TOPIC

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 26 OF 27 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Limited Evidence of Functional Benefit After Upper Limb Botulinum Toxin Treatment in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationBotulinum toxin into the upper limb lowers muscle tone and spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, and parents report improvement, but the arm does not clearly work better. Grip strength drops while the toxin is active.
• PTOTRCT2025A Randomized Control Trial of a Virtually Delivered Program for Increasing Upper Limb Activity After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairA three-week virtual upper limb programme (twice-daily home exercises, a wrist-worn movement counter with feedback, and six therapist video sessions) produced 368 more reach-and-grasp movements a day than usual care at four weeks. The difference only just reached significance (P = .046).
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Efficacy of Prolotherapy for Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineDextrose injections eased pain and improved function in knee, hand and hip osteoarthritis more than saline, exercise, steroid or radiofrequency in most of 14 randomised trials. Platelet-rich plasma and other injections beat dextrose in others, and the review rated the overall risk of bias high.
• PTOTRCT2022Efficacy and feasibility of SENSory relearning of the UPPer limb (SENSUPP) in people with chronic stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationAdding sensory relearning to task-specific training improved touch thresholds more than task training alone in 27 people with chronic stroke, but no other measure differed between the groups. Both groups improved in daily hand use, and the trial was too small to confirm benefit.
• OTSystematic Review2022Remote Assessments of Hand Function in Neurological Disorders: Systematic Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesRemote tools show promise for measuring hand function, but none is yet valid and reliable across Parkinson's disease, stroke and MS. Finger tapping and hand tremor matched in-clinic scores best. Most reported links to clinic measures were not significant, and few studies checked reliability.
• OTRCT2024Orthosis vs. exercise for the treatment of adult idiopathic trigger fingers: A randomized clinical trial.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalA PIP-blocking orthosis worn day and night for six weeks plus hand therapy completely resolved trigger finger in 16 participants (53.6%); hand therapy alone resolved none. Pain and hand function improved only with the orthosis, though about a quarter of those relapsed by three months.
• PTOTRCT2025Hand Functions Following Prone-weight Bearing on Upper Limb with Active Elbow Extension Versus Modified Constraint Induced Movement Therapy in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy - A Randomised Clinical Trial.NeuroRehabilitationIn 38 children with unilateral cerebral palsy aged 2 to 5, two weeks of prone weight-bearing on the arms improved hand-function scores more than modified constraint therapy did, though both improved. The weight-bearing group started lower and no one was followed up.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2024Cognitive approaches in the rehabilitation of upper limbs function in children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding action observation therapy to usual rehabilitation did not significantly improve upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy when five trials were pooled. Individual trials reported gains, and mirror therapy trials also reported improvements, but mirror therapy could not be pooled.
• OTRCT2024Behavioral Intervention that Extends Sleep Duration Leads to Greater Self-Control in School-Aged Children.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren aged 8 to 11 who slept 9.5 hours or less a night and got a brief behavioural sleep programme slept longer and their caregivers rated them as more self-controlled than controls. Caregivers knew which group their child was in.
• PTOTRCT2025Early developmental trajectories of the impaired hand in infants with unilateral cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyWith early therapy, 63 infants with unilateral CP followed three paths of hand development: 29% barely improved, 35% improved steadily, 36% began high-functioning. Which therapy they got, the dose, the side affected and the brain lesion did not predict the path.
• PTOTRCT2021Corticospinal Tract Microstructure Predicts Distal Arm Motor Improvements in Chronic Stroke.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTIn chronic stroke with mild-to-moderate arm weakness, people whose corticospinal tract looked more damaged at baseline improved more on a timed hand and arm test after four months of practice. That reversed what the authors expected. Do not use imaging to pick who to treat.
• PTOTRCT2023Multisensory Stimulation and Priming (MuSSAP) in 4-10 Months Old Infants with a Unilateral Brain Lesion: A Pilot Randomised Clinical Trial.Occupational therapy internationalAdding a wristband that gave light, song and vibration to eight weeks of home hand training did not improve hand use more than the home training alone in 16 infants with a brain injury on one side. Both groups improved.
• OTRCT2022Effects of Task-Based LSVT-BIG Intervention on Hand Function, Activity of Daily Living, Psychological Function, and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Control Trial.Occupational therapy internationalIn 14 people with Parkinson's, adding task-based LSVT-BIG to occupational therapy improved everyday activity scores and anxiety more than occupational therapy plus relaxation, and improved hand dexterity in both hands. Depression and quality of life did not differ between the groups.
• PTOTRCT2022Use of an EMG-Controlled Game as a Therapeutic Tool to Retrain Hand Muscle Activation Patterns Following Stroke: A Pilot Study.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTChronic stroke survivors with moderate hand weakness got faster and more direct at steering a cursor with their hand muscles after nine sessions of an EMG-controlled game. Training with the affected hand alone or with both hands worked equally well.
• OTSystematic Review2022Randomised controlled trials of occupational therapy interventions for adults with a mental health condition or dementia: A systematic review of study methods and outcome measurement.The British journal of occupational therapyMost randomised trials of occupational therapy for adults with mental health conditions or dementia are poor or fair quality. Only eight of 26 reported a sample size calculation, half named no single primary outcome, and many outcome measures lack evidence they work in these groups.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2022Effect of vagus nerve stimulation paired with rehabilitation for upper limb function improvement after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationVNS added to rehabilitation produced a 3.59-point gain on the FMA-UE, below the 4.25-to-7.25 range one study sets as clinically meaningful. The Wolf Motor Function Test gain met its threshold. Hand function, grip, and dexterity did not differ from rehabilitation alone.
• OTSystematic Review2023Occupational therapy interventions for adult informal carers and implications for intervention design, delivery and evaluation: A systematic review.The British journal of occupational therapyOT interventions for carers show mixed results. TAP and COPE improved carer outcomes in multiple trials, COTiD did not replicate outside the Netherlands, and several trials actually increased carer burden. Carers consistently valued the support in qualitative feedback.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Functional outcome measures for distal radius fractures: A systematic review.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTDASH, ROM, and Grip dominated outcome measurement in distal radius fracture studies, but 89% of studies used multiple measures to cover both body function and activity. No single measure captures the full picture.
• OTRCT2024Contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation video game therapy for hand rehabilitation after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Disability and rehabilitationAdding video games to electrical-stimulation hand therapy did not improve dexterity, impairment, or activity scores over 12 weeks in 39 stroke survivors with chronic hand weakness. The small gains seen in one group were not clinically meaningful.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2022Effect of Motor Intervention for Infants and Toddlers With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationTask-specific motor training gave infants under 3 with CP a small motor advantage over standard care. CIMT did not show a clear benefit over bimanual play or infant massage. All evidence is very low quality.
• PTOTRCT2025Task Practice With and Without Aerobic Exercise Improves Health-related Quality of Life and Social Participation Post-stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAdding aerobic cycling to upper-extremity task practice did not improve quality of life, mood, or participation more than task practice alone in 60 people with chronic stroke. Both groups improved and kept those gains at 12 months.
• PTOTRCT2024Effect of task-oriented training assisted by force feedback hand rehabilitation robot on finger grasping function in stroke patients with hemiplegia: a randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBoth groups improved hand function after 4 weeks of task-oriented training. The robot-assisted group gained more grip strength and finger range of motion, but showed no advantage on daily living scores or muscle tone.
• OTRCT2023Effect of Using TheraBracelet on Grasping versus Reaching in Poststroke Rehabilitation.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthIn 12 people with chronic stroke, wrist vibration added to hand-focused therapy sped up grasping (45% faster to lift a block) but not reaching. The control group got slower. With 6 per group and therapy aimed at grasping, the bracelet's role cannot be isolated.
• PTOTRCT2022Comparative effects of EMG-driven robot-assisted therapy versus task-oriented training on motor and daily function in patients with stroke: a randomized cross-over trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBoth robot-assisted hand therapy and task-oriented training improved upper limb function in chronic stroke. Robot therapy was better for speed of task completion; task-oriented training was better for spontaneous arm use in daily life.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2022Examining the effectiveness of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VAMR) therapy for upper limb recovery and activities of daily living in stroke patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual, augmented and mixed reality training beat conventional therapy on arm movement quality and day to day independence after stroke. On hand dexterity and timed arm tasks it showed no clear advantage. The gains were clearest in people more than 6 months after stroke.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Virtual Reality Therapy for Upper Limb Motor Impairments in Patients With Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyNon-immersive VR added to conventional therapy improved upper limb motor function and manual dexterity in stroke patients, but did not improve daily living activities. Effects were significant in the first six months after stroke and when VR supplemented rather than replaced standard therapy.
• PTOTRCT2025Digital Mirror Therapy and Action Observation Therapy for Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Occupational therapy internationalAll three groups improved in arm movement and daily use, but none was significantly better than the others. Digital mirror therapy and digital action observation therapy did not outperform conventional occupational therapy in this small trial.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Motor Imagery and Mental Practice in the Subacute and Chronic Phases in Upper Limb Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Systematic Review.Occupational therapy internationalImagining hand movements added to standard therapy improved upper limb function in most of 11 stroke studies, but every study paired it with physiotherapy or occupational therapy, so the independent effect of mental practice alone is unknown.
• OTSystematic Review2026Vocational rehabilitation and return to work after spinal cord injury: a scoping review of policies in the U.S. and Canada.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSupported employment (IPS) outperformed traditional vocational counseling for SCI return to work, with a 43.2% competitive employment rate. The biggest barrier in both the U.S. and Canada is fear of losing disability benefits and healthcare coverage.
• PTOTQualitative2026From Metrics to Meaning in Neurological Rehabilitation: Clinicians' Perspectives on Digital Metrics of Upper Limb Functioning-A Focus Group Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians said digital upper limb metrics are only interpretable alongside basic ROM, strength, and grasp checks, and that the right metrics depend on the diagnosis. They preferred simple measures like task duration over complex kinematic values, and valued real-world arm use patterns over lab-based capacity scores.
• PTOTCohort2026Botulinum toxin treatment for multiple sclerosis and post-stroke spasticity in clinical practice: differences in injection doses and patterns.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMS patients receive lower botulinum toxin doses and are injected in different muscles than stroke patients, yet both groups report similar benefit. Dosing was individualized rather than protocol-driven.
• OTCohort2026Have children's manual dexterity skills changed in the past 40 years? A cross-sectional observational norm comparison study.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsChildren aged 7 to 18 scored 9.1 to 21.1 blocks fewer than the 1985 norms (males) and 11.8 to 18.9 fewer (females). The 1985 norms likely overestimate dexterity deficits. Updated norms or a different test are needed.
• PTOTCohort2026Factors associated with life-space mobility in older adults with chronic respiratory disease: IMIAS study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesBeing female, having poor vision, lower physical performance, and rating one's own health poorly were the factors most strongly linked to restricted community mobility in 223 older adults with chronic lung disease. These are associations from a single time point, not causes.
• PTOTCase Report2026Evaluation of an intensive, private, community, upper limb rehabilitation program for people with chronic stroke: a mixed methods case series.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne of two people with chronic stroke who completed 18 hours of intensive upper limb therapy over six weeks showed an arm impairment gain above the minimal clinically important difference. The other did not. Self-efficacy went up for one and down for the other.
• PTOTSurvey2026Prevalence and risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal pain among flight attendants: A comparative study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Flight attendants' upper-limb pain dropped markedly between 2016 and 2024, but neck and lower-back pain stayed high. Stress, workload, and low job satisfaction were linked to pain in both years. The drop coincided with industry equipment updates.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Machine learning-based adaptive personalization in virtual reality stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesML-adaptive VR improved upper limb scores by 7.47 points on the Fugl-Meyer scale, past the 5.25-point threshold for meaningful change. But 68% of the 25 studies had fewer than 30 patients, so this is proof-of-concept, not established practice.
• OTSystematic Review2025Measurement Tools in Occupational Therapy Practice Primary School Setting: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalMost measurement tools used by school-based OTs focus on handwriting and cognitive skills. Only four of 52 tools address the classroom environment, such as teacher support or attitudes.
• PTOTOther2026Comparison of pain, depression, quality of life, grip strength, and balance according to physical activity levels in office workers.Work (Reading, Mass.)Office workers classified as highly active reported less activity-related pain, higher general quality of life, and stronger grip than inactive workers. Depression did not differ between groups. This is a one-time comparison, not a treatment trial, so no causal claim is possible.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Developmental Profile and Variability in Preschool-Age Children With Down Syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIn preschool children with Down syndrome, social-emotional and gross motor skills score higher than cognitive, language, and fine motor skills. Language and social-emotional skills also show the widest individual variation.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Altered blood-based biomarkers in carpal tunnel syndrome. A systematic review and meta-analysis.Musculoskeletal science & practiceCTS patients have higher blood levels of inflammatory and fibrosis-related markers than healthy controls, but the evidence is low to very low certainty. These are indirect systemic signals, not yet a tool for diagnosis or treatment decisions.
• OTPilot2026Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation-Delivered LSVT-BIG on Motor Function in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Single-Subject Experimental Study.Occupational therapy internationalAll three chronic stroke patients got faster on the Timed Up and Go, moved more blocks in the Box and Block test, and scored higher on daily living and occupational performance after 16 remote LSVT-BIG sessions over 4 weeks. With only three people and no comparison group, this is a signal, not proof.
• PTOTRCT2026Correlation of Motor-Task Related Brain Activation Changes With Motor Performance Changes Induced by Constraint-Induced Therapy After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairArm function improved with CIMT, as expected from the parent trial, but brain activation for a controlled finger task did not significantly change in any group. The one significant link: more functional gain went with preserved affected-hemisphere M1 activation.
• PTOTCohort2026Retrospective observational analysis of limitations in activities of daily living in a large cohort of patients with clinical obesity.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineFull dependence in daily tasks among obese adults in rehabilitation was associated with older age, higher weight, and lower muscle strength; continence and toileting were the most affected activities (n=3,229).
• PTOTOther2026Association between shoulder external rotation strength and real-world arm use in patients with mild post-stroke hemiparesis: a cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 17 stroke survivors with mild arm weakness, stronger shoulder external rotation was linked to more and better use of the affected arm in daily life. Those with movement-induced shoulder pain had weaker external rotation and less shoulder range of motion.
• PTOTNarrative Review2026Upper limb prostheses: a narrative review of hand, wrist, and elbow devices.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo type of upper limb prosthesis outperforms another on standard functional tests, and the main reasons people stop wearing them are comfort, control, and function, not the lack of advanced features. Choose based on the individual's daily tasks, not the device's spec sheet.
• OTCase Report2026Improving an intrinsic-plus movement pattern with a reversed knitted hand function enhancement glove: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA man whose finger extension pattern persisted after radial nerve recovery showed improved grasping when a knitted glove worn in reverse assisted finger flexion during daily activities. This is one patient, not proof the glove works.
• OTOther2026Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of the Visual Perceptual and Fine Motor Function Tests in School-Aged Children With Mild Intellectual Disabilities.Occupational therapy internationalTwo of three commonly used hand and visual-perceptual tests (JTHFT, TVPS-4) reliably track change in children with mild intellectual disability, but the Box and Block Test is too imprecise to detect individual-level improvement in this group.
• PTOTOther2026Regional disparity in the use of a financial incentive for device-assisted rehabilitation: an ecological study in Kanagawa, Japan.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn Kanagawa, Japan, billing for device-assisted rehab (FES, robotics) varies 67.7-fold between neighbouring areas. No link was found to local stroke caseload or rehab capacity, pointing to the 2-month eligibility window as a likely structural barrier rather than a demand or supply problem.
• OTOther2026Wearable Biosensors in Youth With Autism With High Behavioral Acuity: Supportive Practices, Acceptability, and the Importance of Nonverbal Signs of Assent to Research Participation.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities77 hospitalized youth with autism and high behavioral needs: 76.6% ultimately wore a wrist biosensor with individualized supports, but minimally speaking youth were less likely to accept it. Covering the device with a sweatband was the most common accommodation.
• OTSystematic Review2026Scoping Review of Occupational Therapy for Distal Radius Fractures, Including Complications.Occupational therapy internationalA scoping review found only five studies of occupational therapy for wrist fractures, and those focused almost entirely on range of motion and grip strength rather than on the daily activities and participation that occupational therapists are trained to address.