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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 20 OF 22 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2026Significant differences in evaluation of disability and health (ICF) core sets between stroke rehabilitants and rehabilitation team during the first year.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors rated their own abilities higher than their rehab team did, especially in thinking and daily tasks, at one month. By one year, these views aligned more closely. Survivors saw little change in their own function, while the team recorded significant improvements.
• PTOTOther2026Active robotic assistance for standing and sitting: experimental evaluation of handle trajectories.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 young able-bodied adults, moving robotic handles reduced hip and knee effort during standing up and sitting down compared with static handles. Straighter handle paths gave the largest leg reductions, but required more upward force at the handles.
• OTOther2026Testing the usability of a voice control system for assistive robotic arms in people with neurological conditions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with muscular dystrophy completed 93% of daily tasks with voice control, compared with 53% using a joystick. Voice control was rated easier, but the joystick was faster for some tasks.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025An elective two-week interdisciplinary acute rehabilitation program improves functional and speech outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients with Parkinson's disease in a two-week inpatient program improved mobility, self-care, and voice. Gains were seen regardless of age, disease duration, or medication dose. No control group means natural progression or other factors cannot be ruled out.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Active upper-limb therapies for hand function, individual goal achievement, and self-care in children with cerebral palsy: A network meta-analysis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyModified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) and bimanual training (BiM) consistently improve hand function, goal achievement, and self-care in children with cerebral palsy. Action observation also improves bimanual hand function. No single therapy is clearly superior to the others for hand function, allowing choice based on child and family preference.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Case Report: Intensive multidisciplinary motor-cognitive rehabilitation treatment in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne woman with Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome completed four weeks of intensive motor-cognitive rehabilitation. Her walking, balance, hand dexterity, speech clarity and swallowing safety all improved during admission, though she still needed her walker and caregiver support.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Language, Speech, and Oral Motor Performance in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Systematic Review.International journal of language & communication disordersChildren with developmental coordination disorder often have subtle speech and oral motor deficits that standard articulation tests miss. Look for slower articulation and breakdowns during complex speech tasks, not just isolated sound errors.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026At-Home Delivery of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Task-Specific Training Improves Performance of High-Priority Activities in Persons With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury or Stroke.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFourteen people with chronic stroke or spinal cord injury completed 36 at-home sessions pairing vagus nerve stimulation with self-selected daily tasks. Time to complete trained tasks dropped by 19.8% in stroke and 33.8% in spinal cord injury, but this open-label study cannot separate the stimulation's effect from practice alone.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Alleviating Hypotension With Implanted Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Seated Stabilization: A Case Report in SCI.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn one woman with cervical spinal cord injury, activating implanted trunk stimulation raised systolic blood pressure from 62.6 to 115.8 mmHg and resolved morning lightheadedness. This is a single case. It suggests trunk muscle activation may help seated stabilization, but does not prove efficacy.
• PTOTOther2026Associations between activity limitations and participation restrictions in people with late effects of polio.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationActivity limitations and participation restrictions are only weakly associated in people with late effects of polio. Assess both separately during rehabilitation. Focusing on performance alone misses the broader participation issues that affect daily life.
• PTOTCohort2026Predicting Geriatric Rehabilitation Stays of ≤4 Weeks After Hip Fracture Surgery: Machine Learning Approach Using Physical Activity and Patient Data.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAfter hip fracture surgery, a model using first-week activity and patient data identified likely stays of 4 weeks or less. It performed well in 100 Dutch patients, but needs external testing before changing discharge planning.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Associations between quality of life in communication and sociodemographic and clinical aspects of Parkinson's disease.CoDASFor people with Parkinson's disease, quality of life in communication is driven more by non-motor symptoms and daily activity difficulties than by motor speech issues. Rigidity as an initial symptom was linked to worse communication scores than tremor. Assess mood and function, not just speech.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026The effectiveness of robotic therapy in reducing upper limb spasticity in stroke survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic therapy produced small reductions in elbow and wrist flexor tone compared with conventional therapy, but not shoulder tone. Hand-only devices did not reduce tone, and daily independence did not clearly improve.
• PTOTNarrative Review2026Post-Stroke Motor Fatigability: Defining and Studying the Impairments That Emerge During Prolonged Motor Tasks.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairProlonged motor tasks after stroke often show greater endurance loss in paretic limbs, likely from reduced brain input to the muscle rather than the muscle itself. Tests vary, so endurance time may be more informative than strength alone.
• PTOTCase Report2026A self-made suspension trainer as a tool for core muscle activation and motivation in a girl with cognitive and motor impairments: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA therapist-built rope and stick trainer helped one 13-year-old girl with severe impairments increase core exercise repetitions from 1–2 to 10–15. The caregiver reported better posture and willingness to participate, but no standardized measures were used.
• PTOTCohort2026Stroke Recovery Program Incorporating Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Provides Sustained Improvement of Function: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke survivors who added a 36-session aerobic exercise and risk factor education program to prescribed physical, occupational and speech therapy showed higher mobility and daily activity scores at 1 year. Cognitive scores did not differ significantly.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Clinical Determinants of Functional Independence at Discharge in Patients With Spinal Cord Dysfunction Due to Metastatic Spinal Tumors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn patients with spinal metastases, only 23 of 153 achieved functional independence at discharge. Rapid tumor growth, severe motor impairment, high inflammation, and persistent pain predicted dependence. Neurologic level and spinal instability did not. Early prognostic assessment should guide goals from intensive training to supportive care.
• PTOTSurvey2026International health professional perspectives of using the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance approach in routine practice.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost clinicians trained in CO-OP used it, mainly with children with DCD, autism or ADHD. Time, service constraints and difficulty setting client-led goals limited full, confident delivery.
• OTSurvey2026Knowledge and Understanding of Menstrual Health in Women With Intellectual Disabilities: A Brief Report.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAmong 22 women with intellectual disabilities, 9 had low menstrual knowledge, and 15 rated pad use as fully independent while 12 rated tampon use as never independent. The biggest gaps were how often to change products and menopause.
• PTOTCohort2026ICF rehabilitation set responsiveness after total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn patients recovering from knee replacement, ICF-RS scores improved significantly during inpatient rehabilitation. However, joint mobility scores did not change because the tool counts affected joints rather than measuring range of motion. This highlights that ICF-RS is not sensitive enough to track specific physical recovery in single-joint surgeries.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026What Motor Skills Do Children Perceive as Important? A Child-Centred Exploration Using the Motor Coordination Questionnaire.Child: care, health and developmentChildren in Ghana and South Africa consistently rated self-care, writing neatly, and household chores as very important. However, boys valued kicking a ball and team sports more, while girls valued dancing more. Children with motor difficulties rated many activities as less important.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effects of virtual reality and robot-assisted therapy on rehabilitation outcomes in cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRange of motion did not clearly improve, but gross motor function improved with VR or robot-assisted therapy compared with conventional rehab in children with cerebral palsy. Balance and daily-activity gains were small and may not matter clinically.
• PTOTCohort2025Depressive Symptoms and Physical Activity Mediate the Adverse Effect of Pain on Functional Dependence in Patients With Arthritis: Evidence From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.Physical therapyIn people with arthritis, pain was linked to more dependence in daily tasks years later. Part of that link ran through depressive symptoms and lower physical activity. This is an observational association, not proof that treating depression or increasing activity prevents decline.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Explainable machine learning prediction of functional independence measure scores and gain in subacute stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdmission scores on basic daily tasks like bowel management strongly predicted discharge independence, while age and toileting skills predicted overall functional gain. These machine learning models identified specific prognostic factors, offering a transparent way to forecast rehabilitation outcomes in subacute stroke survivors.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Comparative efficacy of motor imagery augmented with central non-invasive brain stimulation versus peripheral electrical stimulation for upper extremity rehabilitation post-stroke: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding motor imagery plus low-frequency rTMS to conventional rehab was significantly better than conventional rehab alone for post-stroke arm motor scores; other tested combinations and single interventions were not.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Upper limb motor recovery using a digital health-driven IoT rehabilitation system: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA stroke patient with high baseline independence used a digital IoT system for two weeks. His arm movement quality improved slightly, and he stayed engaged. Because he started so capable, the system could not show further gains in how often he used his arm.
• PTOTRCT2026Effect of an ERAS-based pulmonary rehabilitation exercise program on perioperative outcomes in liver resection patients: a prospective study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAfter liver resection, a nurse-led pulmonary rehabilitation bundle added to routine care improved lung function, daily activity, and walking, and reduced atelectasis and clots. Do not credit one component alone.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026On the correlation between training modalities and recovery stages in poststroke robotic rehabilitation of the upper limb: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic therapy choices should match the stroke recovery stage. Assistive modes with electrical stimulation worked best for chronic patients. Active-assistive modes with bio-signal triggers yielded greater gains for subacute patients. Evidence for the acute phase remains too limited to guide practice.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Post-stroke lower limb rehabilitation: a comparative study between exoskeleton robots and traditional gait training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot-assisted gait training may speed short-term recovery in severe post-stroke walking deficits, while traditional training better supports active movement learning. Most evidence lacked follow-up beyond six months.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with computerized cognitive training improves global cognition and functional independence post-stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining hyperbaric oxygen with computerized cognitive training improved global cognition and daily living independence more than either alone or standard care in stroke patients. Gains appeared across memory, attention, and orientation. The contribution of each component cannot be separated.
• OTPilot2026Understanding the impact of perceived app usability on the efficacy of mobile health intervention for traumatic brain injury caregivers.Rehabilitation psychologyPush notifications reduced depression scores only in caregivers who found the app easy to use. For those who found it difficult, messages slightly worsened depression scores. Usability, not just the content, determines whether these tools help or harm.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Hands-free control of an assistive robotic arm for high-level paralysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHead, tongue, and facial muscle controls let people reach targets with a robotic arm as fast as a hand-operated joystick. Voice control was slower. These hands-free options may offer people with high-level paralysis a safer, cheaper alternative to brain implants.
• PTOTOther2026Validity of FuncUseRatio for ecological monitoring of functional arm use after stroke: toward precision neurorehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWrist sensors accurately track functional arm use in stroke survivors. The FuncUseRatio metric matched video analysis almost perfectly in daily tasks like eating and dressing. This tool validates home monitoring of paretic arm use, helping clinicians detect non-use behaviors early.
• PTOTRCT2026Application of continuing care based on an information platform in discharged patients with first-ever stroke.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke patients who used a WeChat mini-program for continuing care after discharge had better neurological function and daily living scores at three months than those receiving routine care. The group also had fewer falls and readmissions. The intervention combined online education with offline home nursing.
• PTOTCohort2026Upper limb replantation: functional disability and quality of life challenges.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients who needed a second surgery after upper limb replantation reported worse function in work and recreational tasks, despite similar overall disability scores. Those who did not return to work had significantly higher overall disability. Reintervention was linked to lower perceived hand use in daily activities.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Factors Associated With Social Inclusion and Labour Status in People With Intellectual Disabilities, From Urban and Rural Areas of Peru.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDHaving a job linked to better social inclusion, while caregiver burden and older age linked to worse. Self-determination and verbal communication predicted employment. Urban participants had higher social inclusion than rural, but unemployment rates were high in both regions.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026The effect of combined motor and cognitive rehabilitation on motor performance in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineCombined motor and cognitive training did not clearly improve functional mobility over motor training in Parkinson's disease. Sequential protocols reported an improvement in daily activities; simultaneous protocols reported better quality of life, but evidence was limited.
• OTSurvey2026Associations between self-reported depression and functioning across ICF domains: a Danish population-based study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdults with self-reported depression reported poor sleep, stress, loneliness, needing help with daily tasks, difficulty engaging with healthcare, and reduced work, education, and community participation more often, even after adjustment.
• PTOTCohort2026Occupational performance priorities and outcomes in long-term transitional rehabilitation for young adults with acquired brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineYoung adults with acquired brain injury here most often chose goals around socialising, work and study, and getting around the community. Their own ratings of performance and satisfaction rose from admission to discharge, but with no comparison group the programme cannot take the credit.
• OTPilot2026Impact of Occupation-Based Groups on Occupational Performance and Satisfaction Outcomes: Pilot Study.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthInpatients practising cooking, laundry and housework in a small group rated their performance and satisfaction no differently from those given one-to-one sessions. Both groups improved, but with 21 people and no randomisation this cannot show the two are equivalent.
• OTCohort2025Exploring Dual-Task Performance Relationships for Veterans with Lower-Limb Amputation.Occupational therapy in health careWalking while doing serial subtraction cut gait speed 23.30% and correct answers 11.62%, but how much a person declined did not separate those who fell repeatedly from those who fell rarely or not at all, and it did not match their reported daily activity.
• OTRCT2026Goal Satisfaction, Not Attainment, Predicted Occupational Performance Improvement During Behavioral Activation/Problem-Solving Rehabilitation After Breast Cancer.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthHow satisfied women felt with how each week's goal turned out was the strongest predictor of improvement in performing and enjoying daily activities. Whether they met the goals, or whether weekly goals matched their long-term priorities, did not predict improvement.
• OTRCT2026Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) in Parkinson's: Randomized Trial Findings.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieCO-OP occupational therapy improved self- and therapist-rated performance on goals chosen by people with Parkinson's compared with a waiting list, but a masked assessor's goal rating and measures of thinking, daily function, quality of life and self-efficacy showed no difference.
• OTSurvey2026'A New Pace of Life': A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Retirement Plans, Preparations and Experiences in Middle-Aged and Older Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults retired at similar ages to non-autistic adults but arrived there differently: fewer had made any retirement plans, fewer had full state or workplace pensions, and more had been unemployed or unable to work. They worried most about money, losing routine and loneliness.
• OTOther2025The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the experiences of Nova Scotian dentists.Work (Reading, Mass.)Nova Scotian dentists described months with no income and masks and shields that made it hard to see and breathe. Returning to patients and colleagues was what kept them motivated. A follow-up survey found 84% reported more grinding and 79% more broken teeth.
• OTMeta-Analysis2026Adaptive Interventions for Enhancing Participation Poststroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieAcross 24 randomised trials, adaptive goal-focused stroke programmes did not clearly improve participation. The one positive result was for everyday household activities in self-management style programmes. That was a secondary outcome.
• OTCohort2025Descriptive evaluation of community based children's occupational therapy services using COPM.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTParents rated children's performance and satisfaction higher after community occupational therapy, with mean performance rising from 3.6 to 6.7 and satisfaction from 3.8 to 7.3 on a ten-point scale. More sessions did not mean more improvement, and there was no control group.
• PTOTOther2025Factors influencing return to work after rotator cuff surgery: A scoping review.Work (Reading, Mass.)80.72% of workers returned to work after rotator cuff surgery, on average 6.2 months later, across 21 studies. Heavy manual work predicted lower and slower return; lighter duties predicted faster return. No single factor decided the outcome.
• PTOTQualitative2026Life after the hospital: Lived experience of people with traumatic spinal cord injury in a resource-constrained setting - a qualitative study.The South African journal of physiotherapyFor these 19 Rwandans with spinal cord injury, losing income and their sense of value shaped daily life. Family support and contact with others with the same injury helped; inaccessible homes, ill-fitting donated wheelchairs and public attitudes kept people out.
• OTOther2026Understanding the Impact of Screening Location on Depressive Symptom Scores Among People With Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTotal depression scores did not differ significantly between people with new spinal cord injuries screened at home and in hospital (median 7.5 vs 6 on a 0-27 scale). Emotional symptoms and suicidal thoughts were more common at home.