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 584 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTCohort2025The Role of Timing and Amount of Outdoor Play in Emotional Dysregulation in Preschool Children.Child: care, health and developmentPreschoolers who played outdoors between noon and 6 PM showed better emotional regulation and working memory. Those playing before noon or after 6 PM showed more emotional dysregulation. This links timing of play to outcomes, not just total duration.
• OTQualitative2025'I did what I could to earn some money and be of use': A qualitative exploration of autistic people's journeys to career success and fulfilment.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults defined career success by personal fulfilment rather than status or pay. They identified poor support, social isolation, and inaccessible workplaces as key barriers. Positive outcomes relied on gradual transitions, workplace adjustments, and a sense of belonging.
• PTOTCase Series2025A Technology System to Help People With Multiple Disabilities Increase Contact With Objects and Control Environmental Stimulation: Single-Case Research Design.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA webcam-based system successfully helped 8 adults with severe multiple disabilities increase their contact with objects. The participants controlled their own stimulation by touching items, proving the sensor worked reliably without needing physical attachments to the objects or the person.
• SLPPilot2025Pre-trained artificial intelligence language model represents pragmatic language variability central to autism and genetically related phenotypes.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThe model did not separate fragile X or parent groups from controls, but its score was lower in autistic than non-autistic conversations and tracked hand-coded pragmatic errors. It is not a clinical test yet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Longitudinal Associations Between Movement Behaviours and Development Among Infants Using Compositional Data Analysis.Child: care, health and developmentMore tummy time and sleep linked to better gross motor skills. More time on back linked to delays. Time in strollers or high chairs helped communication but slowed sitting. Optimal daily minutes for motor development: 43 tummy, 51 back, 96 restrained, 845 sleep.
• PTOTOther2025Impact of provider feedback on quality improvement in rehabilitation services: an interrupted time series analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGiving Norwegian rehabilitation teams data on their own quality indicators, with comparisons to other centres, did not improve care. Patient-reported quality stayed the same, and some measures of how much patients achieved their goals fell slightly.
• SLPNarrative Review2025Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy-Induced Dysphagia in Head and Neck Tumors: A Challenge for Otolaryngologists in Low- to Middle-Income Countries.DysphagiaThis review outlines how chemoradiotherapy causes dysphagia in head and neck cancer, noting silent aspiration occurs in up to 50% of patients. It recommends early speech pathology evaluation and swallowing exercises to prevent muscle atrophy, especially where advanced imaging is unavailable.
• PTOther2025Comparison of gait deviation index (GDI) and gait variability index (GVI) measured by marker-based and markerless motion capture systems in children with cerebral palsy (CP).Gait & postureIn children with cerebral palsy, Theia3D markerless motion capture gave lower Gait Deviation Index scores than marker-based capture, especially in more affected limbs. Gait Variability Index scores did not differ. Do not compare GDI scores across systems.
• SLPQualitative2025Identifying the unique determinants influencing rural families' engagement with an existing tele-assessment approach for autism identification: A qualitative study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers and providers described four core attitudes influencing tele-assessment uptake: doubts about validity, trust in the provider's judgment, logistical feasibility, and privacy concerns about revealing their home life. Barriers included poor internet, lack of devices, and child behavior. Facilitators included avoiding travel and having a support person present.
• OTOther2025Challenges in Using Parent-Reported Bed and Wake Times for Actigraphy Scoring in Rett-Related Syndromes.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesIn 38 families of people with Rett-related syndromes, parent sleep diaries were often more complete than actigraphy button presses. Disagreements over 45 minutes were common, and both sources were difficult to trust.
• PTOTQualitative2025Supervised exercise after minor stroke: an evaluation from the perspective of patients and healthcare professionals.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients were most motivated to exercise immediately after stroke, before daily life reorganized. Supervised hospital exercise felt safer and more engaging than municipal sessions, where patients felt less supported. Peer bonding and frequent follow-ups were key to maintaining activity.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Caregivers' expectations of their non-verbal autistic children in rural KwaZulu-Natal.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsCaregivers of non-verbal autistic children in rural KwaZulu-Natal expected communication, education and support, but inadequate explanation of diagnosis, language barriers and unclear therapy purpose shaped those expectations.
• SLPOther2024Evidence-Based Recommendations for Tablet Recordings From the Bridge2AI-Voice Acoustic Experiments.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationTablets with cheap headset microphones produce voice data nearly identical to expensive research equipment. Holding the tablet at arm's length fails, especially in noisy rooms. Use a headset mic at 2.5-5 cm for reliable acoustic analysis.
• PTOTCohort2024Deficits in recovery of postural stability after stepping are limb- and phase-specific in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.Gait & postureChildren with unilateral CP show significant postural instability when stepping, especially side-to-side movement with their more-affected leg. They recover stability more slowly and with less automaticity than peers. This specific dynamic weakness may increase fall risk during daily activities.
• SLPSurvey2024Awareness of middle ear pathologies in South Africa: Towards a primordial preventive audiology.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsMost people recognised ear itching and pain. Very few knew about discharge, fullness, or risk factors like smoking. Few knew audiologists treat these issues. This gap can delay care, so therapists should check what patients know before assuming they will seek help.
• PTOTOther2024Intra- and inter-rater reliability of goniometric finger range of motion using a written protocol.Archives of physiotherapyUsing a written protocol, a single therapist measuring the same patient twice got consistent finger range of motion results. But different therapists measuring the same patient got much less consistent results. Stick to one examiner for tracking changes.
• PTOther2024Walking biomechanics in women with patellofemoral osteoarthritis differ compared to men with and women without patellofemoral osteoarthritis.Brazilian journal of physical therapyWomen with patellofemoral knee OA had some different hip and knee walking mechanics than men with the same condition and than controls, and some symptom links appeared only in men.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Comparative profiling of white matter development in the human and mouse brain reveals volumetric deficits and delayed myelination in Angelman syndrome.Molecular autismChildren with Angelman syndrome have significantly smaller brain volumes from age 1, with white matter reduced by 26.5% between ages 6 and 12. Mouse models show this is driven by a delay in myelination onset that normalizes later, suggesting a window for early intervention.
• SLPOther2024Community-Supported Shared Infrastructure in Support of Speech Accessibility.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRA new speech dataset built from 211 people with Parkinson's disease helps computers understand their speech better than existing systems. The dataset is available for research, but the authors did not test how well this improves daily communication tools for patients.
• SLPOther2024Relationships Between Hearing Status, Cognitive Abilities, and Reliance on Visual and Contextual Cues.Ear and hearingHearing aid users struggled more than normal-hearing adults in sound-only trials, but matched their performance when seeing the speaker's face. Higher fluid intelligence was linked to better visual-cue use only in hearing aid users. Contextual cues helped both groups.
• Narrative Review2025Sudden unexpected infant death, sudden unexplained death in childhood, and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis review discusses potential biological overlaps between sudden unexpected death in infancy, childhood, and epilepsy, suggesting unrecognized seizures may play a role in some deaths. It provides no new evidence on prevention strategies or clinical outcomes.
• PTOTRCT2025MEP Status is Not Predictive of Response to Upper Limb Training in People With Chronic, Moderate-Severe Hemiparesis Post-Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn chronic moderate-to-severe stroke, a motor evoked potential before upper limb training did not predict arm improvement. People with and without a baseline MEP improved similarly, with similar proportions achieving a 6-point improvement. MEP status alone did not help predict response.
• PTCohort2025Validation of the Amputee Single Item Mobility Measure (AMPSIMM) and the abbreviated AMPSIMM-4 for amputee mobility.Clinical rehabilitationA single self-report question about mobility closely matched longer mobility questionnaires and self-reported K-levels in veterans after vascular-related lower-limb amputation. The shorter version also matched K-levels, but it is less detailed and not for small changes.
• PTOTRCT2025Subphenotypic classification of COVID-19 survivors and response to telerehabilitation: a latent class analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA 6-week home exercise app improved walking distance in COVID-19 survivors, but the benefit depended on lung function and steroid use. Patients with poorer baseline lung function who had taken steroids saw the largest gains. Others showed no significant difference.
• Case Report2025Comprehensive rehabilitation of a serviceman with triple limb amputation following combat polytrauma: a case study from Ukraine's wartime context.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOne soldier with three limb amputations regained independent living and mobility over 15 months. He progressed to K3 functional level, using prosthetics for 16–18 hours daily without crutches, and returned to work.
• Protocol2025A single-arm feasibility study protocol for a multiphasic multimodal exercise prehabilitation intervention in individuals receiving allogeneic stem cell transplant.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationThis paper describes a planned 30-week exercise program for stem cell transplant patients, delivered by clinical exercise physiologists across three phases. It is a protocol only, so no results, feasibility data, or clinical outcomes are reported yet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Childhood and Adulthood Predictors of Community Participation by Autistic Adults With and Without Intellectual Disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAutistic adults participated most in shopping and family outings, but half always needed a carer present. Living in supported accommodation was the strongest predictor of lower community participation frequency. Childhood autism symptoms predicted reduced adult participation, but only weakly.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025Customization of manual wheelchair components: a state-of-the-art review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCustomization of manual wheelchair components has shifted from manual carving to digital workflows using 3D scanning and CAD. While custom-contoured cushions are well-researched, evidence for other components is scarce, and clinical adoption is limited by the need for specialized technical skills.
• PTOTPilot2025Home-Based Nonimmersive Virtual Reality Training After Discharge From Inpatient or Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: Parallel Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesHome virtual reality balance and gait training after stroke was feasible and safe, but did not improve balance, gait or function more than iPad apps. Both groups improved some measures over six weeks.
• SLPOther2025Examining the Relationship Between Parental Broader Autism Phenotype Traits, Offspring Autism, and Parental Mental Health.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchFathers of autistic children showed higher broader autism phenotype traits than fathers of non-autistic children. Mothers' mental health difficulties linked to their child's emotional dysregulation, while fathers' difficulties linked to their own autistic traits.
• SLPCohort2025Wellbeing of Family Carers of Adults With Intellectual Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UK: Longitudinal Study.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCarers of adults with intellectual disabilities reported slightly better wellbeing and less health impact from caring as pandemic restrictions eased. However, carers of those with profound disabilities or poor mental health consistently faced greater burdens, highlighting a need for targeted support.
• PTOTRCT2025EEG-fMRI neurofeedback versus motor imagery after stroke, a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with partial upper limb impairment who trained with EEG-fMRI neurofeedback improved more on arm function scores than those doing motor imagery alone. The gains held at one month, but the study was small and the neurofeedback felt harder.
• PTOTOther2024Effectiveness of manual therapy for patients with low back pain from the perspective of physical and psychosocial factors.Journal of physical therapy scienceAll 18 patients who completed this manual therapy study improved in pain and disability scores over eight weeks. However, without a control group, natural recovery or concurrent medication may explain these gains rather than the treatment itself.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Relationship between scapular internal rotation and upper-trunk movements during right and left hand-behind-back movements.Journal of physical therapy scienceScapular movement during hand-behind-back tasks is linked to trunk motion, but the direction differs by side. Right-hand movement correlated with trunk uprighting, while left-hand movement correlated with trunk forward flexion and rotation. Assess trunk posture separately for each side.
• SLPRCT2024Impact of chronic intranasal oxytocin administration on face expression processing in autistic children: a randomized controlled trial using fMRI.Molecular autismFour weeks of daily intranasal oxytocin did not significantly change face-processing brain activity in autistic children compared to placebo. The primary outcome was null. Only uncorrected, exploratory analyses showed reduced activity in some regions.
• SLPOther2024Stick with Static: Unexpected Detrimental Effects of Visual Movement in a Looking-While-Listening Task.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdding movement to the correct image in a word recognition task did not improve accuracy in autistic children and slowed recognition compared to static images. Use static images for looking-while-listening tasks; movement is not a valid aid for this population.
• SLPOther2024Student perspectives of simulated learning to improve their dysphagia management.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsAfter a timed dysphagia simulation with mannequin, feedback and role play, third-year speech-language therapy students reported feeling more confident and better prepared. They also said it should be used alongside real patient exposure, not instead of it.
• SLPOther2024Changes in Outcomes Expectations During the Cochlear Implant Evaluation Process.Ear and hearingAverage expectations did not significantly change across the cochlear implant evaluation period. People who started with high expectations lowered them, while people with low expectations mostly stayed the same or increased.
• SLPCohort2024Sign language delays in deaf 3- to 5-year-olds with hearing parents.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationDeaf children of hearing parents showed nearly double the rate of sign language delays compared to deaf children of deaf parents. Even those scoring within normal limits had weaker American Sign Language grammar skills than their deaf-parent peers.
• PTOTOther2024The effect of advanced age and stool modification on reaching distance in sitting.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding leg supports to a stool increased forward reach distance in older adults by 8.7 cm. They reached farther forward than sideways. The study compared healthy young and older adults, so it does not show how to treat patients with balance deficits.
• PTOTCohort2024Factors associated with stair climbing independence at discharge in patients with vertebral compression fractures and their interrelationships: a study using decision tree analysis.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor women with vertebral compression fractures, muscle mass and age at admission predicted stair independence at discharge. Those with skeletal muscle mass index below 4.48 kg/m2 or age over 90.5 years were more likely to need assistance. Grip strength below 11.9 kg also flagged risk.
• PTCohort2024Relationship between preoperative and discharge evaluations in patients receiving around-the-knee osteotomy.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 18 patients, higher preoperative pain catastrophizing scores were associated with longer 10-m walking time at discharge. The study did not show that changing these thoughts improves walking.
• PTOTCase Report2024Non-surgical reduction in thoracolumbar kyphosis and sagittal vertical axis corresponding with improved sensorimotor control in an older adult with spinal deformity: a Chiropractic Biophysics® case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceOne older man with spinal deformity improved his standing balance and reduced his forward lean after four months of chiropractic exercises, traction and whole-body vibration. Because this was a single patient, it shows what happened to him, not that the treatment works.
• SLPOther2024Learning Verbs in Sentences: Children With Developmental Language Disorder and the Role of Retrieval Practice.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRRetrieval practice helped children with DLD recall new verbs in practiced sentences, but this advantage disappeared after one week. They also struggled to use these verbs in new grammatical structures, unlike their typical peers.
• SLPOther2024Voices From the Field: A Quality Improvement Project for Progressive Tinnitus Management 2.0.American journal of audiologyClinicians and patients with tinnitus requested digital, spiral-bound, and less redundant materials for the Progressive Tinnitus Management program. A small pilot of the updated course was viewed as helpful and easy to understand, with participants valuing the group support and wellness integration.
• PTPilot2025Immersive virtual reality rehabilitation after lower limb surgery in paediatric patients.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren recovering from lower limb surgery used an immersive VR game to distract themselves while walking. Anxiety and pain scores dropped significantly after the first session, and patients reported walking further and faster than they thought possible. This is a small pilot study, so it does not prove the game works.
• Systematic Review2025A systematic review of pre-registration in autism research journals.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceStudy plans registered before work began were rare in autism journals, found in about 2.23% of publications. In sampled studies, many plans lacked detail, and only four of 14 fully reviewed matched or openly reported changes.
• PTPilot2025Optimizing health through education: The Adaptive Health Education on Activity and Diet (AHEAD) program.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationA 4-week virtual education workshop for adaptive athletes with disabilities increased weight training frequency, meal prep, diet and exercise discussions, and physical activity right after the course, but some gains were not sustained at follow-up and confidence mostly did not change.
• PTCohort2025Impact of sarcopenia on gait independence in older orthopaedic patients: a comparison of 2 diagnostic algorithms.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn older orthopaedic inpatients, ISarcoPRM sarcopenia was more common among patients whose walking independence worsened during hospitalization. AWGS2019 sarcopenia was not.
• RCT2025Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSoC): Evidence to Question Its Use?Child: care, health and developmentThe Parenting Sense of Competence scale is not stable over time for parents of infants. Scores shift as children develop, so this measure cannot reliably track changes in parenting competence. Clinicians should avoid using it to assess progress in this group.