists and stroke patients rated a new whole-hand haptic robot as easy to use and motivating. The main practical issue was that patients' fingers slipped out of the device fixation, which requires a design fix before this can be used reliably in daily therapy.
• PTCohort2024Impact of reduced group size on patient adherence and functional outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation: insights from a COVID-19 pandemic natural experiment.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSwitching to one-on-one cardiac rehabilitation sessions raised completion rates from 21% to 75%. Functional outcomes for those who completed were unchanged. The shift to individual care may solve adherence problems, but workforce costs remain a barrier.
• OTSurvey2024Finding Similarities in Differences Between Autistic Adults: Two Replicated Subgroups.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults formed two replicated subgroups: one had higher social skills and positive affect, the other lower sense of control, more worries and negative affect. The low-control subgroup had more psychological difficulties and lower quality of life.
• RCT2024Randomized Trial to Evaluate Effects of Peer- and Clinician-Led Interventions for Caregivers of Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationClinician-led problem-solving training reduced caregiver stress compared to usual care, with effects lasting three months. Peer-led self-management showed no significant benefit on stress, depression, or self-efficacy, though a trend toward improved self-efficacy appeared. Engagement was low for both interventions.
• SLPSystematic Review2024Indigenous Autism in Canada: A Scoping Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe review found a small literature on autism in Indigenous communities in Canada, mostly low quality by Indigenous research standards, with barriers to diagnosis and support, especially on reserve. It gives no evidence that any intervention works.
• SLPOther2025Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Inpatient Adolescent Psychiatric Population.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTwenty of 173 adolescents admitted to inpatient psychiatric units were diagnosed with ASD (11.56%), versus 1.52% in Canadian children and youth. Prenatal and perinatal factors did not separate the groups.
• OTSLPCohort2025Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Times of COVID-19: Examining Emotional and Behavioral Problems, Parental Well-Being, and Resilience.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism did not show a larger increase in emotional and behavioral problems during the COVID-19 lockdown than typically developing peers. Parental mental health and social connectedness were not associated with how children’s problems changed. Individual variability was high, meaning some children worsened while others remained stable or improved.
• OTSurvey2025Brief Report: The Impact of COVID-19 on Parental Stress and Learning Challenges for Chinese Children with SpLD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with specific learning difficulties reported high stress during remote learning. This parental stress was linked to lower child self-esteem and poorer family quality of life, with online learning challenges and behavioral difficulties being key drivers.