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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 22 OF 27 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Clinical relevance of the effects of robotic rehabilitation for upper limb recovery after stroke in randomized studies: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Archives of physiotherapyRobot-assisted upper limb training after stroke did not produce benefits large enough for patients to consider clinically important, despite gains in daily activities, dexterity, arm function, and strength over control therapy.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Outcomes and Preferences for Decision-Making for Upper Limb Prosthetic Care: The Patient Journey: A Scoping Literature Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost upper-limb prosthetic research compares device technology, not patient preference. Only six studies examined preference, and just four used robust choice methods. Clinicians should expect that evidence guiding shared decision-making is sparse, so direct discussion of individual goals remains essential.
• OTOther2025Upper limb training for young children with unilateral cerebral palsy using video coaching: An explorative retrospective clinical study.Australian occupational therapy journalIn 81 young children with unilateral cerebral palsy, an 8-week home upper limb training block with video coaching was followed by higher affected hand use scores during bimanual tasks. Scores stayed about the same after an 8-week break. Individual response varied widely.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Associations Between 24-h Movement Behaviours and Health in 3- and 4-Year-Old Children From a Low-Income Country: The SUNRISE Ethiopia Study.Child: care, health and developmentChildren who slept longer had lower body mass index scores. Those with more physical activity had stronger handgrip, while more sitting time linked to weaker grip. No links were found for balance, jumping, or thinking skills.
• PTOTRCT2025Variants of active assist robotic therapy: feasibility of virtual assistance and proprioceptive training as gauged by their effects on success and motivation during finger movement training after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwo new robotic hand-training modes kept stroke survivors engaged and successful. Virtual assistance worked without physical support, but users felt less competent than those with physical help. Proprioceptive games were harder and less enjoyable, though still feasible with high assistance.
• OTPilot2025Application and adaptation of the Virtual Eggs Test for assessing hand dexterity in subjects with stroke: a pilot study.Archives of physiotherapyNine stroke survivors completed the hand dexterity test with their affected arm. It was feasible and mostly comfortable, but timing was unreliable and the most fragile test objects were hard to detect as broken.
• PTOTQualitative2025The use of robotic upper limb therapy in routine clinical practice for stroke survivors: Insights from Australian therapists.Australian occupational therapy journalNine therapists accepted robot arm therapy as extra practice for stroke survivors with dense arm weakness, but occupational therapists used it less because the device sat in the physiotherapy gym.
• PTOTOther2025Multiple regression model for ascertaining the skeletal muscle mass index using grip strength and lifestyle factors in older outpatients.Journal of physical therapy scienceA formula using body weight, grip strength, sex, comorbidities, meals, and activity predicts muscle mass index in older outpatients. It helps when standard equipment is unavailable, but validation in other groups is needed before routine use.
• PTOTCohort2025Association Between Muscle Activity of Upper Limbs and Respiratory Parameters During Functional Performance in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Occupational therapy internationalPeople with mild to moderate COPD used their chest muscles more than healthy peers when reaching up, but did not always breathe less efficiently. Only one specific muscle group showed significantly higher activity during hair washing and shelf tasks.
• PTOTRCT2025Effects and neural mechanisms of a brain-computer interface-controlled soft robotic glove on upper limb function in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled fNIRS study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain-computer interface control to a soft robotic glove improved arm movement scores more than the glove alone in subacute stroke patients. However, this did not translate to better independence in daily activities, and the study was small and short-term.
• OTSLPCase Report2025Complex ADHD in a Child With Tic Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPA child with ADHD and new-onset tics illustrates the clinical dilemma of balancing medication efficacy against side effects. Management involves distinguishing tics from stimming, considering alpha-2 agonists or CBIT, and prioritizing functional impact over symptom suppression.
• OTSLPOther2025The influence of interpersonal synchrony and autism on impressions of dyadic interactions: a preregistered study.Molecular autismObservers rated mixed autistic/non-autistic interactions as less pleasant than non-autistic pairs, regardless of their own diagnosis. Better movement synchrony improved ratings slightly. Autistic observers looked at heads less but reached similar conclusions about pleasantness.
• OTQualitative2025'I couldn't change his nappy': New mothers' experiences of De Quervain's tendinosis and its impact on occupational performance.Australian occupational therapy journalPain and reduced strength from De Quervain's tendinosis made lifting, feeding, changing nappies, chores, and self-care hard for 15 new mothers. They asked for earlier education on safe handling and splint plans that fit caregiving.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Detection of mild cognitive impairment using a virtual reality-based stroop task: a cross-sectional study of embodied behavioral markers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHand movement path length and hesitation time during a virtual reality sorting task distinguished people with mild cognitive impairment better than the MoCA. These digital markers showed high sensitivity and specificity in a large sample, offering a potential alternative to standard paper-based screening.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Using game performance measure to assess upper limb motor function in children with neuromotor disorders: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationGame-based assessments for children's upper limb function show promise in distinguishing impairment levels, but lack consistent reliability data. They capture movement details better than standard clinical tests, yet cannot currently replace validated measures due to insufficient evidence on consistency over time.
• PTOTCohort2025Correlation between respiratory muscle strength and arm muscle strength of the unaffected side in patients with sub-acute stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn stroke patients who could not walk alone, respiratory strength and arm strength on the unaffected side were both far below healthy levels. Over two months of standard rehab, these improved but did not reach normal. The two strengths tracked together closely.
• PTOTCase Report2025Effect of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation for patients with chronic stroke: a case report using an AB design.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn one man with chronic stroke, repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation applied to forearm extensors improved wrist spasticity, motor scores, and self-reported daily task confidence. Because he also received routine therapy, it is unclear whether the stimulation itself caused the gains.
• PTOTRCT2025Individual and combined applied robotic hand rehabilitation and conventional rehabilitation for post-stroke hemiplegia: a prospective three-arm randomized study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineConventional occupational therapy improved upper limb function after stroke. Adding robotic hand therapy did not significantly beat conventional alone. Robotic hand therapy plus home-based Bobath exercises did not improve upper limb function.
• OTRCT2025Feasibility of post-stroke hand rehabilitation supported by a soft robotic hand orthosis in-clinic and at-home.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEight people with chronic stroke used a soft robotic hand orthosis for five weeks of occupational therapy, first in clinic then at home. They achieved high training doses independently at home, and most showed clinically meaningful improvements in hand function that were maintained at one month.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Do functional and biological factors influence the handgrip strength: A systematic review.The British journal of occupational therapyHandgrip strength varies significantly by height, hand size, ethnicity, and occupation, not just age and gender. Therapists should compare a patient's score to norms from their specific population and consider these biological factors before judging impairment.
• PTOTOther2025Cross-sectional differences of physical and psychosocial measures in low back pain according to pain chronification risk groups.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with low back pain at high risk of chronification had significantly worse physical strength and higher pain than those at low risk. High-risk patients were also more likely to refuse or be excluded from strength testing, suggesting physical deconditioning and fear are linked.
• PTOTOther2025ABILHAND-kids young CP: a measure of manual ability in young children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 7.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA new 17-item caregiver questionnaire measures manual ability in children with cerebral palsy aged 2 to 7. It covers daily tasks like dressing and eating with high precision, filling the gap for younger children before standard school-age tools apply.
• PTOTCohort2025Trajectories of Physical Disabilities Over 6 Months in Patients With Long COVID.Physical therapyOver six months, adults with long COVID saw small improvements in fatigue and walking distance that did not reach clinical significance. Their physical capacity remained substantially lower than controls. Baseline fatigue and daily step count predicted quality of life six months later.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Identifying Issues in Effective Motor Imagery Training Practice in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalMotor imagery training studies in children with developmental coordination disorder varied in tasks, dose, and imagery checks. Some reported motor skill gains, but no standard method exists, and this scoping review could not confirm effectiveness.
• PTOTOther2025Efficacy of Hand Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy in Improving Real-World Bimanual Performance and Identifying Predictors for Therapy Success in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, 30 hours of bimanual therapy increased real-world affected-hand use and self-reported performance, but one movement measure did not change. No control group.
• OTSystematic Review2025The role of occupational therapists in acute mental health inpatient settings: A systematic scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalOccupational therapy interventions in acute mental health inpatient units are associated with improved engagement, reduced distress, and less reliance on restrictive practices like seclusion. Evidence is limited to small, non-randomised studies, so these findings describe potential roles rather than proven effects.
• PTOTOther2025Automated assessment of upper limb spasticity in stroke patients with fusion of multichannel surface electromyography features.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA machine learning model using muscle sensors classified spasticity severity in 40 stroke patients with 78.7% overall accuracy. It distinguished mild from severe cases well but failed to separate moderate grades, meaning it cannot yet replace clinical assessment.
• PTOTRCT2025Multimodal assessment of a BCI system for stroke rehabilitation integrating motor imagery and motor attempts: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients using a brain-computer interface with real-time feedback showed greater upper limb motor recovery than controls receiving standard care. The effect was small (2.8 points on the Fugl-Meyer scale) and driven by proximal arm function, not wrist or hand movement.
• OTOther2025Reliability and validity of the measurement of interdigital muscle thickness using a caliper gauge.Journal of physical therapy scienceA simple caliper measure of thumb web muscle thickness was consistent when the same examiner repeated it and related to ultrasound, but less consistent between examiners. It was tested in 41 healthy young adults, not older patients.
• PTOTQualitative2025An Intensive Upper Extremity Program Coupled With a Wearable Device for Poststroke Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study of the Perspectives of People With Stroke.Physical therapyStroke survivors found a virtual arm rehabilitation program motivating because a wearable device gave immediate feedback on hand use. Therapist support and caregiver involvement were crucial for adherence, though technology glitches and exercise fatigue posed challenges.
• PTOTCohort2025Dynamometric measurement of hand grip and pinch strength as functional independency outcome in neuromuscular diseases.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn 96 patients with neuromuscular disease, hand grip and pinch strength did not differ significantly between diagnostic groups, yet correlated positively with self-reported hand function and daily living independence scores.
• PTOTCohort2025Measuring the Efficacy of Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis in Participants With Refractory or Plateaued Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist, or Finger Spasticity.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFor adults with plateaued upper limb spasticity, after cryoneurolysis shoulder and elbow movement and tone improved over 12 months; wrist movement and hand scores at 12 months were less clear, and each person was compared only with their own baseline.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Satisfaction, user experiences, and initial efficacy of a technology-supported self-management intervention (iSMART) to improve post-stroke functioning: a remoted randomized controlled trial.Topics in stroke rehabilitationStroke survivors found this remote self-management program satisfying and helpful, especially the coaching and goal-setting. They improved on hand function and participation measures, but the small sample meant no significant differences versus controls. Text messages were often rated as too frequent.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effectiveness and Characteristics of Work Participation Interventions for Adults with Musculoskeletal Upper Limb Conditions: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationExercise interventions showed positive effects on return to work and productivity, unlike multidisciplinary or ergonomic approaches which had mixed or null results. However, evidence quality was low, with few high-quality trials, so these findings should guide cautious trial rather than definitive protocol changes.
• PTOTCohort2025Ultrasonographic Measurement of Severe Sarcopenia in the Elderly Subject.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationUltrasound measurement of rectus femoris thickness significantly distinguished severe from non-severe sarcopenia in elderly patients. A thickness of 10.3 mm or less identified severe cases with 89% sensitivity, offering a rapid, accessible bedside tool for assessing functional decline.
• OTOther2026A Shortened Upper Extremity Functional Capacity Evaluation for Patients with Complaints of Hand, Wrist, Forearm, and Elbow: Composition and Assessment of Construct Validity and Test-Retest Reliability.Journal of occupational rehabilitationShortening hand and finger strength tests to one try and dexterity tests to two tries gave scores similar to the full evaluation. Some dexterity scores did not match patients' reported hand function, and dominant-hand pegboard scores were unstable between visits.
• PTOTRCT2025Effects of kilohertz versus low-frequency electrical stimulation of the wrist extensors in patients after stroke: A randomized crossover trial.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationLow-frequency electrical stimulation was more efficient at producing force per milliamp than kilohertz stimulation in stroke patients, but both types resulted in similar force, discomfort, and fatigue.
• PTOTOther2025Loss of Joint Individuation and Abnormal Synergy Post Stroke in Upper Limb Movements.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairStroke survivors showed severe loss of joint individuation, particularly in the wrist. When trying to move the wrist, the shoulder and elbow involuntarily coupled. Higher spasticity correlated with worse coupling. This quantifies the 'abnormal synergy' seen in clinical exams.
• PTOTCohort2026Focal extracorporeal shockwave therapy in shoulder calcific tendinopathy: A retrospective observational study of sonographic prognostic factors.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients with shoulder calcific tendinopathy and subacromial bursitis had significantly worse pain and function after shockwave therapy than those without bursitis. All patients without bursitis met the threshold for meaningful improvement, compared to only 5 of 7 with bursitis.
• PTOTCohort2026The role of cognitive load on motor performance of the ipsilesional arm in stroke survivors with severe hemiparesis.Topics in stroke rehabilitationAdding cognitive load to a reaching task slowed reaction time and worsened accuracy for all participants. Those with right hemisphere damage moved less efficiently than those with left hemisphere damage, but only when the task became mentally demanding.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Exploring the Impact of Muscle Vibration Therapy in Neurologic Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMuscle vibration therapy can improve motor control, reduce spasticity, and relieve pain across neurologic conditions. It works best as an addition to conventional rehabilitation, such as physiotherapy or robotic training. Evidence is moderate, with many small studies and methodological limitations.
• PTOTOther2025Test-retest Reliability, Interrater Reliability, and Convergent Validity of the Targeted Box and Block Test in an Upper Extremity Prosthesis User Population.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe targeted Box and Block Test measures speed and accuracy in prosthesis users with high consistency between raters and sessions. It correlates with the standard test but not all functional tasks, so use it to track grasping and placement precision.
• 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.
• PTOTOther2025Clinical feasibility of motor hotspot localization based on electroencephalography using convolutional neural networks in stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAn EEG-based algorithm accurately located stroke patients' motor hotspots within 1.77 mm, a precision comparable to TMS. This method works with as few as 5 electrodes, suggesting it could replace expensive TMS for targeting stimulation in rehabilitation.
• OTPilot2025Evaluation of wrist and finger function in healthy children through music-based video game therapy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn healthy children, background music during wrist and finger video games made movements more consistent but did not improve game scores. Ten children rated the glove and games as satisfying and reported that music helped them concentrate and relax.
• PTOTOther2025Quantitative assessment of dynamic movement reveals deficits due to hemiparetic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with moderate-to-severe impairment lose the ability to move quickly. Their upper limbs fail at frequencies above 1.5Hz, meaning they cannot perform fast daily tasks like stirring or brushing teeth, even if they can still reach the objects.
• OTCohort2025Divided attention and manual visuomotor control in stroke: a combined dual-task and eye movement study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients did not get worse at grip force control when adding a memory or attention task, unlike controls. They still made more tracking errors than controls and showed poorer divided attention and working memory during dual-tasking.
• PTOTPilot2025Real-time biofeedback monitoring rehabilitation of distal radius fracture.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA wearable prototype used muscle signals to predict hand fracture healing in real time. It triggered vibration warnings when exercises risked slowing recovery. The system worked accurately on healthy volunteers, but has not yet been tested on patients with fractures.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Recommendations for Combining Brain-Computer Interface, Motor Imagery, and Virtual Reality in Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation: Qualitative Participatory Design Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFor upper-limb brain-computer interface, motor imagery, and virtual reality training, stroke survivors and clinicians recommended daily tasks, sessions no longer than 20 minutes, simple to complex progression, and feedback adjusted for attention, neglect, and fatigue. These are design recommendations, not tested effectiveness.
• PTOTCohort2026Predictors of wrist extensor muscle recovery following acute traumatic spinal cord injury: A model systems replication study.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationThree old clinical prediction rules for wrist extensor recovery after spinal cord injury are much less accurate than previously thought. Positive predictive values dropped to 57% to 74%. Do not rely on a single rule to predict recovery or guide surgical referrals.