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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 are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,091 PAPERS · PAGE 15 OF 22 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2023The Evolution of Hand Proprioceptive and Motor Impairments in the Sub-Acute Phase After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairHand proprioception and motor function often recover independently after stroke. Only 42% of patients showed matched changes in both. Patients with poor hand use at baseline had less proprioceptive recovery. Assess and treat these systems separately rather than assuming one drives the other.
• PTOTSurvey2024Performance of the Physical Functioning Activities of Daily Living Scale in the 2020 Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationThe 8-item PFADL scale reliably measures physical function in Medicare patients. It is best for identifying limitations, as 26% of respondents scored at the maximum, leaving little room to detect differences among those with higher function. Use it to screen for disability, not to grade top performers.
• PTOTPilot2023Movement Component Analysis of Reaching Strategies in Individuals With Stroke: Preliminary Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with mild-to-moderate stroke rely heavily on trunk flexion and shoulder elevation to reach, rather than using their arm joints. This method visualizes these compensatory strategies, helping therapists set specific goals to reduce inefficient movement patterns.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Recovery of activities of daily living in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care unit or medical care unit: an observational study on the role of rehabilitation in the subacute phase.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-ICU patients arrived with worse function but recovered to the same level as medical ward patients. Independence improved from a Barthel score of 10 to 70. This proves early rehab helps severe cases catch up, but without a control group, we cannot separate the treatment's effect from natural recovery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Outcomes following intensive day rehabilitation for young people in Western Australia.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYoung people in intensive day rehab improved in function and goal attainment, with gains maintained at six months. But with no control group, natural recovery or community therapy may explain some progress, so do not assume the programme alone caused the change.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Achieving Functional Goals During a Skilled Nursing Facility Stay: A National Study of Medicare Beneficiaries.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFewer than half of skilled nursing facility residents met their documented discharge goals for self-care and mobility. Residents aged 90+, those with cognitive impairment, amputations, or incontinence had significantly lower odds of meeting these goals compared to younger, orthopedic patients.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Figuring Out Life After Covid-19: a Qualitative Study From Sweden.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients hospitalized for COVID-19 reported feeling abandoned by the healthcare system one year post-discharge. They struggled to navigate follow-up care, often pushing themselves to exhaustion or avoiding exercise due to fear, while highlighting the critical need for structured rehabilitation support.
• PTOTOther2024Effects of enriched task-specific training on sit-to-stand tasks in individuals with chronic stroke.NeuroRehabilitationAfter a three-week package of task-specific exercise, socialization, and sensory and cognitive stimulation, 41 people with chronic stroke averaged 2.1 more 30-second chair stands, still present at six months. There was no control group. Weight-bearing changes were inconsistent in three participants.
• PTOTCohort2023Oxygen Therapy During Activities of Daily Living Rehabilitation and Outcome in Patients With Severe-to-critical COVID-19.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationShowering took the longest to wean off supplemental oxygen, averaging 47.7 days, compared to 38.4 days for dressing. Mechanical ventilation was the strongest predictor of prolonged oxygen need. Most patients still had low leg strength scores at follow-up.
• OTPilot2023A Pilot Feasibility Trial of an Upper Extremity Assistive System.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSome participants with wrist weakness after neurologic injury showed meaningful improvement in their own OT goals while using a custom powered hand sleeve and occupational therapy. The sleeve and therapy were given together, so their separate effects cannot be separated.
• PTOTOther2023Prediction of Discharge Destination After Inpatient Rehabilitation for Stroke Using Mobility and Self-Care Assessment in Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility - Patient Assessment Instrument.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor stroke patients leaving inpatient rehab, having a caregiver at home was the strongest predictor of going home rather than to a skilled nursing facility. Admission Section GG scores above 33.5 predicted discharge to home with homecare, and scores above 36.5 predicted home with outpatient therapy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Rehabilitation with intensive attention training early after acquired brain injury promotes better long-term status on health-related quality of life, daily activities, work ability and return to work.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients starting intensive attention training within 4 months of brain injury had better long-term quality of life, work ability, and return-to-work rates than those starting later. The specific type of training made little difference overall, though early process-based training showed minor advantages.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Individualized goals expressed by patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation: an observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke patients prioritized walking and daily tasks, but few set goals for cognitive or visual deficits despite having them. Patient-specific goal measures capture functional activities well but may miss underlying impairments, so clinicians should ask about these areas directly rather than relying on scores.
• PTOTPilot2024Reminiscent music therapy combined with robot-assisted rehabilitation for elderly stroke patients: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding reminiscent music to robot therapy improved self-efficacy and positive emotions more than robot therapy or usual care alone. However, the primary outcome of daily living activities showed no significant difference between the three groups. All groups improved from their own baselines.
• PTOTSurvey2023Factors affecting social integration after road traffic orthopaedic injuries in Rwanda.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwo years after Rwandan road traffic orthopaedic injuries, most survivors reported no limitations, but lifting, mobility, household and community tasks were hardest. Older age, female sex, no rehabilitation and longer stays were linked to worse integration.
• PTOTCohort2024Changes in self-perceived performance and satisfaction with performance of daily activities following interdisciplinary rehabilitation in people with late effects of polio.NeuroRehabilitationMean self-perceived performance and satisfaction improved slightly after interdisciplinary rehabilitation, but only 22% and 19% of participants respectively reached clinically relevant change thresholds. Some participants scored lower at discharge. The program’s broad, tailored nature makes it hard to attribute gains to specific interventions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Identifying profiles of stroke patients benefitting from additional training: a latent class analysis approach.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdditional training improved daily living scores only for a specific group: patients aged 65-84 with right-side paralysis and moderate dependence. For this group, combining self-exercise with staff-led training worked best. Other patient profiles showed no significant benefit from these additions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Association between cognitive dysfunction and diabetes in patients over 65 years old: a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOlder adults with diabetes were significantly more likely to have cognitive dysfunction than matched controls. Among those with diabetes, having cognitive dysfunction was strongly associated with greater dependence in daily activities like bathing and dressing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Trends in the Characteristics and Outcomes of Older Medicare Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury Treated in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: 2013 to 2018.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOlder Medicare patients with recent traumatic brain injury in inpatient rehabilitation increased 28.2% from 2013 to 2018. They were more often male, had more comorbidities, and more were discharged home.
• PTOTOther2024A Prospective Intervention Study With 6 Months Follow-up of the Effect of Reablement in Home Dwelling Elderly: Patient-reported and Observed Outcomes.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHome-dwelling older adults receiving a reablement package of exercises, goal-based ADL practice, supportive communication, and nurse coordination had better function, health rating, and fewer home-care hours at 6 months than usual care.
• OTSLPOther2024What Are You Worried About? Content and Extent of Worry in Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported significantly higher levels of worry than non-autistic adults across all domains. Interviews revealed this worry often centers on social missteps and uncertainty, impacting daily functioning and independence in ways standard questionnaires may miss.
• PTOTOther2024Five Functional Classes Identified Among Patients Hospitalized for Pneumonia Characterized by Activity Limitations With Mobility and Self-Care Tasks.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPneumonia patients split into five activity patterns. The globally impaired group had the lowest estimated chance of going home without services (.47), and the independent group had the highest (.89).
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Feasibility of a Self-directed Upper Extremity Training Program to Promote Actual Arm Use for Individuals Living in the Community With Chronic Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFifteen people with chronic stroke completed a self-directed home arm training program. While retention and safety were high, only a third met the daily practice duration target. Participants reported improved arm use and satisfaction, but the study was not designed to prove the training caused these changes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Cognitive assessment to optimize prediction of functional outcome in subacute hip fracture: a short-term prospective study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn hip fracture patients who passed a basic cognitive screen, a more detailed MoCA test predicted discharge independence. Patients with a seven-point lower MoCA score had about half the odds of reaching a successful rehabilitation outcome. Adding other cognitive tests did not improve this prediction.
• PTOTPilot2024Non-immersive virtual reality based treatment for children with unilateral cerebral palsy: Preliminary results.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineSix children with unilateral cerebral palsy accepted a non-immersive virtual reality upper-limb programme; some found it boring or tiring. Motor scores and daily hand use improved, but no control group means the VR treatment cannot be shown to cause the gains.
• PTOTCohort2024Physiotherapeutic Scoliosis-Specific Exercises (PSSE-Schroth) can reduce the risk for progression during early growth in curves below 25°: prospective control study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdolescents with mild scoliosis who did specific exercises five times a week had a 12.9% progression rate and 9.8% brace need, compared to 74.1% progression and 67.2% brace need in controls. Compliance was key: fully compliant patients had only 7.7% progression.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2024The effects of visual skills training on cognitive and executive functions in stroke patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVisual skills training improved global cognition and daily living tasks, but showed only small effects on executive functions. The evidence is inconsistent and often confounded by other therapies, so do not assume visual training alone drives these gains.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Occupational performance one to five years after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: a cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMost patients rated as having a good recovery after a brain haemorrhage still reported difficulty with daily activities one to five years later. These problems persisted regardless of initial severity scores, affecting leisure and work most heavily.
• PTOTCohort2024Improved Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores after myoelectric arm orthosis use at home in chronic stroke: A retrospective study.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalIn 19 adults with chronic stroke, using a myoelectric arm orthosis at home was associated with a mean DASH score improvement of 18.07 points. Most participants reported better function, but this uncontrolled study cannot confirm the device caused the change.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Improvement of frailty prevalence: difference in factors affecting frailty prevalence among 75 year-old individuals between 2006 and 2019.Journal of physical therapy scienceFrailty in 75-year-olds dropped from 24.3% in 2006 to 15.2% in 2019. This improvement was driven by better mobility, daily activities, and cognition. However, choking and dry mouth became more common, signaling new oral health risks in this population.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"I'm pulling through because of you": injured workers' perspective of workplace factors supporting return to work under the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board scheme.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesInjured workers who sustained return to work described pushing through pain and fatigue because they had no choice. They valued supervisors who checked in, trusted their pace, and modified duties, while feeling abandoned by managers who ignored their struggles.
• PTOTCohort2024Gait speed at the acute phase predicted health-related quality of life at 3 and 12 months after stroke: a prospective cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors who walked faster in the acute phase reported better health-related quality of life at 3 and 12 months. Those in the fastest group had significantly higher quality-of-life scores and fewer problems with mobility, self-care, and daily activities than those in the slowest group.
• PTOTOther2023Factors affecting quality of life in adults with HIV: A local cross-sectional study.The South African journal of physiotherapyYoung adults with HIV who were not obviously impaired still reported problems with pain, anxiety and mobility. Poorer quality of life was linked to low household income, taking many medications, long time since diagnosis, and weak leg endurance, not just HIV severity.
• PTOTCohort2024Early functional factors for predicting outcome of independence in daily living after stroke: a decision tree analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA decision tree model predicts independence in daily living after stroke. Patients who could stand up from sitting and had good balance on admission were most likely to achieve a good outcome at discharge. This helps therapists set early goals based on initial mobility and balance scores.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Application of the international classification of functioning, disability, and health to disability assessment for older people in China.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 1,610 older Chinese adults, self-care and activity limits were the most severe disability dimensions overall. However, mild-to-moderate groups struggled most with emotion and spirit, while those with severe disability struggled most with self-care. Screening should adjust focus based on severity.
• PTOTOther2024An enhancement of the Genium™ microprocessor-controlled knee improves safety and different aspects of the perceived prosthetic experience for unilateral and bilateral users.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn upgraded microprocessor knee reduced stumbles by 85% and pain scores overall, but did not change standard mobility or balance test results. Bilateral users reported significantly greater ease and safety in daily activities than unilateral users, though no physical performance gap closed.
• PTOTOther2024Effects of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation on everyday life physical activity and gait in patients with multiple sclerosis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMultidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation improved walking capacity and self-reported mobility in people with multiple sclerosis, but these gains did not translate into faster or longer walking at home. Mildly disabled patients walked slightly more, while severely disabled patients showed no change in daily activity.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A scoping review on examination approaches for identifying tactile deficits at the upper extremity in individuals with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCurrent stroke touch tests rely on subjective patient responses at rest, often missing the active exploration used in daily life. They rarely compare against healthy controls or check peripheral nerves, limiting their ability to pinpoint where sensory pathways break down.
• PTOTRCT2024Exoskeleton rehabilitation robot training for balance and lower limb function in sub-acute stroke patients: a pilot, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding REX exoskeleton training to standard care improved balance scores more than standard care alone in sub-acute stroke. However, this was a small pilot study of 24 patients, so the results are preliminary and require confirmation in larger trials.
• OTSystematic Review2023Current Trends in Occupational Therapy for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy in health careOccupational therapy evidence for cancer survivors diagnosed between 15 and 39 is thin: only eight articles were found. Some small studies reported gains from self-management, exercise, ADL training, and app-based coaching, but this is not proof they work.
• PTOTCohort2024Psychosocial reintegration post-traumatic spinal cord injury in Rwanda: An exploratory study.The South African journal of physiotherapyTraumatic spinal cord injury survivors in Rwanda reported poor community reintegration. Men and those with paraplegia fared better than women and those with tetraplegia. These findings highlight the need for rehabilitation services that address gender-specific barriers and support those with higher-level injuries.
• PTOTCohort2024Factors associated with independent ambulation at 3 months after putaminal hemorrhage: an observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceThree months after putaminal hemorrhage, hip movement ability, cognitive score, and ventricular rupture predicted independent walking. A hemiplegia grade of 6 or higher was the strongest predictor, with 100% specificity for ambulation.
• OTCase-Control2023Mediated Online Awareness Among Adolescents With and Without ADHD: Using the Occupational Performance Experience Analysis (OPEA).OTJR : occupation, participation and healthAdolescents with ADHD gave shorter, less coherent descriptions of recent tasks than peers without ADHD. A brief guided questioning session improved the time-ordering and coherence of their descriptions, but did not change the main actions they reported.
• OTProtocol2023Efficacy and Feasibility of the CO-OP Approach in Parkinson's Disease: RCT Study Protocol.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieNo participant outcomes are reported, so there is nothing here to change practice on.
• PTOTCohort2023Functional Ability, Psychological Factors, and Rehabilitation Outcomes After Elective Total Hip Replacement.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieOlder adults in rehab after hip replacement improved their function but did not regain their pre-surgery level. Higher positive affect predicted shorter hospital stays, but did not predict better functional ability at discharge.
• OTSurvey2023Management of Chronic Pain by Occupational Therapist: A Description of Practice Profile.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieMost Quebec occupational therapists treating chronic pain work in private practice or secondary care, rarely in family medicine groups or tertiary settings. They frequently use individual interventions like energy conservation and task adaptation, but seldom use group therapy.
• OTProtocol2024Occupational Performance Coaching for Children With Neurodisability: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieNo results are reported. There is no finding here that can change clinical practice.
• PTOTOther2023Experiences of Exergaming for Upper Extremity Exercises in People With Systemic Sclerosis.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with systemic sclerosis found an upper-extremity exergaming device highly usable and enjoyable. They reported temporary pain and fatigue in nearly half the group. The study examined user experience, not whether the device improved hand function or adherence to home exercise.
• PTOTCohort2024Babycare Assistance Needs of Parents With Physical Disabilities: An Observational Study.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthParents with physical disabilities needed verbal prompts more than hands-on help to bathe babies and find care information. Planning steps and interpreting baby cues were the main bottlenecks, even when adaptive equipment was available.
• OTOther2024Does the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) Capture the Complex Experiences of Cancer Survivors? A Mixed Methods Approach.Occupational therapy in health careThe COPM identifies specific daily tasks cancer survivors struggle with, but misses the complex emotional and social impacts of their diagnosis. Survivors reported issues like fatigue and memory loss affecting work and relationships that the scores did not capture. Use it for task goals, not for understanding the whole person.