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 569 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPQualitative2025Deliberate and Self-Conscious Adaptation of Eye-Contact by Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults describe eye-contact as a conscious, effortful task that competes with thinking and listening. They often look away to process information or use strategies to appear 'normal', which they find exhausting. Diagnosis or feedback often triggered this self-awareness, leading to pressure to conform rather than natural change.
• RCT2025Accelerated Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Refractory Depression in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersNine autistic young adults with treatment-resistant depression completed accelerated theta burst stimulation. Depression scores dropped significantly and stayed low for 12 weeks. One person withdrew due to intolerance. This open-label pilot shows feasibility, not proof of efficacy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Employment Outcomes Among Clients With Stroke Utilizing Public Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the United States.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke survivors using vocational rehab had a 36.4% competitive employment rate. Short-term job supports, placement help, and rehab tech linked to better outcomes. Job search assistance and assessments linked to worse outcomes. Disability benefits and longer service duration also linked to lower employment rates.
• PTOTRCT2025Overground robotic exoskeleton vs conventional therapy in inpatient stroke rehabilitation: results from a pragmatic, multicentre implementation programme.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationOverground robotic exoskeletons allowed stroke patients to walk significantly further during therapy than conventional physiotherapy. However, functional gains were similar between groups overall. Only patients with moderate baseline impairment showed better motor function scores with the robot, though this finding requires cautious interpretation due to study limitations.
• SLPOther2025Generalisation of Social Communication Skills by Autistic Children During Play-Based Assessments Across Home, School and an Unfamiliar Research Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children generalised social communication skills from home to school and to an unfamiliar researcher. This transfer was stronger from the parent than the teaching assistant. Age, IQ and repetitive behaviours did not affect this generalisation.
• SLPOther2025Effects of School-Based Neurofeedback Training on Attention in Students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersStudents with autism or intellectual disability who received school-based neurofeedback showed better sustained attention to simple stimuli than controls. However, there was no improvement in selective attention or attention in complex tasks. The benefits appear limited to basic focus.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Effects of Motor Intervention Program on Academic Skills, Motor Skills and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA 12-week motor program improved gross motor skills, pre-academic concepts like colors and numbers, and social cooperation in autistic preschoolers. The intervention group showed significantly lower autistic index scores and fewer behavioral problems compared to the control group.
• PTOTCase Report2024Combination of traditional Chinese bone setting and NMES technique for treating lumbar disc herniation: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA 33-year-old office worker with lumbar disc herniation received a package of bone setting, electrical stimulation, stretching, strengthening and massage, followed by pain score 6 to 0 and better bending. This single case is not proof the combination works.
• SLPOther2024Time is of the essence: Age at autism diagnosis, sex assigned at birth, and psychopathology.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn autistic youth, later diagnosis was associated with more caregiver-reported anxiety and depression in both samples. In the clinic sample, people assigned female at birth were diagnosed later, and later diagnosis was linked to their symptoms.
• SLPCohort2024Canonical babbling trajectories across the first year of life in autism and typical development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCanonical babbling development was delayed in male autistic infants but not in female autistic infants. Overall differences between groups were small, with typical development remaining robust regardless of autism status or socioeconomic factors.
• PTOTCohort2024Free-living monitoring of ALS progression in upper limbs using wearable accelerometers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWrist-worn accelerometers tracked upper limb movement decline in 202 people with ALS. Counts of flexion and extension dropped while duration increased, correlating with worsening ALSFRS-RSE scores. This objective monitoring may complement clinical scales for tracking progression.
• PTOTOther2024Predicting upper limb motor recovery in subacute stroke patients via fNIRS-measured cerebral functional responses induced by robotic training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBrain activity measured during the first session of robotic arm training predicted short-term motor recovery better than resting scans. Combining these brain measures with basic clinical data improved accuracy, suggesting task-induced neural responses offer early prognostic insight for subacute stroke patients.
• PTOTPilot2024Dynamical complexity of postural control system in autism spectrum disorder: a feasibility study of linear and non-linear measures in posturographic analysis of upright posture.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBoys with autism showed larger standing sway and more regular sway patterns than typical boys, especially when vision was reduced or stance was narrow.
• PTOther2024Enhanced gait tracking measures for individuals with stroke using leg-worn inertial sensors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn inpatient stroke rehabilitation, leg sensors with an enhanced algorithm found more foot-off and foot-contact events than the older algorithm, especially during slow or uneven walking. It still timed swing phases poorly, so clinicians should not rely on all gait measures from it.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Being able to be myself: Understanding autonomy and autonomy-support from the perspectives of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults with intellectual disabilities defined autonomy as being themselves. They wanted support through choice and control, communicating in their own way, and safe environments. Autistic facilitators were key to interpreting nonverbal cues and building trust.
• Other2024Stretching after spinal cord injury: a call for evidence for this common clinical practice.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis is a perspective paper calling for evidence on stretching after spinal cord injury. It reports no original methods, participants, or outcomes.
• PTOTOther2024Proportional myoelectric control of a virtual bionic arm in participants with hemiparesis, muscle spasticity, and impaired range of motion.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTen stroke survivors with hemiparesis, including four with severe spasticity, controlled a virtual hand by muscle activity. Grasp control was similar to healthy controls; paretic extension was less accurate. This does not show a physical device helps daily tasks.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Making Video Games More Inclusive for People Living With Motor Neuron Disease: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost evidence on gaming for people with motor neuron disease comes from non-academic sources and lacks patient input. While customized controls and eye-gaze tech are common, 91% of reviewed papers did not include lived experience, so reliable guidance on what actually makes games fun or accessible is missing.
• SLPSurvey2024'It's not always textbook social anxiety': A survey-based study investigating the nature of social anxiety and experiences of therapy in autistic people.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults with social anxiety often feel their fears are justified by past trauma and discrimination, not just irrational thoughts. Most found standard CBT unhelpful because therapists did not respect neurodivergence or adapt the approach to individual needs.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Cognitive-motor dual-task training on gait and balance in stroke patients: meta-analytic report and trial sequential analysis of randomized clinical trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding cognitive tasks to stroke gait or balance rehab did not clearly improve Time Up and Go or walking speed. Berg Balance Scale scores may rise, but the evidence is too small to confirm it.
• PTOther2024Effect of low-frequency acupuncture on muscle and fascia stiffness: examination with or without intervention.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesLow-frequency acupuncture applied to the calf muscle of healthy men increased ankle dorsiflexion range of motion by about 7 degrees 15 minutes after treatment. Stiffness in deep muscle and fascia decreased, while surface fascia stiffness increased immediately after treatment before returning to baseline.
• SLPCohort2025Longitudinal Transition Between Regular and Special Education in Autistic Children: Predictors and Policy Effects.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDutch inclusive education policy did not reduce special school placements for autistic children; the proportion even slightly increased. Placement was predicted by lower IQ, co-occurring conditions, behavioral problems, and being male. Transitions were rare and driven by age and IQ.
• SLPOther2025Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Social Communication Questionnaire in Rural Kenya.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Kiswahili Social Communication Questionnaire accurately screens for autism in Kenyan children. At a cut-off of 15, it identified 86.7% of autistic children with no false positives against typically developing peers. It also distinguished autism from other neurodevelopmental disabilities, though less sharply.
• Other2025Faculty diversity trends in physical medicine and rehabilitation by gender, race, and ethnicity in the United States, 1977-2021.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPM&R faculty became more diverse over 45 years, but women and non-White groups remained underrepresented at full professor and chair levels. This is about academic careers, not patient care.
• SLPQualitative2025Improving Emergency Department Care for Suicidality in Autism: Perspectives from Autistic Youth, Caregivers, and Clinicians.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth and caregivers reported that rushed, abstract questioning and sensory overload in emergency departments hindered disclosure of suicide risk. They recommended concrete language, visual supports, and predictable routines to build trust, though ED clinicians noted time constraints make these changes difficult to implement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Transition-Age Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTransition-age autistic youth report far more adverse childhood experiences than non-autistic peers, especially bullying. Higher ACE counts link to poor general health, anxiety, depression, and physical conditions. Screening for community-based adversity like bullying is essential to identify those at risk.
• PTCase Series2025Whole genome sequencing for copy number variant detection to improve diagnosis and management of rare diseases.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn three cases, whole genome sequencing resolved uncertain or missed genetic diagnoses after standard tests failed. It does not show sequencing changes therapy, but it clarified cause and prognosis for these families.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2025The Relationship Between Fatigue and Quality of Life in the Turkish Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with autism reported significantly greater fatigue impact on their daily functioning and lower quality of life than mothers of typically developing children. Their own perceived quality of life and physical mobility were the strongest predictors of this fatigue, rather than how disruptive they found their child's specific behaviors.
• OTSLPCohort2025Mind the Gap: Executive Function Is Associated with the Discrepancy Between Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning in Autistic Children Without Cognitive Delay.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEmotional control problems were linked to a larger gap between autistic children's cognitive ability and everyday social skills, even when cognition was average. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that improving emotional control would close that gap.
• OTOther2025Social connectedness and loneliness in school for autistic and allistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic pupils in special schools were as physically connected as classmates but had fewer reciprocated friendships; loneliness did not differ overall. For autistic pupils, loneliness linked to being liked by the class, not face-to-face time.
• OTSLPCohort2025Predicting Intervention Use in Youth with Rare Variants in Autism-Associated Genes.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYouth with rare autism-associated genetic variants mostly receive speech and occupational therapy, but few receive behavioral therapy. Younger age and lower IQ predict occupational therapy use, while formal ASD diagnosis predicts behavioral therapy. Co-occurring conditions predict lower speech therapy intensity and higher use of alternative therapies.
• OTPilot2025Immersive virtual reality to assess unilateral spatial neglect in stroke patients: a preliminary study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineVR cancellation testing showed broadly similar time and performance to paper-and-pencil Bells testing, and was feasible and acceptable in 32 stroke patients. It detected neglect in all but one neglect patient in ecological VR.
• PTOTQualitative2024Professionals' Perspectives of Smart Stationary Bikes in Rehabilitation: Qualitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesRehabilitation professionals said a smart bike should let them adjust resistance and assistance, show per-pedal data, keep interfaces simple, and support safe transfers. These are design priorities, not proof the bike improves recovery.
• Other2024Exploring pattern-specific components associated with hand gestures through different sEMG measures.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining time-domain and frequency-domain EMG features achieved the highest accuracy for recognizing hand gestures across different users. This method removed the need for personalized calibration, allowing a single model to work for new users without retraining.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2024Postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly postcardiac surgery patients: progress in rehabilitation application research.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis review outlines how to assess and manage cognitive decline after cardiac surgery. It highlights that while cognitive training and exercise show some promise, evidence for long-term benefits in post-cardiac surgery patients is still emerging and often mixed.
• PTOTCohort2024Development of a quantitative assessment for abnormal flexor synergy index in patients with stroke: a validity and responsiveness study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new markerless motion capture index tracks abnormal elbow flexion during shoulder lifting. It correlates with standard impairment scores and detects small functional gains after therapy. The test takes seconds, offering a quick quantitative measure for stroke rehabilitation.
• PTOTCohort2024More absolute moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with better health-related quality of life in outpatients with an acquired brain injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOutpatients with brain injury who did more absolute moderate-to-vigorous activity had better quality of life. This link held even when accounting for age and fitness. Individualized intensity thresholds showed no such association. The small sample and cross-sectional design mean this is not proof that activity causes improvement.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Evaluation of an assistive exosuit for alleviating neck and shoulder muscle fatigue during prolonged flexed neck posture.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearing a wire-assisted exosuit while holding a 45-degree neck flexion reduced muscle fatigue markers in healthy adults. The device improved median frequency scores but did not change activation levels. Usability was rated average, with some users reporting shoulder pressure and numbness.
• SLPQualitative2024Experience of conductive hearing loss and impacts of hearing aid use throughout life.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdults with conductive hearing loss described a lifelong struggle with stigma, particularly in school and around masculine norms. Many delayed seeking help or rejected devices to avoid the visible announcement of deafness. Acceptance often came only later in life.
• OTSurvey2024Evaluating client functioning in a harm reduction program in South Africa: insights from a tool derived from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesClients in a South African harm reduction program reported unmet needs: 93.6% could not always meet financial needs, 79.6% did not always feel safe, and 75% reported stress, poor free-time use, lack of support, and money as most pressing. 63.5% always felt positive about COSUP.
• PTOTCohort2024Associations between autistic and comorbid somatic problems of gastrointestinal disorders, food allergy, pain, and fatigue in adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceHigher autistic symptom scores were linked to more IBS, likely food allergy, pain, and fatigue in 35,048 adults. Pain and fatigue links were stronger in women, and likely food allergy and fatigue links were stronger in younger adults.
• Other2024Multi-scale attention patching encoder network: a deployable model for continuous estimation of hand kinematics from surface electromyographic signals.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new AI model predicts hand movements from muscle signals with high accuracy and runs fast enough for wearable devices. It outperformed existing methods in lab tests using data from 40 healthy people, but it has not been tested in patients with disabilities.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Attendance rate and perceived relevance related to type, content, and delivery of current rehabilitation programmes after surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients attending lung cancer rehab more often reported benefits, but attendance was linked to the programme's features, not its proven efficacy. Disease-specific offers led by physiotherapists with exercise and progress testing had the highest uptake. This describes what patients valued, not what works.
• PTOTCohort2024Relationship between functional independence and community integration of people with spinal cord injury in Bangladesh.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFor 200 adults with spinal cord injury, independence at discharge did not track with home or social community integration one month later. Injury level and completeness mattered more, so therapists should not assume discharge independence guarantees reintegration.
• Other2024Compensating elastic faults in a torque-assisted knee exoskeleton: functional evaluation and user perception study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHealthy walkers could not tell when a knee exoskeleton had internal spring faults if the controller automatically compensated for them. Without compensation, they clearly felt less support and stiffness as faults worsened, but comfort and trust scores did not change.
• OTSurvey2024Academic learning challenges and links to vocational outcomes in young autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults who screened positive for learning difficulties were far less likely to achieve independent vocational outcomes. Orthographic challenges were more prevalent than arithmetic issues. Screening can help identify those needing extra support.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Screening and outcomes of co-occurring traumatic brain injury among people with spinal cord injury: a scoping review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineCo-occurring brain injury is frequently missed in spinal cord injury patients due to poor documentation. Mild injuries are hardest to detect. Outcomes are mixed, but moderate to severe cases often face longer stays and lower independence. Rely on multiple markers, not just one test.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Satisfaction, effectiveness, and usability of telerehabilitation for Parkinson's disease patients.Journal of rehabilitation medicineParkinson's patients rated telerehabilitation highly for convenience and emotional support, yet their overall quality of life significantly worsened over 6 months. Only 19 of 56 reported improved quality of life. The programme helped maintain exercise routines but did not stop symptom progression.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Development of a new social prescribing intervention for families of children with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFamilies reported many unmet social needs, especially benefits, National Disability Insurance Scheme and transport. Parents and clinicians co-designed screening, resource packs and a community linker role, but this paper does not show the programme improves outcomes.
• SLPCohort2025Eye tracking to support assessment of patients with prolonged disorder of consciousness - a case series.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWearable eye tracking detected a response in 46.2% of trials for 12 patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness, compared with 18.1% by standard clinical assessment. The difference was significant for visual pursuit and fixation. This suggests eye tracking may reveal awareness missed by bedside observation.