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

1,091 PAPERS · PAGE 19 OF 22 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2025Validating the Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation in a Population of Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe CS-VR-Onco checklist successfully mapped return-to-work difficulties in 104 cancer survivors. It identified more problems in patients who reported difficulty returning to work and in those who had chemotherapy, confirming it can help target vocational rehabilitation.
• OTSystematic Review2025Successful Strategies for Occupational Health and Safety in Small and Medium Enterprises: Insights for a Sustainable Return to Work.Journal of occupational rehabilitationScoping review identified four OHS strategies for SMEs: specific info dissemination, short training, participatory approaches, and context adaptation. Stakeholders suggest these could support return to work, but no evidence shows they improve disability management outcomes.
• OTCohort2025Negative Beliefs About Working with Health Problems and Support at Work as Predictors for Return to Work for People Struggling with Common Mental Disorders.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIn people receiving treatment for common mental disorders, negative beliefs about working with health problems predicted lower likelihood of being at work at treatment end. Perceived support at work predicted being at work when examined alone, but not uniquely.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Long COVID brain fog treatment: An early-phase randomized controlled trial of constraint-induced cognitive therapy signals go.Rehabilitation psychologyIn adults with long COVID brain fog, a 36-hour cognitive rehabilitation programme produced large improvements in everyday task performance and return to work. This pilot study suggests the approach is feasible and safe, but the sample was tiny and unblinded, so it cannot confirm the treatment works.
• OTSLPQualitative2026The Experience of Return to Work Among People with Persistent Symptoms Following a Concussion: An Interview Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSeven Danes with persistent concussion symptoms described their return-to-work process as defined by whether others believed them. Supportive stakeholders shortened their recovery, while distrust and random, late access to energy management programs prolonged it and caused isolation.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Supportive Elements and Challenges to Return to Work Following a Concussion: A Scoping Review.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationConcussion recovery at work depends on more than symptoms. Personal agency and social support help, while prolonged rest advice and poor funder relations hinder return. Clinicians should prioritize individualized, abilities-focused plans over generic rest.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Applying NLP methods to code functional performance in electronic health records using the international classification of functioning, disability, and health.Disability and health journalThe ICF framework helped standardize how therapists document mobility, self-care, relationships, and communication in electronic records. But codes often overlapped, lacked cultural inclusivity, and failed to capture modern technology use, requiring manual consensus to make them usable for automated data extraction.
• PTOTQualitative2026What Works (or Doesn't) in Return to Work after Physical Injury? A Qualitative Study on the Perspectives of Trauma Patients and Health Care Professionals on Barriers and Facilitators in Return to Work.Journal of occupational rehabilitationTrauma patients described hospital care as ignoring work entirely, leaving them to figure out reintegration alone. They valued therapists who actively protected them from overstretching and helped adjust schedules rather than just treating physical function.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Facilitating Return to Work through a Broader Perspective on Vocational Rehabilitation: Insights from Patients with Stress-Related Disorders.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPatients with stress-related exhaustion said successful return to work required workplace and organisational changes, not just individual coping. They needed managers with authority to adjust tasks, clear structures, and influence over their own pace and environment.
• OTCohort2026Return to Work or Not: The Paths to Psychiatric Disability and Back.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAmong 18,373 people granted a first disability pension for mental disorder, 98% of permanent pensioners remained on pension, while temporary pensioners moved to work, unemployment, study, or remained on pension.
• PTOTCohort2025The Effectiveness of the Back At work After Surgery (BAAS) Work-Integrated Care Pathway on Return to Work for Patients Receiving Knee Arthroplasty: A Study of Three Comparative Cohorts in the Netherlands.Journal of occupational rehabilitationPatients receiving the BAAS work-integrated care pathway returned to work sooner than those receiving usual care. The median time to first return to work was 27 days for BAAS versus 52 and 43 days for usual care groups. Full return to work also occurred earlier with BAAS.
• PTOTOther2025The added value of sensor-based tests in explaining the variance in walking and ADL independency after stroke: An exploratory study.Clinical rehabilitationConventional tests like the Berg Balance Scale explained far more variance in ADL independence and walking ability after stroke than sensor-based measures. Sensors added minimal predictive value, suggesting existing clinical assessments remain sufficient for monitoring recovery.
• PTOTCohort2025Rates of Employment and Return to Work After Spinal Cord Lesion Onset in Israel.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationEmployment after spinal cord lesion in Israel was 33.1%, lower than Western rates. Prior employment, education, and daily function predicted work, not injury level. Patients cited motivation and support as aids, but disability and pain as barriers.
• PTOTRCT2025Mixed methods analysis of an interdisciplinary intervention to promote balance confidence in lower limb prosthesis users.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn interdisciplinary intervention combining virtual reality balance training with cognitive behavioral therapy significantly improved balance confidence and gait self-efficacy in lower limb prosthesis users. Participants showed large gains in these areas, though physical activity levels unexpectedly decreased.
• PTOTCohort2025Return on Investment of the Back At Work After Surgery (BAAS) Care Pathway Compared to Care-as-Usual in Knee Arthroplasty.Journal of occupational rehabilitationA bundled BAAS pathway for knee arthroplasty, including preoperative and postoperative physical therapy, goal setting, activity monitoring, occupational workplace assessment, and coordinated return-to-work planning, was associated with lower employer and societal costs over 12 months.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Carnitine Deficiency in Rehabilitation Ward Individuals and its Association With Activities of Daily Living: A Pilot Retrospective Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn this pilot study, 8.5% of rehabilitation ward patients had carnitine deficiency. These patients had significantly lower FIM motor scores on admission than those without deficiency, suggesting a link between carnitine status and physical function.
• PTOTCohort2025Remotely Delivered Task-Oriented Training and Evaluation (reTOTE) for Stroke Rehabilitation.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAfter 8 remote task-oriented sessions combining CIMT, ASAP, CO-OP, neuroplasticity principles, and TOTE-Home, 12 stroke survivors self-reported better performance, satisfaction, arm use, and most quality-of-life domains. Balance confidence did not change, and no control group was used.
• PTOTRCT2025Safety assessment and feasibility of the TWIICE powered exoskeleton for assisted ambulation in individuals with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive non-ambulatory people with spinal cord injury trained six sessions with the TWIICE exoskeleton without falls or fractures. Dizziness, skin reddening and one pain event occurred, and all completed mobility tests with therapist support.
• OTPilot2025Effects of Technology-Assisted Rehabilitation After Spinal Cord Injury: Pilot Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTechnology-assisted hand rehabilitation did not improve overall arm function compared to no treatment, but most participants achieved their personal goals. It was safe and well-tolerated, though the small study size means it cannot prove the devices work better than standard care.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025How recovery influences community reintegration: perspectives of persons with spinal cord injury and their support persons.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with spinal cord injury and their support persons often feel satisfied with their community reintegration even when they are unhappy with their physical recovery. Improving function alone does not guarantee a return to life; psychological adjustment and social support are critical drivers.
• PTOTCohort2025Development of the Italian version of the modified Barthel index and preliminary reliability in adults with stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAn Italian version of the modified Barthel Index showed high agreement among 51 adults with stroke when scored by different raters and repeated within days. Total scores were stable, but some individual items were less consistent.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Patient Functional Outcomes in Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Mediating Role of Declining Therapy.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationTherapy minutes dropped sharply in skilled nursing facilities after payment changes and during the pandemic. This decline accounted for nearly half of the increase in patients losing function and significantly reduced the chance of major recovery. Less therapy meant worse outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Persistent obstacles for return to work after COVID-19 infection - an explorative follow-up study in Sweden.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost patients with post-COVID symptoms returned to work within a year, but often in an adapted way. Women were 3.5 times more likely than men to remain unable to work. Persistent fatigue and cognitive issues were the main barriers, requiring workplace flexibility.
• PTOTCohort2025Muscle strength and stiffness of elbow muscles: correlation with upper limb motor functions in people with chronic stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineElbow muscle strength, but not stiffness, correlated with upper limb motor function in people with chronic stroke. Strength explained variance in impairment and activity scores, while resting stiffness showed inconsistent or no significant links to functional outcomes.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Action Observation Combined With Motor Imagery Training to Improve Motor Function in People With Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAdding action observation with motor imagery to routine rehab improved upper limb function scores, but did not improve daily self-care. The evidence is low quality from small trials, so treat this as a potential add-on rather than a proven replacement for standard therapy.
• OTQualitative2025Investigation of Menstrual Hygiene and Self-Care Skills of Adolescent Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Mother Views.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of girls with ASD described ongoing help with toileting, bathing, pad use and hair cleaning. All reported no puberty preparations, and mothers were the main caregivers.
• OTRCT2026Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial of an Enhanced Rehabilitation Transition Program for Stroke Survivors.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke survivors receiving home modifications and strategy training had better daily activity performance and fewer home barriers than those receiving education alone, but community participation did not improve. The intervention cost a median of $544 per person and was well-adhered to at 12 months.
• PTOTSurvey2025Shoulder problems after spinal cord injury. Part one: self-assessment by questionnaires.Journal of rehabilitation medicine54 of 100 people with spinal cord injury reported shoulder pain after injury, and 34 reported pain in the last week. Pain was common across injury levels and among wheelchair users and ambulatory people.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025The impact of non-invasive brain-computer interface technology on the therapeutic effect of patients with spinal cord injury: a summary of evidence based on meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNon-invasive brain-computer interfaces showed positive pooled effects on motor function, sensory function and daily living in spinal cord injury. But with 109 participants in 9 small studies, mostly self-controlled, the authors call this a research hypothesis, not a basis for clinical practice.
• PTOTRCT2025Effect of upper-limb robot-assisted therapy combined with pneumatic gloves on upper limb function in young and middle-aged stroke patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationYoung and middle-aged stroke patients using robot-assisted therapy with pneumatic gloves showed greater upper limb movement and daily function gains than those in conventional occupational therapy. Both groups improved, but the robot-glove group scored higher on motor and activity tests after four weeks.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Factors influencing activity performance and participation in usual life situations among people with Parkinson's disease: a mixed methods study.Disability and rehabilitationBoth motor and non-motor issues like apathy limit daily activities. People with Parkinson's stay active by adapting tasks or environments, such as using mobility aids or scheduling around symptoms.
• OTPilot2025Early positive approaches to support for family carers of young children with developmental disabilities: adaptation and piloting in Quebec public services.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCarers found this adapted support group helpful for learning strategies and feeling less isolated. Attendance was good despite pandemic disruptions. While parents reported improved well-being and competence, anxiety levels remained stable and high, suggesting the group alone may not address acute mental health needs.
• PTOTCohort2025Linking behavioral variability to daily function in stroke survivors: the mediating role of cognitive and motor mechanisms.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors showed more inconsistent performance on simple reaction and movement tasks than matched older adults. In stroke survivors, inconsistency was linked to poorer daily living tasks, and executive control, not muscle strength, helped account for that link. No treatment was tested.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2025Noninvasive brain stimulation for upper limb motor activity in children and young adults with cerebral palsy and pediatric stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to therapy did not improve upper limb movement in children with cerebral palsy or stroke. The combined treatment showed no benefit over standard care alone, so clinicians should not expect these stimulation techniques to enhance motor recovery on their own.
• 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.
• 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.
• PTOTRCT2025Participation in activities of daily living after the Akwenda Intervention Program for children and young people with cerebral palsy in Uganda: A cluster-randomized trial.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy in rural Uganda who received the Akwenda program increased their attendance in daily activities more than waiting-list controls. Gains were largest for those with greater mobility limitations and in community activities like celebrations and employment.
• PTOTRCT2025The Berlin bimanual test for stroke survivors (BeBiT-S): evaluating exoskeleton-assisted bimanual motor function after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new 10-task bimanual test for stroke survivors scored reliably and agreed with existing hand function scores. With a brain-controlled hand exoskeleton, 15 participants scored higher on the test, mainly in grasping and stabilizing.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Can wearable real-time biofeedback gait training devices improve gait speed, balance, functional mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) in individuals post-stroke? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable biofeedback gait training improved walking speed, balance, and mobility compared to standard care, but showed no benefit for daily living activities. Evidence quality is low to moderate, with no significant effect found for the most common auditory feedback setups.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• PTOTRCT2026Immersive virtual reality upper-limb exercises in people with Parkinson's disease: an observer-blinded randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationConventional upper-limb training improved hand function significantly more than immersive virtual reality, though both groups showed gains in arm function and dexterity. The VR system was usable and well-tolerated, but did not outperform standard therapy for the primary outcome.
• OTSystematic Review2026Efficacy of non-invasive neuromodulation technologies in improving cognitive function and activities of daily living in patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNon-invasive brain stimulation improved MoCA and MMSE scores versus sham or conventional intervention in adults with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or stroke. Theta burst ranked best for cognition, tDCS for instrumental daily tasks, but effects were short-term and heterogeneous.
• OTPilot2026Restoring hand grasping for patients with a complete tetraplegia with selective epineural stimulation: a parsimonious thus relevant clinical approach.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn four men with complete tetraplegia, implanted nerve cuff electrodes and external stimulation let them complete bottle and fork tasks in under 40 seconds during a one-month trial.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effectiveness of mirror and robot-assisted therapy for upper extremity rehabilitation in post-stroke patients: a meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining robot-assisted and mirror therapy improved arm movement and daily independence in stroke survivors. The gains were large enough to be clinically meaningful. However, the evidence is moderate, mostly from Chinese trials, and long-term effects are unknown.
• PTOTSLPOther2026The influence of upper extremity improvement on daily function in individuals with chronic stroke following task-oriented interventions: a structural equation modeling approach.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationImproving arm impairment alone did not predict better daily function in stroke survivors. Only faster task execution and less impairment directly predicted independence. Strength and movement quality helped daily life only indirectly, by making movements faster.
• OTRCT2026A Blinded, Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial on the Efficacy of Neck Muscle Vibration in Patients with Post-Stroke Spatial Neglect.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairNeck vibration plus general computer training did not improve post-stroke spatial neglect more than standard neglect therapy plus placebo vibration. Both groups improved similarly on neglect tests and daily activities, so this small trial does not show vibration is superior.
• PTOTCohort2026Staying Active: Promoting Activity Engagement for Poststroke Pain Management With Insights From Ecological Momentary Assessment.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPoststroke pain rose during physical activity and hospital visits but dropped afterward. Social connection and workplace engagement also linked to lower pain. These small shifts may not be clinically meaningful, so do not assume activity alone will resolve pain without broader support.
• PTOTOther2026Effect of dual-task exercises on balance, risk for fall and activities of daily living dependency of patients with stroke: a quasi-experimental study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke patients completing 16 sessions of dual-task exercises showed significant improvements in balance, reduced fall risk, and greater independence in daily activities. Without a control group, natural recovery or other concurrent care cannot be ruled out as the cause.