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Hand therapy research

Everything we have read on hand therapy. 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.

1,303 PAPERS · PAGE 10 OF 27 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRCT2021Corpus Callosum Integrity Relates to Improvement of Upper-Extremity Function Following Intensive Rehabilitation in Children With Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, lower corpus callosum integrity predicted greater bimanual hand function gains after Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT). This association was not seen after Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT), where all children improved regardless of baseline brain structure.
• PTOTRCT2021Evidence of neuroplasticity with robotic hand exoskeleton for post-stroke rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic exoskeleton therapy improved wrist spasticity, movement range, and hand function more than conventional physiotherapy in stroke patients. Brain scans showed increased excitability in the injured hemisphere, suggesting neuroplasticity. This is a small pilot, so confirm with larger trials before changing practice.
• PTOTOther2021Relative independence of upper limb position sense and reaching in children with hemiparetic perinatal stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with hemiparetic perinatal stroke varied in upper limb position sense and reaching. Robot tests showed no significant link between the two, so a child can have impaired position sense but normal reaching, or the reverse.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Neurodevelopmental profiles of children with unilateral cerebral palsy associated with middle cerebral artery and periventricular venous infarctions.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy caused by middle cerebral artery infarction had significantly worse hand function, sensation, and cognition than those with periventricular venous infarction. Therapists should screen for sensory and cognitive barriers in this group before starting upper limb training.
• PTOTRCT2021Feasibility and effectiveness of a novel dynamic arm support in persons with spinal muscular atrophy and duchenne muscular dystrophy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSix people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy or spinal muscular atrophy tried a new arm support. It helped most perform upper limb tasks and reduced fatigue, but results varied greatly, especially for those with severe scoliosis.
• PTOTCohort2021Effect of post-stroke spasticity on voluntary movement of the upper limb.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSpasticity, measured by the threshold at which muscle resistance begins, strongly predicts the quality of voluntary reaching movements in stroke survivors. This effect is distinct from overall motor impairment scores, suggesting that treating spasticity may improve movement quality beyond what general rehabilitation achieves.
• PTOTOther2021Guided Self-rehabilitation Contracts Combined With AbobotulinumtoxinA in Adults With Spastic Paresis.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTAdults with chronic spastic paresis who performed guided self-stretching diaries alongside botulinum toxin injections showed significant gains in voluntary movement range and walking speed. This open-label study cannot prove the exercises added benefit beyond the injections alone, but suggests high compliance with home programs is feasible.
• PTOTCohort2021The utility of upper limb loading device in determining optimal walking ability in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoMost participants could progress to a cane or no device, walking faster and further than walker users. Upper limb loading correlated with walking ability, suggesting the device may help therapists identify who can safely reduce support.
• OTSLPCohort2021Early Pandemic Experiences of Autistic Adults: Predictors of Psychological Distress.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNearly half of autistic adults reported moderate-to-severe psychological distress early in the pandemic. Distress levels remained stable over two months despite worsening life disruptions. Frequent hopefulness predicted lower distress and greater resilience, suggesting emotional supports should target hope.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical validation of kinematic assessments of post-stroke upper limb movements with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExoskeleton-based kinematic assessment accurately predicted motor impairment in severely impaired stroke patients. Shoulder internal/external rotation and grip pressure were the strongest predictors. This method took 6 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for the clinical Fugl-Meyer Assessment.
• PTOTRCT2021Augmented efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation on the virtual reality-based cycling training for upper limb function in patients with stroke: a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to virtual reality cycling reduced spasticity and improved participation in stroke patients. However, it did not improve upper limb motor function compared to sham stimulation plus the same exercise. The benefit was specific to tone and daily life involvement, not movement quality.
• PTOTCohort2021Shedding light on light exposure in elderly with intellectual disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRElderly people with intellectual disabilities in group homes spend their day in low light. They rarely get the bright exposure linked to better sleep and mood, especially on weekends. This is a descriptive finding, not proof that lighting changes cause their health issues.
• PTOTPilot2021Immersive virtual reality in children with upper limb injuries: Findings from a feasibility study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn a small feasibility study, children with upper limb injuries reported that immersive virtual reality games made rehabilitation exercises more enjoyable, easier, and less painful than usual therapy. Physiotherapists observed increased range of motion and engagement, though the study lacked a control group and baseline data.
• OTOther2021Effect of Standing on a Standardized Measure of Upper Extremity Function.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthStanding made healthy young adults slower on the Jebsen Hand Function Test. Total time increased by 4.4% with the right hand and 5.6% with the left hand. Do not compare sitting and standing scores as if they mean the same.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2021Serious games for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke: a meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSerious games designed for rehabilitation improved upper limb function, activity, and participation after stroke compared to conventional therapy. Games that followed at least 8 of 11 neurorehabilitation principles showed significantly better results than those that followed fewer.
• PTOTCohort2021Gripforce reduction in children with an upper neonatal brachial plexus palsy.Journal of rehabilitation medicineChildren with upper neonatal brachial plexus palsy had significantly weaker grip in their affected hand compared to healthy controls. This weakness was not linked to reduced sensation, shoulder movement, or poor bimanual coordination, suggesting the cause is unclear rather than a simple sensory or mechanical deficit.
• OTQualitative2020Cognitive Interviewing during Pretesting of the Prefinal Afrikaans for the Western Cape Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire following Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation.Occupational therapy internationalPatients with low literacy and vision problems struggled with the Afrikaans DASH questionnaire. Changing the format to use words instead of numbers and providing reading glasses fixed these issues, making the test usable in busy public clinics.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical value of assessing motor performance in postacute stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 postacute stroke patients, wearable sensors showed daily walking and arm use varied widely and did not match clinical capacity scores. A patient with good walking capacity could still be mostly sedentary, or a slow walker could cover long distances at home.
• OTCohort2021Microstructural changes in the spinal cord of adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdults with cerebral palsy showed smaller spinal cord cross-sectional areas and reduced gray matter compared to controls. These structural differences correlated with poorer hand dexterity scores, suggesting spinal cord microstructure plays a role in upper limb function.
• PTOTRCT2021Phase IIB Randomized Trial on the Use of 4-Aminopyridine in Guillain-Barré Syndrome.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation4-aminopyridine did not improve strength or walking compared with placebo in people with chronic Guillain-Barré syndrome. Seven of nineteen participants dropped out, including three because of adverse effects such as tremor and dizziness.
• OTCase-Control2021Tactile cortical responses and association with tactile reactivity in young children on the autism spectrum.Molecular autismEarly brain responses to touch did not differ between autistic and neurotypical children, but a later response peaked about 10 ms sooner in autism. Autistic children had more parent-reported tactile difficulties, and early responses tracked tactile reactivity differently by group.
• PTOTRCT2021Effectiveness of a combined transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality-based intervention on upper limb function in chronic individuals post-stroke with persistent severe hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn chronic severe stroke hemiparesis, tDCS plus a self-triggered VR task followed by conventional physical therapy improved arm motor scores more than conventional physical therapy alone; sensory scores did not differ. Single components cannot be separated.
• PTOTRCT2021Sequential motor learning transfers from real to virtual environment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPractising a button-press task in the real world made a subsequent virtual reaching task faster. The reverse did not happen. Practising the virtual task first did not improve performance on the real-world task.
• PTOTCase-Control2021Alterations in intermuscular coordination underlying isokinetic exercise after a stroke and their implications on neurorehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring fixed-speed upper limb movements, stroke survivors generated weaker and less accurately directed forces, used fewer coordination patterns than controls, and more impaired participants showed more altered muscle activation.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Effect of virtual reality therapy, combined with physiotherapy for improving motor proficiency in individuals with Down syndrome: A systematic review.The South African journal of physiotherapyAdding Nintendo Wii exercise to standard physiotherapy or occupational therapy did not show overall better motor proficiency in Down syndrome. Agility improved in some studies, but balance, strength and coordination were mixed or inconclusive.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Hand rehabilitation programmes for second to fifth metacarpal fractures: A systematic literature review.The South African journal of physiotherapyOne high-quality trial found a structured home exercise programme matched or beat traditional physiotherapy for hand movement and function after surgery. Two observational studies suggested early self-managed mobilisation works for non-surgical fractures, but evidence remains limited.
• OTCohort2020Pre-placement examinations for newly recruited health care support staff.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTNewly recruited health support staff had lower handgrip strength than local norms, but weak grip did not predict musculoskeletal symptoms. Only lower bilateral lifting capacity was significantly associated with current symptoms, suggesting pre-placement exams should prioritize functional lifting tests over grip strength.
• OTOther2021A video game based hand grip system for measuring muscle force in children.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA video game hand grip matched published grip norms in 14 of 20 age groups, and all but one of 13 patients with muscle disease finished. It is not yet a tested clinical measure for therapy changes.
• OTOther2021A Comparative Study of Efficacy and Functionality of Ten Commercially Available Wrist-Hand Orthoses in Healthy Females: Wrist Range of Motion and Grip Strength Analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOff-the-shelf wrist splints tested in healthy women did not hold the wrist in the recommended 10 to 15° extension. None consistently prevented wrist flexion. Grip strength decreased for every splint except #6.
• PTOTOther2021Reliable and valid robot-assisted assessments of hand proprioceptive, motor and sensorimotor impairments after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA robotic test of the index finger reliably separates stroke patients from healthy controls and correlates with standard clinical scores. It takes about 14 minutes per hand and can distinguish motor from sensory impairments, offering a detailed profile of hand deficits.
• OTOther2021The effect of different work-rest schedules on ergonomic risk in poultry slaughterhouse workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Simulating three 20-minute breaks instead of six 10-minute breaks raised ergonomic risk scores by 20% in poultry slaughterhouse tasks. Frequent short breaks distributed hourly kept risk lower than longer, less frequent blocks.
• OTMeta-Analysis2021Protocols Used by Occupational Therapists on Shoulder Pain after Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Occupational therapy internationalAdding electrical stimulation, taping, or dry needling to standard care reduced shoulder pain and improved arm movement in people after stroke. However, these results rest on only four small trials, so the benefit is real but the size of the effect is uncertain.
• PTOTCohort2021Dynamic balancing responses in unilateral transtibial amputees following outward-directed perturbations during slow treadmill walking differ considerably for amputated and non-amputated side.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWhen pushed outward on the amputated side while walking slowly, amputees cannot use ankle strategies to stabilize. They must wait for the non-amputated leg to step across, causing large body shifts. On the non-amputated side, their balance response matches people without amputation.
• PTOTRCT2021Efficacy and safety of onabotulinumtoxinA with standardized occupational therapy for treatment of pediatric upper limb spasticity: Phase III placebo-controlled randomized trial.NeuroRehabilitationOnabotulinumtoxinA plus occupational therapy significantly reduced upper limb spasticity in children compared to placebo plus occupational therapy. However, it did not significantly improve overall clinical impression of change or active functional goals at the primary time point, though passive goals showed some benefit.
• OTSurvey2021Occupational Therapy Services in School-Based Practice: A Pediatric Occupational Therapy Perspective from Ireland.Occupational therapy internationalIrish school-based OTs mostly deliver one-to-one therapy and see schools monthly, but lack specific training and guidelines. They value collaboration but struggle to implement it due to time and workload constraints.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Effect of Robot-Assisted Therapy on Participation of People with Limited Upper Limb Functioning: A Systematic Review with GRADE Recommendations.Occupational therapy internationalAdding robot-assisted therapy to conventional therapy did not improve participation and showed a negative short-term effect compared to conventional therapy alone. Robots beat usual care in one small study, but evidence was very low quality. Do not expect robots to boost real-life engagement.
• OTCohort2021Predicting outcomes of conservative treatment for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: Group- and individual-based rehabilitation.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTBaseline symptom and hand-function scores helped identify who met discharge criteria after two-stage carpal tunnel treatment. A symptom score cut-off guided group splint education; a function score cut-off guided intensive one-on-one care.
• OTSystematic Review2021Surgical Approaches to Upper Limb Spasticity in Adult Patients: A Literature Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo randomized trials were found for upper-limb spasticity surgery. Low-level studies report improved pain, posture, hygiene, or function in selected patients, but surgical effects cannot be separated from combined procedures.
• PTOTRCT2021Efficacy of wrist robot-aided orthopedic rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot-assisted wrist rehab matched conventional therapy on standard clinical tests for grip, dexterity, and function. However, patients using the robot showed significantly better range of motion and overall robotic performance scores than those receiving traditional manual therapy.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2021Initial action output and feedback-guided motor behaviors in autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismAdults and children with autism showed weaker grip strength and less stable force control. Their eye movements became less accurate with age, unlike controls. Initial force output and reaction times were normal. These motor differences correlated with symptom severity.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Upper extremity biomechanics in native and non-native signers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Native signers showed fewer micro-rests and lower muscle tension than non-natives, supporting injury risk theories. However, natives also demonstrated greater range of motion and ballistic tendencies, contradicting the hypothesis that they have safer biomechanics.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Inspiratory muscle training in children and adolescents living with neuromuscular diseases: A pre-experimental study.The South African journal of physiotherapyEight children with neuromuscular disease completed six weeks of inspiratory muscle training without adverse events. Inspiratory strength and flow improved. Lung volumes and cough ability did not change, and quality of life scores did not improve significantly.
• PTOTCohort2022The effect of botulinum toxin-A on neural and non-neural components of wrist hyper-resistance in adults with stroke or cerebral palsy.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationBotulinum toxin reduced the neural component of wrist stiffness in adults with stroke or cerebral palsy, but did not change non-neural tissue stiffness. Clinical function scores showed minimal improvement, and the study lacked a control group.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Important-performance analysis to conceptualize goal priorities in community dwelling stroke survivors.Topics in stroke rehabilitationFor stroke survivors living in the community, goals like hand function, driving, balance, memory, and arm strength were consistently prioritized when rated against their current performance. Speech goals did not emerge as a priority for this group, likely because most participants already performed well in this area.
• PTOTOther2021Self-Directed Exergaming for Stroke Upper Limb Impairment Increases Exercise Dose Compared to Standard Care.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke patients using a self-directed exergaming device doubled their daily upper limb exercise time and increased repetitions eightfold compared to standard therapy. The device was safe and acceptable, but this small study proves feasibility, not functional recovery.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Challenges of Estimating Accurate Prevalence of Arm Weakness Early After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairEstimates of arm weakness after stroke vary widely depending on how and when you measure it. A SAFE score at two days found 40% weakness, while an NIHSS score at admission found 59%. The 70% figure often cited is outdated and method-dependent.
• PTOTCohort2022Accuracy of an Algorithm in Predicting Upper Limb Functional Capacity in a United States Population.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn 49 US stroke patients, a simple upper limb prediction algorithm was better than chance but less accurate than expected. It was most uncertain for people with little initial arm strength.
• PTOTRCT2021Reaching higher: External scapula assistance can improve upper limb function in humans with irreversible scapula alata.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor eight people with irreversible scapula winging, a therapist’s hand-guided scapula support raised arm elevation by 17.3 degrees in flexion. A wearable orthosis raised it by 6.2 degrees and cut perceived exertion by 1.25 Borg points. Neither was tested long-term.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2021Transcranial direct current stimulation combined with robotic therapy for upper and lower limb function after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding tDCS to robotic therapy did not improve upper limb function compared to sham stimulation. Secondary outcomes including strength, spasticity, independence, and velocity also showed no significant difference between groups.
• PTOTCohort2021Correlation of N30 somatosensory evoked potentials with spasticity and neurological function after stroke: A cross-sectional study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke patients missing a specific brain response (N30 SEP) had worse wrist spasticity and upper-limb function. Combining this response with motor evoked potentials better predicted arm recovery than either test alone, but not hand dexterity. This offers a potential marker for proximal limb prognosis.