Topic

Adult rehabilitation research

Everything we have read on adult rehabilitation. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations and the funding are in there too.

7 papers

• Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026 · Meta-AnalysisBrain-computer interface for upper limb functional recovery post-stroke: a meta-analysis of improvement in upper limb motor function and changes in neurophysiological markers.BCI training added to standard stroke rehab improved upper limb movement scores across 16 trials. The benefit was clearest in the subacute phase; in chronic stroke it did not reach significance. Consider BCI as an adjunct for subacute upper limb rehab, not a replacement.
• Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOT · 2026 · CohortInvestigation of Minimal Clinically Important Difference of the Extended Barthel Index in Inpatients With Acute to Subacute Stroke in China.In stroke inpatients, a 4-point gain on the 64-point Extended Barthel Index is the smallest improvement a patient notices; 6 points is what a family member would call meaningful. A 2-point drop is what a therapist would call slight decline.
• Australian occupational therapy journal · 2026 · Systematic ReviewSystematic review of hospital-based interventions to improve post-stroke independence in activities of daily living.Six hospital trials found no clear benefit of activity-based retraining over usual care for daily living tasks after stroke. The evidence is too small and inconsistent to change practice — keep using clinical judgment and patient preference.
• Australian occupational therapy journal · 2026 · SurveyA profile of occupational therapy practice in Australia for people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.Sixty-three Australian occupational therapists described how they work with people diagnosed with BPD. Trauma-informed care and occupation-based approaches dominated, but time constraints, funding gaps, and fragmented services were the top barriers to delivering consistent, evidence-based practice.
• Occupational therapy international · 2026 · PilotFeasibility of a Home-Based Occupational Positioning Program for Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Preliminary Study.A home-based positioning program for children with spastic cerebral palsy was feasible — high attendance, high satisfaction, no dropouts — but with only 5 children and no control group, it cannot tell you whether the program actually improves function.
• Occupational therapy international · 2026 · Systematic ReviewOccupational Therapy in Return-to-Work Processes After Stroke: A Scoping Review of Ongoing Therapeutic Support and Implications for Work-Treatment Balance.Across 58 studies of stroke survivors returning to work, therapeutic support was variably integrated with employment. OT roles extended beyond individual rehab into employer liaison and workplace adjustment. Fatigue was the second most common barrier but was rarely measured.
• Occupational therapy international · 2026 · Systematic ReviewScoping Review of Occupational Therapy for Distal Radius Fractures, Including Complications.A scoping review found only five studies of occupational therapy for wrist fractures, and those focused almost entirely on range of motion and grip strength rather than on the daily activities and participation that occupational therapists are trained to address.