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 628 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• Other2026Structural Learning in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children: A Replication and Extension.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children matched on age and IQ learned spatial arrangements, but scored lower than non-autistic children in the final task block. The difference appeared late, not early.
• OTSLPPilot2025Reported Barriers and Facilitators for Autistic Individuals, Persons with Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Their Caregivers to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSurvey respondents most often named knowledgeable staff and low-noise, less crowded spaces as helpful; logistics were the most common reported unhelpful part.
• PTPilot2025Using MediaPipe to track upper-limb reaching movements after stroke: a proof-of-principle study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn seven people after stroke, single-camera MediaPipe tracked reaching videos and showed faster palm movements by day five. Palm movement consistency decreased, and shoulder/trunk patterns differed, so speed alone did not reveal whether movement was recovered or compensated.
• PTOTCohort2025Neuromuscular adaptations in soleus and tibialis anterior muscles in persons with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHigh-functioning individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury required significantly higher muscle electrical activity to match the force of controls. This suggests they recruit larger or more motor units to compensate for lower firing rates. No differences were found in motor unit synchronization or force variability.
• Cohort2025Examining the Link Between Social Affect and Visual Exploration of Cute Stimuli in Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with high autism severity looked less at cute images like babies and animals and more at adults than children with lower symptoms or typical development. Across the whole group, worse social affect scores linked to less looking at cute stimuli.
• PTOther2025Effect of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Resource Consumption on Therapeutic Strategies Chosen by Physiotherapists: Virtual Patient Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPhysiotherapists chose expert aligned strategies more often for easy low back pain cases than for harder ones. In easy cases, higher intolerance of uncertainty and using extra test results were linked to less appropriate choices. In harder cases, confidence did not track choice quality.
• OTOther2025Reliability and validity of virtual reality box & block test in healthy adults and patients with stroke: a prospective, multi-center, exploratory, cross-sectional study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA VR Box and Block Test produced stable scores and moved with the standard test, but it scored lower and is not interchangeable. It also captured movement speed and distance in people with stroke and healthy adults.
• OTOther2025Association of Irritability with Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors and Social Communication Challenges in Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIrritability in autistic youth was linked to repetitive behaviors: more stereotyped movement and insistence on sameness went with more irritability, while broader restricted interests went with less. Social communication difficulties did not add to irritability after other factors.
• Other2025Autistic Adults Avoid Unpredictability in Decision-Making.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults did not make riskier or safer bets than non-autistic adults when probabilities were known. Under uncertainty, they avoided unpredictable losses and took longer to decide. This suggests a preference for predictability, not a general decision-making deficit.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effect of exercise-based interventions on stroke rehabilitation: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExercise improves balance, strength, and walking after stroke, but the best type depends on how long it has been since the event. Trunk exercises help most in the subacute phase, while aerobic training aids chronic recovery. Most evidence is moderate quality, so tailor prescriptions carefully.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Evaluating R2Play, A Novel Multidomain Return-to-Play Assessment Tool for Concussion: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Face Validity Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTen concussion-recovered youth and five clinicians found the new R2Play tablet-based return-to-play assessment safe, usable, and physically demanding enough to mimic sport. It is not yet validated for clinical decision-making.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025The impact of non-invasive brain-computer interface technology on the therapeutic effect of patients with spinal cord injury: a summary of evidence based on meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNon-invasive brain-computer interfaces showed positive pooled effects on motor function, sensory function and daily living in spinal cord injury. But with 109 participants in 9 small studies, mostly self-controlled, the authors call this a research hypothesis, not a basis for clinical practice.
• PTOTRCT2025Effect of upper-limb robot-assisted therapy combined with pneumatic gloves on upper limb function in young and middle-aged stroke patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationYoung and middle-aged stroke patients using robot-assisted therapy with pneumatic gloves showed greater upper limb movement and daily function gains than those in conventional occupational therapy. Both groups improved, but the robot-glove group scored higher on motor and activity tests after four weeks.
• SLPOther2025Empathy and Autism: Establishing the Structure and Different Manifestations of Empathy in Autistic Individuals Using the Perth Empathy Scale.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported lower cognitive and affective empathy than non-autistic adults on the Perth Empathy Scale. However, affective empathy varied much more widely within the autistic group, so average scores do not describe every individual. The total score also misses important detail; use subscales instead.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Clinical and engagement efficacy of a virtual musculoskeletal integrated practice unit in health system employees: aggregate and comparative results from two employers.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEmployees with back, neck, or joint pain who completed a virtual multidisciplinary program showed improvements in physical health, pain interference, and mental health scores. However, this was a self-selected group with no control comparison, so the specific effect of any single treatment component cannot be determined.
• OTPilot2025Exploring transcutaneous electrostimulation for proprioceptive feedback in upper limb prostheses: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStimulating a forearm finger flexor muscle produced a felt finger extension in ten able-bodied participants. In one prosthetic user the effect was weaker, but certain electrode placements helped identify cylinder size without sight.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Treatment dosage effects of treadmill-based exoskeletal robotic-assisted gait training in individuals with pediatric brain injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineTreadmill robotic gait training improved walking speed and standing ability in children with brain injuries, but not endurance or walking scores compared to conventional therapy. Benefits were clearest when combined with conventional therapy and delivered at high frequency.
• PTOTCohort2025Association of Hallucinogen Use With Psychosocial Outcomes: Secondary Analysis of the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Database.Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitationHallucinogen use was rare and linked to higher depression scores but not quality of life. Users were more likely to be younger, male, and report falls or sleep disturbances. This observational data cannot prove hallucinogens cause or relieve these symptoms.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Sleep Disturbances and Co-sleeping in Italian Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSleep problems affected one-third of children with autism, with difficulty falling or staying asleep being the most common. Higher IQ, anxiety, and parental stress predicted these issues. Co-sleeping was very frequent but did not correlate with sleep disorder severity.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations: Rehabilitation, Recovery and Community Participation Following Stroke. Part One: Stroke Rehabilitation Planning for Optimal Care Delivery, 7th Edition Update 2025.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationStroke unit care reduces poor outcomes. Early mobilization within 24 hours increased mortality and reduced favorable outcomes in the AVERT trial. Virtual rehab is effective for motor, cognitive, and speech goals. Multidisciplinary discharge planning improves transitions but mixed evidence exists on specific clinical outcomes.
• SLPQualitative2026Inclusive Education for Children with Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopia: Stakeholder Views on Benefits, Disadvantages and Priorities for Action.Journal of autism and developmental disordersStakeholders in Addis Ababa view inclusive education as a double-edged sword. Without teacher training, DD-specific support, and safety measures, inclusion risks isolation and stigma. Benefits like peer learning only emerge when schools are properly resourced.
• OTSLPOther2026The Moderating Effect of Sex on Autistic Trait Emotional Intelligence, Alexithymia, and Empathy.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigher autistic traits were linked to lower self-perceived emotional intelligence and higher alexithymia, but not empathy. Sex moderated the emotional intelligence link, with this association being stronger in males than females.
• PTOTOther2026Standardisation in acute stroke research: A scoping review of upper limb assessments against Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable (SRRR) benchmarks.Clinical rehabilitationAcute stroke upper limb research mostly used impairment tests like FMA-UE and NIHSS, not activity or movement-quality measures. Follow-up timing and imaging use were inconsistent with standard stroke recovery guidelines.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations Rehabilitation, Recovery, and Community Participation Following Stroke, Part Three: Optimizing Activity and Community Participation Following Stroke , 7th Edition Update, 2025.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationStroke survivors need coordinated care for mood, fatigue, cognition, driving, work, leisure and community roles. Guidelines recommend information, support and services after discharge.
• SLPRCT2026The Efficacy of a Culturally-Adapted Group-based Parent Coaching Program for Autistic Children in China via Telehealth: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBoth self-directed and group coaching improved child communication and parent stress. However, only the group coaching significantly reduced parent anxiety and improved child quality of life compared to self-directed learning. The added value of live group sessions appears specific to parent mental health.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Prescription of Exercise Programs for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCombined exercise programs improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and quality of life in people with autism. Most studies were small, short, and had high risk of bias, so these benefits are promising but not firmly proven.
• Pilot2026Re-imagining sensory substitution through gestural control: Point-To-Tell 2.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyThe prototype accurately identified pointed-at objects up to 5 metres but consistently overestimated distances by 1.21 metres. It was tested on one sighted person, so it proves technical feasibility but not that blind users can navigate with it.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Factors influencing activity performance and participation in usual life situations among people with Parkinson's disease: a mixed methods study.Disability and rehabilitationBoth motor and non-motor issues like apathy limit daily activities. People with Parkinson's stay active by adapting tasks or environments, such as using mobility aids or scheduling around symptoms.
• PTOTOther2026Effects of Ball Combination Exercise Combined with cTBS Intervention on Sleep Problems in Children with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBall exercises and cTBS stimulation each helped specific sleep problems in autistic children, but neither was clearly better than the other. The combined approach did not significantly outperform single interventions on the main sleep measure, so there is no strong reason to use both together.
• SLPRCT2026Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents completing a six-session autism-specific anxiety program saw their preschoolers' anxiety around uncertainty drop significantly. General anxiety scores also fell. No negative effects were reported. The study was underpowered, so these results are promising but not definitive.
• SLPCase-Control2026Online Metaphor Comprehension in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Eye Tracking Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism understood novel metaphors as accurately as controls, but took nearly 800 milliseconds longer to do so. Eye-tracking showed they struggled to ignore the literal meaning, suggesting a processing delay rather than a comprehension deficit.
• SLPOther2026The Autism Program Environment Rating Scale in Swedish Primary School: Cultural Adaptation and Content Validation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersExperts judged the Swedish primary school version of the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale clear and relevant for assessing learning environments. Panel members highlighted a strong need for such a tool, but rated practical use in schools as unrealistic due to the scale's length and resource demands.
• SLPOther2026Disfluencies as a Window into Pragmatic Skills in Russian-Hebrew Bilingual Autistic and Non-Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBilingual autistic children produced fewer filled pauses and silent pauses than non-autistic peers, but only in their home language (Russian). In their societal language (Hebrew), disfluency rates were similar. This suggests language context alters how disfluencies appear.
• PTSystematic Review2025Configuration design of ankle rehabilitation robots: a systematic review and future prospects.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAnkle rehabilitation robot designs are still mainly engineering configurations, not proven patient treatments. Clinical checks are small, often healthy people, and some designs need therapist alignment.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Psychological Health of Female Service Members and Veterans Associated With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury History: A LIMBIC-CENC Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationFemale service members and veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury reported significantly worse PTSD, depression, and neurobehavioral symptoms than those without. Combat-related injuries were linked to poorer outcomes, but injury count and blast exposure alone were not.
• PTOTOther2025Pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, and exercise adherence in postoperative cardiovascular surgery patients: the mediating role of exercise self-efficacy.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn post-cardiac surgery patients, fear of movement and pain catastrophizing linked to lower exercise adherence. Exercise self-efficacy partially mediated these links, especially for fear of movement, suggesting confidence-building may buffer against avoidance.
• OTSLPSurvey2025Community views of neurodiversity, models of disability and autism intervention: Mixed methods reveal shared goals and key tensions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutism community participants linked neurodiversity support with societal change, not rejection of all individual supports. Strong social-model supporters were open to adaptive-skill teaching and treating co-occurring conditions, and preferred communication beyond speech.
• OTPilot2025Early positive approaches to support for family carers of young children with developmental disabilities: adaptation and piloting in Quebec public services.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCarers found this adapted support group helpful for learning strategies and feeling less isolated. Attendance was good despite pandemic disruptions. While parents reported improved well-being and competence, anxiety levels remained stable and high, suggesting the group alone may not address acute mental health needs.
• Other2025Operationalising Article 13 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the role of assistive technology in ensuring access to justice.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo clinical findings are reported in this perspective on assistive technology and access to justice. It does not change PT, OT, or SLP practice.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Bilateral intermittent theta-burst stimulation as a priming strategy to enhance action observation and imitation training in early parkinson's disease: a proof-of-concept study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation before Tai Chi training improved dual-task walking and memory in 15 people with early Parkinson's. Standard training alone improved balance and immediate recall, but did not significantly help complex walking or delayed memory.
• Protocol2025Intratissue percutaneous electrolysis and deep dry needling compared to a standard physiotherapy protocol in the treatment of whiplash syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis is a study protocol for a pilot trial, not a report of results. It describes plans to test if adding electrolysis or dry needling to standard physiotherapy helps whiplash patients, but no patients have been treated or outcomes measured yet.
• PTOTOther2025Perceived fatigue progression tracking during manual handling tasks using sEMG recordings.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationComplex muscle signal patterns tracked perceived fatigue during manual handling better than standard measures. A deep learning model classified fatigue stages with 69% accuracy, suggesting wearable sensors could help monitor overexertion in workers.
• PTOTCohort2025Brain Oscillatory Modes as a Proxy of Stroke Recovery.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn stroke patients, a specific brain signal pattern decreased over time. This decrease was linked to better hand movement recovery in those who improved most. The signal may serve as a biological marker for how well a patient is recovering.
• PTOTCohort2025Linking behavioral variability to daily function in stroke survivors: the mediating role of cognitive and motor mechanisms.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors showed more inconsistent performance on simple reaction and movement tasks than matched older adults. In stroke survivors, inconsistency was linked to poorer daily living tasks, and executive control, not muscle strength, helped account for that link. No treatment was tested.
• PTOTCohort2026Sleep Problems in Children with ADHD: Associations with Internalizing Symptoms and Physical Activity.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with ADHD who reported poor sleep had more severe depression, anxiety, and stress, and spent less time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than those with good sleep. Meeting physical activity guidelines was linked to lower depression and anxiety scores.
• OTRCT2026Parent Training for Disruptive Behaviors in Referred Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFace-to-face parent training reduced noncompliance and irritability in referred children with ASD compared with waitlist. Blended parent training, which combined online modules with face-to-face contacts, did not improve more than waitlist, and many parents stopped early.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Parental Perceptions of Community and Professional Attitudes Toward Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of adults with autism described community and professional attitudes as mixed. Presuming competence, collaborating with families, and accommodating differences were valued. Refusing requests, prejudice, and judging adults as too able or too disabled were described as barriers to support.
• SLPPilot2026Improving Social Communication in Autistic Adolescents Through a Clinic-Home-School Collaboration.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThree autistic adolescents improved in targeted social conversation skills after a short clinic-home-school program. They and their parents reported high satisfaction. This is a tiny pilot, so treat the gains as promising observations rather than proof the intervention works.
• SLPOther2026"Look Who's Talking": Language Patterns in Autistic and Non-Autistic Youth Across Different Conversation Partners.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth used longer sentences than non-autistic peers, but both groups spoke less with strangers than mothers. Mothers asked more questions with autistic children, which correlated with shorter sentences. This suggests conversational partners shape language output.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Frequency and Mental Health Condition of Students with Developmental Disabilities Among First-Year Japanese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFirst-year Japanese students screening positive for ASD or ADHD traits had significantly higher distress than peers, with 61% reporting high social anxiety versus 30% of controls. These mental health risks were already present within a month of enrollment.