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 656 OF 704 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2026Children With ASD Do Not Understand Hidden Emotions Before False Belief Attribution.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism understood hidden emotions later than false beliefs on a low-verbal scale. This matches typical development. Earlier reversed findings may reflect language demands and measurement methods.
• SLPOther2026Construct Validity of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Thyroidectomy-Related Voice and Symptom Questionnaire (BR-PT-TVSQ).International journal of language & communication disordersThe Brazilian Portuguese thyroidectomy symptom questionnaire grouped patient-reported problems into voice, throat and neck/chest domains. Voice symptoms formed the largest group, but throat and neck/chest items overlapped.
• PTOTRCT2026The recovery of lower limb function in stroke patients: which sequence of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with lower limb rehabilitation robot is most effective-A randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationApplying transcranial direct current stimulation simultaneously with robot-assisted gait training improved lower limb function, balance, and walking speed more effectively than applying it before the session or using sham stimulation. The simultaneous approach showed advantages as early as two weeks, with most patients achieving independent walking.
• PTSystematic Review2026Posture evaluation and treatment in adolescents through wearable technology: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOnly three studies, with 103 participants, were found. They used different devices and outcomes, so the review cannot support any wearable posture system as effective or as a standardized approach.
• SLPOther2026Effects of Dual-Electrode Asynchrony on Temporal Pitch Discrimination With Amplitude Modulation and Short Inter-Pulse Intervals in Cochlear Implant Listeners.Trends in hearingWhen cochlear implant electrodes are close together, timing mismatches between them worsen pitch discrimination. If the electrodes are far apart, timing does not matter. Adding short extra pulses helped high-rate pitch discrimination match low-rate performance in some conditions.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Scoping review: Facilitators, barriers, and cultural adaptations in the caregiver skills training program for children with developmental concerns.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregiver training for autism works best when adapted locally. Using community partners, simplifying materials for low literacy, and offering telehealth or childcare support helps families engage. These changes address barriers like stigma and travel, but do not prove the program improves child outcomes.
• PTOther2026Foot placement control impairments in persons with chronic stroke become more evident during optic-flow perturbations.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWhen the virtual hallway swayed strongly side to side, people with chronic stroke placed their feet less accurately than controls. The difference was not evident during steady walking. Controlled visual perturbations may reveal balance control problems.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Surveying the Professional Experience of Special Educational Needs Provision in England.Child: care, health and developmentMost SEND professionals feel confident identifying children, but only a third believe inter-agency communication is effective. They report lacking the time and resources to provide sufficient support, citing funding and waiting lists as primary barriers to good provision.
• PTOTPilot2026Integrated disability evaluation in low back pain: feasibility and multidomain profiling from the EL DORADO cohort.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA multidomain assessment of low back pain, combining questionnaires, physical tests, sensory testing and records, took 22 minutes and was completed by over 95% of patients. It was safe and acceptable, but the study did not test whether it improves care or decisions.
• SLPCohort2026Effortful control and expressive language in deaf or hard-of-hearing children: The contributions of caregiver language and parenting stress.Journal of child languageFor deaf or hard-of-hearing children with poor self-regulation, rich caregiver language during play may buffer against expressive language delays. This benefit disappears if the caregiver reports high parenting stress, suggesting stress undermines the protective effect of input.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Developmental coordination disorder and executive function deficits: Implications for emotional, mental, and overall well-being.Brazilian journal of physical therapyHalf of adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder also have executive function deficits. Those with these co-occurring deficits reported significantly lower self-esteem, higher distress, and lower life satisfaction than those with motor difficulties alone.
• PTCohort2026Referral of people with low back pain to physical therapists in Brazilian primary healthcare: A challenge revealed.Brazilian journal of physical therapyLess than 1% of people with low back pain in Brazilian primary care were referred to physical therapists. About half of those referrals took over 200 days. Imaging and specialist referrals were much more common than physical therapy referrals.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Trends Over Time in the Prevalence of Autism by Adaptive and Intellectual Functioning Levels.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism prevalence rose sharply in children with mild or no adaptive challenges, but stayed stable or fell in those with moderate to profound challenges. Clinicians should expect a growing caseload of autistic children who need support with daily living skills rather than intensive 24-hour care.
• SLPOther2026Maximising the Impact of Speech and Language Therapy for Children With Speech Sound Disorder (The MISLToe-SSD) Study: Developing a Core Outcome Set (COS) for Routine Data Collection From UK NHS Speech and Language Therapy Services.International journal of language & communication disordersUK speech and language therapists agreed on a core set of outcomes to track in routine practice. They selected increased intelligibility as the primary goal, measured by parent report, alongside six specific speech metrics using the DEAP assessment. This standardises data collection for future service evaluation.
• Protocol2026An ICF-based interdisciplinary case management improves functioning, participation, and well-being for people with disabilities in community rehabilitation: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo findings available. This paper describes the plan for a trial comparing a new coordinated care model against usual care for people with disabilities. Recruitment started in May 2025, and results are not expected until late 2026.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Metric properties of the Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold (TSRT) as a measure of spasticity: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Archives of physiotherapyThe Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold is not reliable enough for clinical use. Measurement error is too high to detect small changes in spasticity, and results correlate poorly with standard scales like the Modified Ashworth Scale. It should not replace existing assessments.
• PTCohort2025Association Between Patient-Specific Factors and the Therapeutic Relationship in Direct Access Physiotherapy for Higher Education Students-An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyStudents with psychological distress or poorer physical function rated the therapeutic relationship less favorably after a single direct access physiotherapy visit. Chronic pain and overall psychosocial risk were not associated with the relationship quality. The relationship was generally rated very good.
• PTRCT2025Cost-Effectiveness of Physical Therapist Treatment in Addition to Usual Podiatry Management of Plantar Heel Pain: Economic Evaluation of a Randomized Clinical Trial.Physical therapyAdding physical therapist treatment to usual podiatry care for plantar heel pain had lower total costs and higher quality of life over 3 years.
• PTSurvey2025An Exploratory, Retrospective Study on Injury Occurrence in Triathletes and Marathon Runners.International journal of sports physical therapyMore running and swimming hours linked to fewer injuries, but more cycling and cross-training hours linked to more. Self-reported data from 384 endurance athletes shows no single modality is universally protective.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Instruments assessing mobility of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and decision map.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFor children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, the DCDQ, VABS, and PEDI-CAT had the strongest evidence for mobility assessment. Many direct motor tests had low or very low evidence, so results should be used cautiously when choosing an assessment.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Improving Equitable Access to Disability Services and Support for Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Service Provider and Decision-Maker Perspectives.Child: care, health and developmentService providers and decision-makers in British Columbia identified diagnosis-based funding as a major barrier, leaving children with functional needs but no eligible diagnosis without support. They recommended shifting to functional eligibility criteria and securing long-term case managers to navigate the fragmented system.
• SLPCase Report2026Case Report: Epilepsy-related pure word deafness in the elderly: an underreported presentation?Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn elderly man with epilepsy could not understand spoken words but could read and write. His hearing was normal. This rare speech problem resolved in 20 days. Clinicians should check for this when elderly patients seem deaf after a seizure.
• SLPCase-Control2026Head Growth Trajectories During the First Year of Life and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchInfants whose head circumference stayed small or large, or rose from normal to large, were more strongly linked to later autism diagnosis than infants with normal head growth. The link was strongest when head and height growth were abnormal together.
• SLPQualitative2026Language History Collection in Multilingual Clinical Practice: A Qualitative Analysis of Public-Sector Clinical Perspectives.International journal of language & communication disordersClinicians rely on flexible conversations rather than rigid forms to gather language history, but many feel confident collecting data yet uncertain interpreting it. This interpretive gap risks misdiagnosing language difference as disorder without structured guidance.
• SLPSystematic Review2026Systematic review of measures and interventions for caregiver adjustment to child autism diagnosis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceResearch on how caregivers adjust to an autism diagnosis lacks a standard definition or validated measure. Four interventions showed some benefit, but evidence is too mixed to recommend a specific approach. Clinicians should focus on listening to individual caregiver experiences rather than applying a universal adjustment model.
• SLPOther2026Clinician Perceptions of Phonatory-Respiratory Kinematic Patterns in Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationExpert clinicians watching videos of people with muscle tension dysphonia identified respiratory patterns like neck tension and shallow breathing, but could not reliably diagnose the condition. Visual cues alone are insufficient for diagnosis and require objective measurement.
• SLPOther2026Perceiving Physiology from the Voice: Evidence for Physiological Coupling Between Laryngeal and Epilaryngeal Adjustments.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationHighly trained listeners identified intended laryngeal configurations from voice with moderate agreement and 68% accuracy. They struggled to distinguish subtle false vocal fold positions and perceived conflicting anatomical combinations as ambiguous or incorrect.
• SLPCase-Control2026Neurobehavioral Assessment of Sensorimotor Function in Autism Using Smartphone Technology.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSmartphone-based tests showed children with autism had reduced sensorimotor gating and higher startle variability than neurotypical peers. Behavioral differences like screen avoidance and vocalizations were also prominent, suggesting digital tools can objectively measure sensory processing differences.
• PTOTCohort2026Mapping Brain Function After Stroke: From Early Disorganization to Late Compensation.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairBrain activity patterns after stroke change dramatically over time, shifting from early disorganization to later compensation. However, the link between brain connectivity and motor recovery depends entirely on lesion location and severity. High connectivity can signal either recovery or maladaptive noise.
• SLPQualitative2026Teachers' use of semiotic resources in the multimodal-multilingual language instruction.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationTeachers adapted communication by linking students' heritage signs to German Sign Language and written German. They used fingerspelling, mouthing, and visual aids to bridge gaps. This responsive calibration helped students connect new language targets with existing repertoires.
• PTOTOther2026Development of a set of core outcome measures for ambulant children with cerebral palsy after lower limb orthopaedic surgery.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA consensus panel recommended seven outcome measures to assess ambulant children with cerebral palsy after lower limb surgery. The Goal Outcome Assessment List was preferred across most domains, complemented by gait analysis and quality of life tools to capture both clinical and patient-reported impacts.
• SLPOther2026Mother-Child Biobehavioral Synchrony and Its Association With Social Functioning in Autistic School-Aged Children.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMothers and autistic children often showed opposite moment-to-moment heart-rate regulation during a shared drawing task. When the pair also worked well together, this opposite pattern was linked to fewer pragmatic language problems. Friendship quality showed no link.
• OTOther2026A mixed-methods study examining the ripple effect of inclusive employment on reducing stigma toward autistic people in South Korea.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCommunity members with more types of contact with an inclusive employment company reported lower autism stigma, especially with extensive contact. Qualitative participants said sustained contact, strengths, similarities, and informed contact changed their perceptions.
• Other2026Rethinking rehabilitation resources: an amuse-bouche to supply chain management.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis piece is a theoretical framework, not a clinical trial. It suggests how hospitals might manage equipment and medication supplies to avoid treatment delays, but it does not report any patient outcomes or test whether these strategies work.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves dual-task performance in people with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA single session of brain stimulation improved walking speed and thinking accuracy during complex dual tasks, but did not significantly reduce the interference between them. The benefit was strongest on cognitive tasks like serial subtraction, not on gait stability.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Case Report: A period-based upper limb rehabilitation program using a degrees-of-freedom constraint strategy in severe post-stroke hemiparesis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn one patient with severe post-stroke arm weakness, a three-phase program using gravity support, electrical stimulation, and orthoses to progressively release joint constraints was associated with reduced spasticity, less pain, and slight motor improvement. This is a single case, not evidence of efficacy.
• SLPSystematic Review2026Sarcopenic Dysphagia Reconsidered: A Systematic Review of Complex Interactions and Diagnostic Challenges.DysphagiaLabeling swallowing problems as sarcopenic dysphagia is not yet dependable. Studies defined it inconsistently, often used intake scales instead of objective swallowing tests, and included patients with stroke, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or pneumonia that can impair swallowing on their own.
• SLPOther2026Functional Plasticity in Auditory and Visual Discrimination Processing in Patients with Single-Sided Deafness: An EEG Study.Trends in hearingPatients with single-sided deafness showed reduced early brain responses to sound but increased early responses to vision. Higher-level attention and memory processes remained normal in both senses, suggesting the brain adapts at the sensory level while preserving complex cognitive function.
• SLPPilot2025PICTURE-IT: a pilot randomized cross-over trial encouraging right-hemisphere engagement for the treatment of aphasia via telemedicine.AphasiologyNo participant had a significant difference between PICTURE-IT and CoDeLT on the primary naming outcome. Both telemedicine therapies were feasible, but this pilot does not prove either works or that one is better.
• OTSLPCohort2025Sensory Processing Modalities and Their Associations With Academic Achievement in Autism and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDirect auditory processing tests, not parent reports of sensory issues, linked to reading and math scores in autistic and ADHD children. Poor ability to hear speech in noise tracked with lower academic achievement. This suggests checking hearing-in-noise skills, not just asking parents about sensory habits.
• PTOTCohort2025Characteristics of physical function and body composition among community-dwelling older females with and without locomotive syndrome.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder women with locomotive syndrome had similar body composition to those without, but showed worse balance and slower walking. Physical performance tests, not body scans, better identified those needing care.
• SLPPilot2025Preliminary Efficacy of Telehealth Family Navigation for Early Autism Services Access.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe main early autism service-access outcomes showed no clear difference. The navigation arm, which also received screening training, did not reliably improve eligibility timing, and was less likely to get a medical autism diagnosis within six months.
• PTOther2025Reproducibility and minimal detectable change of sustained maximal inspiratory pressure in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceA sustained maximal inspiratory pressure test gave consistent scores when repeated one minute apart in 30 healthy young adults. Changes above 88.4 pressure-time units or 16.9% can be considered real rather than measurement noise.
• PTOTSurvey2025Pain science knowledge among healthcare Professionals: A cross-sectional survey within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.Musculoskeletal science & practiceVeterans Affairs clinicians generally reported high confidence in pain care, but actual knowledge varied significantly by profession and age. Physical therapists scored highest on pain science tests, while nurse practitioners scored lowest. Older clinicians and those in primary care roles showed lower knowledge scores.
• SLPOther2026Children's Ability to Identify and Describe Dysphonia: A Multimethod Study.International journal of language & communication disordersChildren correctly identified dysphonia in other children's voices 70% of the time, but accuracy varied widely. When asked to describe voices, many confused voice quality with speech content or articulation. Clinicians should not assume children understand the difference between voice and speech disorders.
• PTOTOther2026Structural-functional connectivity coupling in motor-brain networks following acute ischemic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn people one week after a stroke, stronger coupling between specific brain structure and function links correlated with worse arm and hand movement. This suggests the brain's compensatory wiring may sometimes hinder recovery rather than help it.
• Other2026An occupational therapy lens on microbiota-gut-brain modulation in ASD and ADHD.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo study results are reported. This conceptual perspective gives occupational therapists no evidence to change practice in ASD or ADHD.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Specific components of manual dexterity are affected in patients with writer's cramp: an observational comparative study and preliminary rehabilitation report.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWriter's cramp does not cause a general loss of manual dexterity. Patients showed normal finger tapping speed and force control, but reduced finger selectivity. This impaired independence correlated with poorer handwriting legibility. Preliminary rehabilitation improved selectivity and automated legibility, but not writing speed.
• SLPCohort2026The Effect of Real Ear Target Deviations on SSQ and Speech Intelligibility in a Clinical Population.Trends in hearingHearing aids improved both speech scores and patient-reported outcomes. High-frequency under-amplification was linked to smaller gains in self-reported benefit, but did not predict speech recognition in quiet. Closer matching to targets above 4 kHz may help patients feel the difference, though the effect is modest.
• SLPOther2026Stereotype threat effects on deaf and hard-of-hearing college students' mathematics performance.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationDeaf and hard-of-hearing college students who were told hearing peers perform better on math tests scored significantly lower than those who were not told this. The effect was additive for women and Black students. This suggests test instructions can depress performance.