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 634 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Aligning Perspectives: Autism Identity, Independence, Participation, and Quality of Life in Autistic Adolescents Through Self and Parental Reports.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents underestimate their autistic teen's independence and quality of life compared to the teen's own report. Teens who feel overwhelmed by their diagnosis report lower emotional and social well-being. Assess both perspectives to target support for identity acceptance and daily autonomy.
• PTOTOther2025Wheelchair service provision training during armed conflict: preliminary results from a pre-post study in Ukraine.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThirty-nine Ukrainian rehabilitation professionals improved self-rated wheelchair skill performance and confidence after a 40-hour course combining lectures, practical stations, supervised patient work, local product training and wheelchair skills practice. All passed the knowledge test. Without a control group, this shows change, not proof.
• PTRCT2025Effect of EMG-activated vibrotactile biofeedback on skill learning in children with genetic and acquired dystonia during point-to-point and cyclic task practice.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVibration feedback driven by muscle activity helped children and young adults with acquired dystonia perform a continuous figure-8 task better. It did not help a point-to-point spoon task, and those with genetic dystonia showed no benefit.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Respiratory admissions and impact of COVID-19 lockdowns for children with severe cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyLockdowns cut respiratory hospital admissions for children with severe cerebral palsy by nearly half, but admissions surged after restrictions lifted. Viral infections were the main trigger. This suggests community transmission drives these crises more than chronic lung disease alone.
• Other2025Temporal interference stimulation of peripheral nerves induces functionally diverse limb movements revealed by automated pose estimation and unsupervised behavioral analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn anesthetized rats, temporal interference stimulation produced more distinct hindlimb movement patterns than biphasic stimulation. The study tested rats, not people, and did not measure patient rehabilitation outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Use of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory - Computer Adaptive Test in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe Danish, Dutch, and Norwegian PEDI-CAT largely match the original US item difficulty, but show structural issues like multidimensionality and local dependency. Scores remain reliable for measuring function and responsibility, though clinicians must interpret results with caution.
• OTOther2025Autonomy in children and adolescents with visual impairment: Validation of the Visual Impairment Developmental Autonomy scale.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn Italian children and adolescents with visual impairment, the VIDA scale gave consistent autonomy scores across age groups. Parents and therapists generally agreed, except for table manners and clothing, so these areas need discussion.
• PTPilot2025Evaluation of a control paradigm allowing heart rate guided rehabilitative exercise for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSix ambulatory boys with DMD actively cycled on a motor-assisted ergometer at a moderate heart-rate zone, producing 5.7 watts on average, with no adverse events. Remote supervision was feasible, but the paper reports feasibility rather than efficacy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Predictors of community participation from preschool to school age in children with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy participated far less in their community than at home, and this gap persisted from preschool to school age. Preschoolers rated as having strengths in prosocial behaviour had higher community participation at school age.
• PTOTRCT2025Gaze strategy and sense of ownership in learning prosthetic control: a comparative study using wearable eye tracking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHealthy adults learning to use body-powered prostheses shifted their gaze to the next target sooner than those using myoelectric devices, who kept watching the hand. Both groups felt more ownership of the device after 40 minutes of practice, but cognitive load stayed the same.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Pilot rural-urban comparison of health care experiences among autistic adolescents and young adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceRural autistic young adults faced more barriers to finding providers and getting dental care covered, but reported similar ease of access and provider communication as urban peers. This suggests local resource gaps, not poor care once found.
• PTOTSLPOther2025A core outcome set to assess chronic pain interference and impact on emotional functioning for children and young people with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyConsensus identified 20 tools to assess how chronic pain affects daily life and emotions in children and young people with cerebral palsy, including proxy and observational options for those who cannot self-report.
• PTOTOther2025Telephone Administration of the Human Activity Profile Questionnaire in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: Methodological Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThe Human Activity Profile questionnaire yields consistent functional capacity scores whether administered by telephone or face-to-face. Telephone administration is a valid, reliable alternative for assessing patients with cardiovascular disease, offering a practical way to monitor progress remotely.
• SLPSystematic Review2025Curricular integration of augmentative and alternative communication for students on the autism spectrum in inclusive-oriented schools: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAAC is rarely integrated into inclusive school curricula for students with autism. Most instruction happens in brief, one-on-one sessions outside the classroom, often by researchers or peers rather than teachers. This isolates communication support from academic learning and classroom participation.
• PTOTCase Report2025Mapping Recovery: The RADAR Scale, Born From a Clinical Round.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA 73-year-old woman regained full hand function by week 28 after radial nerve repair, yet nerve conduction tests remained abnormal. This case introduces the RADAR scale to track daily living and communication, showing functional recovery can outpace electrophysiological data.
• PTOTCohort2025Ultrasonographic Validity of Clinical Shoulder Impingement Signs in Patients Without Limitation of Motion.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn patients with painful shoulder impingement signs but full motion, ultrasound showed no difference in supraspinatus tendon thickness between the painful and pain-free side. This challenges mechanical impingement as the primary pain source, suggesting early-stage inflammation or capsulitis instead.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation for lower limb rehabilitation in spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEvidence for non-invasive spinal stimulation to improve leg function after spinal cord injury is very uncertain. One high-quality trial showed modest gains in strength and walking speed, but most studies had mixed or null results. It appears safe, with only minor skin irritation reported.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Robust neural network controller for a lower limb exoskeleton with minimal sensor configuration: a deep reinforcement learning approach with policy distillation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn simulation, a lower limb exoskeleton controller guided walking for a modelled quadriplegic patient using only joint encoders, with no crutches or calibration. It stayed upright against pushes up to 40 N. No real patients were tested.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Inequalities of the Waiting Time for Education Health and Care Plan Provision for Pupils With Intellectual Developmental Disabilities: A Brief Report.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with genetic intellectual disabilities from the most deprived areas waited significantly longer for Education, Health and Care Plans than those from the least deprived areas. Waiting times also varied by region and disability type, with specific learning difficulties facing the longest delays regardless of background.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Effective and Efficient Rehabilitation. What Works Best for Persons With SCI During (Sub)Acute Phase of Rehabilitation?Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationComprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for spinal cord injury improved independence scores by an average of 35.7 points. Gains varied significantly by injury severity, with patients with AIS D injuries showing the highest effectiveness and those with C1-C4 injuries the lowest.
• SLPQualitative2025From awareness to action: Facilitators and advocacy in healthcare by autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFifteen autistic adults wanted providers to know autism, use plain language, and offer sensory or transport accommodations. They described self-advocacy through insurance calls, portal messages, and asking questions.
• PTOTSurvey2025Women Veterans and Mobility Aids.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationWomen veterans reported that mobility devices often failed to fit their bodies or meet daily needs. Only 14% felt devices were designed for women, and just 28% could try options before choosing. While getting the device was timely, repairs were slow and maintenance training was insufficient.
• Other2025Executive function in cerebral palsy: A transdiagnostic marker for neurodevelopmental complexity.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis commentary discusses a separate study finding that over a third of children with cerebral palsy have significant executive function difficulties, often alongside autism. It argues for tracking these cognitive markers to guide personalized care but reports no new data.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Cognitive Impairment Highly Prevalent and Associated With Reduced Physical Function in Older Veteran Clinical Exercise Program.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost veterans entering this exercise program scored in the mild cognitive impairment range despite no dementia diagnosis. Lower leg strength and walking endurance were significantly associated with lower cognitive scores, while balance and arm strength were not.
• SLPSystematic Review2025Judging Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities: Systematic Review of Criminal Justice System Professionals' Expressed Views and Attitudes Towards Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCriminal justice professionals often confuse intellectual disability with autism or mental health issues, relying on stereotypes rather than formal screening to identify it. This leads to inconsistent support, where some offenders are diverted while others are treated as fully culpable. Specific, experiential training was the only factor reported to improve identification and confidence.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined With Robotic Therapy in the Treatment of Limb Dysfunction After Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding acupuncture to robot therapy improved daily living scores by 7 points, exceeding the clinically important threshold. However, gains in limb motor function were only 5 points, falling short of the 6-point threshold needed to be considered clinically meaningful.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Health-Related Quality of Life in Survivors of Stroke Post Inpatient Rehabilitation Discharged to a Home Setting.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor stroke survivors returning home from rehab, quality of life was best predicted by how well they could move, think, and manage anxiety or depression. Age, income, and initial stroke severity did not significantly predict quality of life.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Age Is Not the Limit-Functional Outcomes and Discharge Predictors in a Neurorehabilitation Cohort of Mixed Ages.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAge alone did not predict home discharge or functional improvement in this neurorehabilitation cohort. Instead, outcomes depended on comorbidity burden, baseline function, and length of stay. Do not exclude older patients from inpatient rehabilitation based on age.
• OTSLPSurvey2025Caregiver concerns for autistic children differ between publicly funded educational and mental health settings: Findings from a community implementation-effectiveness trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers named aggression, social communication problems and attention problems among their top concerns. Mental health caregivers reported more aggression; school caregivers reported more social problems and repetitive behaviors.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Early detection of infants with neurodevelopmental concerns indicative of cerebral palsy in a lower middle-income country (India).Developmental medicine and child neurologyCommunity health workers in India reliably screened high-risk infants for cerebral palsy using video-based movement assessments. The General Movements Assessment was highly sensitive but prone to false positives. The Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination offered better overall accuracy. Early detection is feasible in low-resource settings.
• Other2025Methodological challenges and opportunities when studying the course of autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThis paper is a methodological roadmap for researchers conducting longitudinal studies on autism. It identifies challenges in sampling, measurement, and retention, but reports no clinical outcomes or intervention results.
• Narrative Review2025Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with spike-wave activation in sleep: From the 'functional ablation' model to a neurodevelopmental network perspective.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis theoretical review argues that D/EE-SWAS cognitive impairments are better understood through brain network dysfunction than by localizing lesions. It proposes future research directions for connectomics and standardized assessment but offers no new clinical evidence or treatment guidelines.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Impact of a 2-Month Program of Eccentric Training on Plantar Flexor Structure and Function in Hemiparesis After Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationEccentric training changed muscle structure and neural activation in stroke survivors but did not improve walking speed or strength. The intervention was feasible, yet functional outcomes remained null, so it should not be expected to enhance mobility on its own.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Prevalence and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with intellectual disabilities have very high rates of heart failure and stroke, but the numbers vary wildly across studies. Screening should not rely on medical records alone, as objective tests found far more cases. Treat these rates as a range, not a single number.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Understanding Cannabis Use After Spinal Cord Injury: A Canadian Survey Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHalf of surveyed Canadians with spinal cord injury had used cannabis, with pain and sleep the top reasons after injury. Most perceived it moderately effective, but the study did not prove it works. Clinicians should discuss risks and benefits rather than assume therapeutic value.
• SLPQualitative2025'. . . there's so much within the work that we do where all we kind of need is the space and the safety': The experiences of Australian practitioners who support autistic survivors of sexual and domestic violence.Autism : the international journal of research and practicePractitioners supporting autistic survivors of violence emphasised that safety comes from adapting therapy to neurodivergent processing needs. They prioritised explicit communication, sensory accommodations, and validating experiences over standard trauma protocols, which often fail when clients struggle to identify internal states.
• PTOther2025Effect of Menthol on Dyspnea During Exercise in Individuals With COPD.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMenthol under the chin during cycle ergometer exercise in COPD was associated with lower maximum breathlessness than the first no-menthol session. The study was open-label and the sessions were in a fixed order.
• OTOther2025The Visual Impairment Developmental Autonomy scale: Challenges in the assessment of children with visual impairment.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis commentary critiques the VIDA scale for assessing daily living skills in children with visual impairment. It warns that defining visual impairment is complex and that the scale's scoring may be difficult to interpret. Clinicians should note that functional autonomy assessment remains challenging.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Functional Trajectory of Childhood Stroke in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationChildren with new stroke improved significantly in self-care, mobility, and cognition during inpatient rehab. However, those needing agitation medication started lower and gained less. Agitation management is a key predictor of functional recovery in this group.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Caregiver-reported meaningful change in functional domains for individuals with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: A convergent mixed-methods design.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents of children with severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies prioritized small, functional steps like communicating pain or preferences and achieving independent sitting. These specific changes were valued for reducing frustration and improving daily care, offering a concrete framework for setting realistic therapy goals.
• SLPPilot2025Early Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Skill-Based Training Program for Poststroke Dysphagia.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTwo poststroke patients with dysphagia showed improved swallowing ability, physiology, and self-reported symptoms after a novel skill-based training program using visual biofeedback. No adverse events occurred, but one patient did not finish the eight-session protocol.
• PTSystematic Review2025Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cardiometabolic Risk in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury/Disease: A Scoping Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost evidence in adults with spinal cord injury or disease mapped cardiometabolic risk rather than tested treatment. Physical activity was the most studied intervention, but diet, medication, and behavior change evidence was sparse.
• PTOTCase Report2025A Dual Approach to Rehabilitation of an autoimmune ataxia : A case study involving the Adult-Onset Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA middle-aged man with autoimmune ataxia regained independence after intensive inpatient rehab. He moved from needing two-person assistance to walking alone, with balance scores rising from 25 to 53 out of 56. This describes one person's recovery, not proof that the specific therapies caused it.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Cognitive and Behavioural Associations of Visual and Hearing Impairments Across the Lifespan in People With Down Syndrome, a Scoping Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRUncorrected hearing loss in children with Down syndrome is linked to language delays, while visual impairment in adults is linked to reduced daily living skills. However, evidence is mostly cross-sectional, so these are associations rather than proof that treating the senses improves cognition.
• SLPOther2026The Pediatric Screening-Priority Evaluation Dysphagia: Validation of a new tool for screening swallowing disorders in infants and children.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe PS-PED screening tool accurately identifies dysphagia risk in children using medical records. A score of 5 or less rules out low risk with 98% sensitivity, while a score of 6 or more flags at-risk cases with 95% sensitivity. It does not require child cooperation.
• OTCohort2025Bridging Research and Practice: A Preliminary Detailed Analysis of Current Upper Limb Occupational Therapy Dose and Content in Publicly Funded Poststroke Rehabilitation.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationUsual OT sessions for stroke patients averaged 210 upper-limb repetitions. This exceeded previous reports but remained well below the hundreds of repetitions suggested by animal studies for optimal recovery. The study describes current practice volume without measuring whether this dose improved patient function.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Relationship between anxiety and executive functioning among youth with Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesExecutive function struggles and anxiety symptoms influence each other over time in youth with Down syndrome. Shifting and working memory difficulties predicted higher anxiety a year later, while anxiety predicted later problems with shifting and initiating tasks.
• PTPilot2025Feasibility of a Preoperative Exercise and Nutritional Intervention in Sarcopenic Obese Individuals Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA 6-week supervised exercise and protein counseling program before hip or knee replacement was feasible for motivated patients, with good attendance and protein intake, but recruitment and surgery timing caused dropouts and no clear postoperative differences.
• OTSLPQualitative2025"There is nothing"-Exploring diagnostic and service access for autistic individuals in Uruguay: A qualitative study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceUruguayan caregivers described autism care as delayed and fragmented: doctors avoided naming autism, rushed diagnoses, and families travelled long distances. Services were often the same psychomotor and speech therapy mix, not tailored to each child.
• Qualitative2025Developmental Behavioral Clinicians' Perspectives on Education Transitions for Young Children With Developmental Disorders.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPClinicians reported that education transitions for children with disabilities are often derailed by communication gaps between health and school systems. Key barriers included mismatched diagnostic models, lack of interpreter access, and staff shortages that prevent clinicians from attending IEP meetings or coordinating care.