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 630 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPOther2026Exploring the Interpersonal Goals of Autistic and Neurotypical Adolescents Who Bully Others.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents who valued closeness and friendship were more likely to be identified as bullies, unlike neurotypical peers who bullied to gain status. This suggests some bullying in autism may stem from social misunderstanding rather than intent to harm.
• SLPQualitative2026Breastfeeding Journeys: Comparing Mothers' Experiences with Autistic and Neurotypical Infants.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers described distinct breastfeeding difficulties with infants later diagnosed with autism, including poor latch, lack of effort, and rigid positioning needs. These issues were absent in their neurotypical children. The study reports themes, not evidence that breastfeeding problems diagnose autism.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Healthcare Providers' Perspectives on Autistic Adolescents Transitioning to Independent Driving.Journal of autism and developmental disordersProviders rely on ad-hoc strategies like role-playing and referrals to guide autistic adolescents toward driving. They report lacking a gold standard resource or autism-specific driver education, leaving them to improvise assessments of readiness and safety in real time.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Parental Burnout in Israeli Parents of Children with ASD During Wartime: The Role of Child Behavior, Parental Emotion Regulation, Stress, and Social Support.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDuring war, parents of children with autism reported higher burnout and stress than parents of typically developing children. Unlike the other group, their burnout was not buffered by social support or emotion regulation. Instead, disruptions to their child's therapy and school routines were the strongest predictors of distress.
• SLPCohort2026The Narrative Coherence of Autistic Children's Accounts of an Experienced Event in Response to Different Interviewer Prompts: A Longitudinal Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children produced narratives as coherent as their peers after two months, but provided fewer chronological details when asked specific 'who/what/when' questions. They excelled at descriptive detail. Open-ended prompts elicited the most coherent accounts for both groups.
• Cohort2026Oculomotor Function in Children and Adolescents with Autism, ADHD or Co-occurring Autism and ADHD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren and adolescents with autism plus ADHD ended rapid eye movements in less consistent positions than neurotypical peers. Autistic children and adolescents made more corrective eye movements while tracking a moving target.
• PTOTOther2025Effect of focal muscle vibration on sEMG activity during repeated elbow movements in healthy adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVibrating the biceps for five minutes significantly reduced triceps muscle activity during elbow movements in healthy adults. This inhibition lasted up to 20 minutes. The effect was transient and did not persist at 25 or 30 minutes. These results suggest a specific window for priming subsequent therapy.
• OTOther2025A cost-utility analysis for return-to-work interventions comparing alternative methods for handling missing health-related quality of life data.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIncluding lost work costs made inpatient I-MORE cost-effective versus outpatient O-ACT. With healthcare costs only, it was not. Missing quality-of-life data changed health benefit estimates, but not this conclusion.
• Case-Control2025Imbalance, compensation, and rigidity in brain functional connectivity and microstates among older adults with cognitive impairment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationOlder adults with more severe cognitive impairment had stronger, denser low-frequency brain connections and different EEG activity patterns. These are research associations, not a diagnostic test or a reason to change treatment.
• Narrative Review2025Collaborative AI for precision neurorehabilitation: a roadmap.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation
• PTRCT2025Spatially distributed sequential stimulation applied to the paralyzed quadriceps muscles while performing motor-assisted FES cycling.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring motor-assisted FES cycling, four small electrodes delivering pulses sequentially produced more paralyzed quadriceps power than four electrodes connected as one large electrode. The fatigue measure did not differ, and only four participants were tested.
• PTOther2025Differences in the dynamic balance function of healthy elementary school students and university students observed with and without the use of a sensor-integrated gamification application.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThe sensor game did not change Y-Balance scores overall. It lowered one dominant-leg posterolateral score in elementary students, while university students showed no difference.
• PTOTOther2025Corticomuscular coupling study for post-stroke rehabilitation: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationScoping 89 studies, brain-muscle coupling drops in stroke patients, especially distally. It correlates with recovery and guides neuromodulation. But small samples, no unified protocols, and technical noise mean it is not yet a clinical tool.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Changes in tibialis anterior muscle activity following tibial nerve block in adults with spastic equinovarus foot: an observational pilot study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn adults with spastic foot, a temporary nerve block improved passive ankle movement and reduced muscle tone. Unexpectedly, activity in the front shin muscle also decreased during walking. This likely reflects reduced struggle against stiffness, not weakness, but actual gait changes were not measured.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Effectiveness of myoelectric wearable orthoses for upper extremity functional recovery in spinal cord injury- a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 10 people with chronic cervical spinal cord injury, six weeks of training with a myoelectric arm orthosis improved hand range and grip on the trained arm. Between-group differences on the trained arm were not significant. The only significant group difference was for grip strength in the opposite, untrained hand.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Positive effects of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling on perception of effort, cerebral blood flow, and cognition in post-stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients reported significantly lower perceived effort during FES-assisted cycling compared to traditional cycling at the same workload. Cerebral blood flow increased similarly in both conditions, and cognitive benefits were inconsistent, with a potential advantage for FES on one attention task.
• PTRCT2025Motor imagery enhances early rehabilitation in patients with high kinesiophobia after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding motor imagery to a standard acute-phase knee replacement programme gave a larger drop in fear of movement than the same programme alone. It also gave larger reductions in pain and larger gains in confidence, adherence, knee bending and quadriceps strength.
• PTCohort2025Mobile-Based Digital Rehabilitation Program for Patients After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: Prospective Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients who completed a 12-week digital rehab program after cervical fusion had pain and disability reductions matching in-person physiotherapy. Those who dropped out of the digital program saw much less improvement. The digital group also reported better mental health scores.
• Narrative Review2025An introduction to implementation science in rehabilitation medicine.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationNo original study is reported. This introductory review explains implementation science concepts and does not provide a tested finding to change practice.
• SLPCohort2026Analysis of Disparities in Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Military Health System Pediatrics Population.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMilitary children diagnosed within military treatment facilities were diagnosed at younger ages than those diagnosed in the community, with no significant gender disparities. Non-White children were diagnosed at younger average ages than White children, contrary to typical disparities.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Prioritizing quality of geriatric rehabilitation from the older adults' perspective: A nominal group technique study.Clinical rehabilitationOlder adults prioritized clear expectations, well-organized care, personal relationships with staff, respectful communication, and autonomy in decision-making. Basic needs like hygiene and nutrition were discussed but ranked lower. These priorities reflect what matters most to patients, not proven interventions.
• OTSLPQualitative2026A "Round, Bruising Sort of Pain": Autistic Girls' Social Camouflaging in Inclusive High School Settings.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls in inclusive schools reported camouflaging all day, finding it exhausting. They valued time alone and adult autism awareness most, while rating social skills classes as least helpful. Neurodivergent friends were described as essential for navigating school.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Parents' Early Concerns about Their Child with Autism: Relation to Age of Diagnosis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSpecific early signs like not responding to name or losing skills predicted earlier autism diagnosis. General language delays or repetitive behaviors did not. A higher number of concerns was associated with later diagnosis in the final model, suggesting specificity matters more than volume.
• SLPRCT2026AutInsight: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a Consumer-Informed Parent Support Program for Parents of Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents in AutInsight reported feeling more in tune with their autistic child and said the child engaged more with them. Observed parent-child interaction did not improve. This was a small pilot.
• OTSLPOther2026Hair Cortisol in Young Children with Autism and Their Parents: Associations with Child Mental Health, Eating Behavior and Weight Status.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism had higher hair cortisol than peers, but their own stress levels did not link to their eating, weight, or behavior. Parent-reported stress, however, correlated with child problem behavior and emotional eating, suggesting parental well-being is a stronger marker than the child's biology.
• PTOTOther2026The Differential Effects of Fast Walking Speed on Muscle Coactivation in the Paretic and Non-Paretic Extremities Post-Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairFast walking acutely reduced muscle coactivation in the paretic leg, while slow walking increased it. This suggests fast speeds may help restore selective motor control, whereas slow speeds might reinforce stiff, maladaptive patterns.
• OTSLPOther2026Child and Family Characteristics Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Biobank Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPoor sleep was the only factor linked to all four types of anxiety in autistic children. Those with the worst sleep habits had up to 9.23 times higher odds of separation anxiety compared to those with the best sleep.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026The Knowledge and Preferences of Parents/Carers of Autistic Children and Young People about Technology Devices.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of autistic children overwhelmingly prefer tablets for support programmes, citing ease of use and familiarity. They reject virtual reality and robots due to sensory overload, cost, and unfamiliarity. These preferences reflect current household technology access rather than proven clinical effectiveness.
• SLPCohort2026Co-occurring Psychopathology in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Differences by Sex in the ECHO Cohorts.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls and women showed more anxiety and depression than autistic boys, especially in adolescence. Autistic boys showed more ADHD symptoms. Parents reported fewer emotional issues in autistic children with mild symptoms, possibly because those signs were missed or masked.
• OTOther2026Components of Empathy in Children: Factor Structure of the Empathy Quotient for Children (EQ-C).Journal of autism and developmental disordersA single empathy score can hide different problems. The child empathy questionnaire split into social understanding, emotional empathy, negative interactions and antisocial behaviour. Children with special educational needs showed lower empathy across these domains.
• OTSLPOther2026"Do My Friends Only Like the School Me or the True Me?": School Belonging, Camouflaging, and Anxiety in Autistic Students.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic students who feel they do not belong at school are more likely to hide their autistic traits. This camouflaging is linked to higher anxiety. Creating environments where students feel accepted and safe may reduce the need to mask and lower anxiety levels.
• SLPQualitative2026"I wanna just not go, because maybe I'm sad" - views on depression from the perspective of people with aphasia, their care partners, and speech-language pathologists.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with aphasia rarely discussed depression, though care partners believed they were open about it. Participants described depression as fluctuating and embodied, with hopelessness and anger being key signs. Speech-language pathologists felt untrained to screen for or refer these mental health concerns.
• OTSLPQualitative2026"Just Listen to Me. Help Me Explore it." An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Experiences of Gender Dysphoria, Identity And Resilience in Autistic Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents assigned female at birth described gender distress as both physical and social. They found social transition helpful for social distress but not body mismatch. Clinicians should listen for repeated words as signs of distress, as patients often struggle to articulate it.
• SLPOther2026The Aberrant Behavior Checklist in a Clinical Sample of Autistic Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems: Psychometric Properties, Factor Structure, and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Aberrant Behavior Checklist reliably measures irritability, social withdrawal, stereotypic behaviour, and inappropriate speech in autistic adults with intellectual disabilities. Do not track changes in hyperactivity or noncompliance over time, as these scores are not comparable across visits.
• OTRCT2026Feasibility Testing of Remotely Delivered Metacognitive Strategy Training in Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationRemote CO-OP was acceptable, and small differences favored it for chosen daily goals and daily-life cognition in 42 women with breast cancer-related cognitive problems. Quality of life favored control. No efficacy was tested.
• PTOTCohort2025Development and psychometric evaluation of an integrative Manual Muscle Test for patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA new 17-item muscle test for stroke patients takes 15 to 20 minutes and scores both movement range and strength. It reliably distinguishes normal movement from spastic synergy and correlates strongly with balance and walking ability.
• Other2025Characterization of error-related potentials during the command of a lower-limb exoskeleton based on deep learning.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA deep learning model detected brain signals indicating exoskeleton errors in healthy walkers with 95% accuracy. It stopped false alarms better than older methods. This is engineering validation, not clinical evidence, as no patients with stroke or spinal injury were tested.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Exhalation-synchronous robotic abdominal compression for user-centered respiratory assistance and training in neurological patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA wearable abdominal compression device increased air flow and volume during exhalation in six patients with ALS or spinal cord injury. It replaced mechanical ventilation during therapy sessions, but the small sample and short duration mean efficacy and long-term safety remain unproven.
• PTSLPMeta-Analysis2025Prediction models for functional outcomes in prolonged disorders of consciousness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPrediction models for functional outcomes in prolonged disorders of consciousness performed better than chance overall, but all studies had high bias risk, so none is ready for bedside use.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025The risk of epilepsy after neonatal seizures.Developmental medicine and child neurologyNeonatal seizures increase the risk of epilepsy, with about one in five affected children developing it by age 22. The risk is highest in the first year but stays elevated through adolescence. Four out of five children with neonatal seizures do not develop epilepsy.
• PTOTOther2025Central and peripheral factors moderating pain effects on motor control and disability in chronic lumbosacral radicular pain.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPatients with better sensory processing and anticipatory muscle activation showed less disability for their pain level. These factors are associated with better function, not proven causes. Treating them may help, but this study did not test an intervention.
• Systematic Review2025Demystifying upper limb hybrid prostheses-a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHybrid prostheses combining body-powered and electric parts are rarely studied. Clinicians prescribe them when patients struggle with single-class devices, but the evidence is too thin to guide standard practice. Decisions rely on individual clinician experience rather than proven outcomes.
• PTOTOther2025Synchronization of passive interpersonal light touch and body control responses during walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationLight touch from an experienced therapist sped up healthy walkers, but increased body sway. Inexperienced touch did not change speed. The effect depends on the provider's skill, so do not assume any light touch helps walking.
• PTOTCohort2025Potential influence of long-term medication on physical performance in the context of long-term rehabilitation process in soldiers: a retrospective cohort analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSoldiers with PTSD taking multiple long-term medications showed lower maximum physical performance during rehabilitation. This decline was not seen in soldiers with only somatic injuries or in the overall group. The study links medication burden to reduced fitness capacity in PTSD specifically.
• SLPRCT2026Caregiver Satisfaction with Anxiety Treatment for Autistic Youth: A Mixed Methods Examination.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers valued concrete coping tools and a strong therapist relationship. They disliked travel, scheduling, and redundant questionnaires. Many wanted more sessions to consolidate gains. Caregivers in the intensive BIACA program liked involvement but found home tasks burdensome.
• OTCohort2026Social Network Types in Autistic Adults and Its Associations with Mastery, Quality of Life, and Autism Characteristics.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults grouped into three social network types. Those with no close persons had lower quality of life in social relationships than those with a partner or multiple close people. Mastery and autism characteristics showed no robust group differences.
• OTSLPQualitative2026The Transition to Kindergarten for Hispanic and Latine Autistic Children: A Focus Group Study with Caregivers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFour mothers said early, ongoing partnership with school helped their child adjust and made advocacy easier. They said technical language and teachers' limited autism knowledge made kindergarten transitions harder. They also relied on trusted parents, therapists, and family.
• SLPCohort2026What Predicts Early Math in Autism? A Study of Cognitive and Linguistic Factors.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism scored lower on early math tests than age-matched peers, but autism severity did not predict these scores. Instead, non-verbal intelligence and grammatical comprehension were the strongest predictors of mathematical ability.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026Effectiveness of Functional Electrical Stimulation Assisted Locomotor Training on walking Outcomes Following Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAdding functional electrical stimulation to locomotor training did not significantly improve walking speed or endurance compared with control conditions in adults with motor incomplete spinal cord injury. The pooled randomized trials were small, and study results varied.
• OTSLPRCT2026Promoting Self-Determination in Young Adults with Autism: A Multicenter, Mixed Methods Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe program did not outperform waiting list on self-determination. Participants reported better goal planning and action, and caregivers reported overall self-determination rose in the intervention group, but between-group differences were absent.