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 9 OF 27 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRCT2020Development of the Home based Virtual Rehabilitation System (HoVRS) to remotely deliver an intense and customized upper extremity training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFifteen people with chronic stroke used a home virtual reality system for three months. Their upper limb function scores improved by an average of 5.2 points, exceeding the clinically important difference. The system was feasible, with participants averaging 13.5 hours of use and few technical issues.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020A comprehensive scheme for the objective upper body assessments of subjects with cerebellar ataxia.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA sensor-based system accurately identified cerebellar ataxia and estimated severity. Using just two tests, finger chase and finger tapping, matched the accuracy of four tests. This suggests clinicians could rely on a shorter, objective assessment without losing diagnostic precision.
• OTCase-Control2020Sensory profiles in adults with and without ADHD.Research in developmental disabilitiesAdults with ADHD reported different sensory processing than matched adults, even after accounting for anxiety or depression. They missed weak stimuli more, were more sensitive to detail, and sought more sensation, but did not report more avoidance.
• PTOTRCT2020Intensive upper extremity training improved whole body movement control for children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy.Gait & postureHABIT improved tray-carrying symmetry but not walking. CIMT improved walking speed and stride length but not tray symmetry. Both improved toe clearance. Neither approach fixed both hand and leg problems, so choose the intervention based on the specific deficit you want to treat.
• PTOTOther2021Sensor-based categorization of upper limb performance in daily life of persons with and without neurological upper limb deficits.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWrist accelerometer data from 211 adults grouped daily upper-limb use into 5 categories, from Minimal Activity/Rare Integration to High Activity/Full Integration. People with stroke appeared in all categories, while clinic arm capacity scores overlapped widely across them.
• OTOther2020Comparative analysis of self-injurious behaviour topographies in young children with and without developmental delay.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRParents rated five self-injury actions as more common in children with developmental delay than typically developing children. Five actions were also rated as a bigger problem. Children with developmental delay were more likely to have two or more actions.
• PTOTOther2020Construct Validity of a Task-Oriented Bimanual and Unimanual Strength Measurement in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.Physical therapyA new measure of task-oriented strength in children with unilateral cerebral palsy correlates moderately with grip strength but poorly with functional skill scores. It captures strength during lifting tasks, not general manual dexterity or parent-reported performance, so it adds distinct information rather than replacing existing assessments.
• PTOTRCT2021User-centred assistive SystEm for arm Functions in neUromuscuLar subjects (USEFUL): a randomized controlled study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationArm supports help people with muscular dystrophy, but the benefit depends on residual strength. Those with moderate weakness improved with both devices, while those with severe weakness needed the adjustable semi-active device. Patients with slight strength saw no functional gain.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Comparison of use of plaster casting versus elastic bandage following carpal tunnel release: a randomized controlled study.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePlaster casting after carpal tunnel surgery offered no advantage over elastic bandaging for strength, pain, or healing. The cast group reported significantly more difficulty with daily activities at two weeks, but groups were equal by four weeks. Elastic bandaging is sufficient for postoperative care.
• OTRCT2021Does rTMS Targeting Contralesional S1 Enhance Upper Limb Somatosensory Function in Chronic Stroke? A Proof-of-Principle Study.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairHigh-frequency brain stimulation to the side opposite the stroke, paired with sensory stimulation to the affected hand, made affected-arm two-point discrimination 1.187 mm better versus sham. Other clinical sensory tests did not change.
• PTOTOther2021Implementation of evidence-based assessment of upper extremity in stroke rehabilitation: From evidence to clinical practice.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke therapists implemented a new upper extremity assessment guideline. Short screening tests were adopted quickly, but the comprehensive Fugl-Meyer test required significant training time. Adherence to strict assessment timelines remained difficult due to workload and staff rotation.
• PTOTRCT2021Robot enhanced stroke therapy optimizes rehabilitation (RESTORE): a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNine patients with subacute stroke completed 10 days of robotic therapy on top of standard care. They showed significant improvements in motor and function scores compared to baseline, while the control group showed minimal change.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021A review of movement disorders in chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity show excessive side-to-side sway, slower shorter steps, and jerky grasping. These objective movement deficits link to sensory loss but may also involve weakness or vision reliance, requiring targeted assessment beyond patient reports.
• PTOTPilot2020Biodex© training post-stroke for postural stability in the upper trunk: A pilot study.The South African journal of physiotherapyAdding Biodex upper-limb weight-bearing training to standard stroke rehabilitation did not improve upper trunk postural stability more than standard care alone in this pilot. Both groups improved over the month, so the Biodex added no extra measurable benefit.
• PTOTCase-Control2021Mild Stroke Affects Pointing Movements Made in Different Frames of Reference.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople with mild stroke could not keep their hand path steady when their trunk was unexpectedly blocked while reaching, in both body-centered and external space. Healthy adults adjusted instantly; stroke survivors diverged early. This points to a motor planning deficit missed by standard impairment scores.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Effects of a dual task and different levels of divided attention on motor-related cortical potential.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn healthy young adults, a moderate dual task increased brain activity before finger tapping, but a complex dual task did not. This suggests that very difficult cognitive tasks may disrupt movement preparation signals rather than enhancing them, offering a potential marker for attentional load.
• PTOTOther2020Comparison of DEKA Arm and Body-Powered Upper Limb Prosthesis Joint Kinematics.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAble-bodied users wearing a DEKA Arm bypass took significantly longer to complete hand tasks than those using a body-powered prosthesis, with times up to 328% higher. However, the DEKA group moved their joints closer to normal ranges. Neither device proved universally faster or smoother.
• PTOTOther2020Quantitative examination of isolated finger flexion associated with function of the flexor digitorum superficialis.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 100 healthy adults, middle and ring fingers flexed more than the index, and small fingers that could flex on their own flexed less than the others; 32.5% of small fingers could not flex on their own.
• PTOTOther2020Validation of Persian Version of Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Rasch Analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe Persian Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation works well for measuring pain, specific tasks, and usual activities separately. Clinicians should report these three subscales rather than a single total score to capture distinct aspects of disability.
• PTOTSystematic Review2020To stimulate or not to stimulate? A rapid systematic review of repetitive sensory stimulation for the upper-limb following stroke.Archives of physiotherapyRepetitive sensory stimulation showed immediate gains in grip and hand function in small trials, but these benefits did not persist after weeks of treatment. There is no evidence to support its routine use for upper-limb recovery after stroke.
• PTOTCohort2020Kinematic Measures of Bimanual Performance are Associated With Callosum White Matter Change in People With Chronic Stroke.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn chronic stroke, poorer bimanual movement quality links to reduced integrity in the corpus callosum, not the main motor tract. This suggests the brain's bridge between hemispheres drives coordination problems, offering a specific target for bimanual therapy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Do Patients With COVID-19 Benefit from Rehabilitation? Functional Outcomes of the First 100 Patients in a COVID-19 Rehabilitation Unit.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPost-acute COVID patients in a specialized rehab unit improved motor function and independence during a 10-day stay. However, at discharge, their daily living skills remained lower than before infection, and grip strength stayed below normal values. Severe cases showed similar or greater functional gains.
• PTOTCohort2021Associations between exercising in a group and physical and cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study using data from the Kasama Study.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults who exercised with others had better lower-limb strength and higher overall cognitive scores than those who exercised alone. Group exercise was associated with better function even after accounting for total activity levels, suggesting the social component matters.
• PTOTCohort2021Longitudinal goal attainment with integrated upper limb spasticity management including repeat injections of botulinum toxin A: Findings from the prospective, observational Upper Limb International Spasticity (ULIS-III) cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn routine practice, repeated botulinum toxin injections helped most patients meet their goals. Pain and passive movement goals were achieved more reliably than active hand function goals, which often required adjusting expectations over several cycles.
• PTOTRCT2021A usability study in patients with stroke using MERLIN, a robotic system based on serious games for upper limb rehabilitation in the home setting.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNine stroke patients rated a home robotic rehabilitation system as easy to use and motivating. They found it safe, but because most also received other therapy, the small improvements in arm movement cannot be attributed to the robot alone.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Perseverance with technology-facilitated home-based upper limb practice after stroke: a systematic mixed studies review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors described three stages: getting started, staying engaged, and continuing or moving on. Fit, usability, meaningful goals, challenge, support, and shorter sessions were reported to help perseverance. Adherence fell as trials got longer and sessions more frequent.
• OTRCT2021On the way home: a BCI-FES hand therapy self-managed by sub-acute SCI participants and their caregivers: a usability study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCaregivers and SCI users learned to run BCI hand therapy after 4 to 5 OT-led sessions, but effectiveness was not shown because participants also had usual therapy and natural recovery. Do not treat this as evidence the device improves hand function.
• PTOTSurvey2021Long-term perceived disabilities up to 10 years after transient ischaemic attack.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMany TIA survivors reported ongoing difficulties up to 10 years later, especially emotions, strength and participation. Most lived independently, but women and older people reported more problems.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Descriptive Strength and Range of Motion in Youth Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyYouth baseball players aged 5-12 already show shoulder adaptations similar to adults: greater external rotation and internal rotation strength in the throwing arm. However, total range of motion remains symmetrical between arms, suggesting these changes are normal development rather than immediate injury risk.
• PTOTRCT2021HoMEcare aRm rehabiLItatioN (MERLIN): telerehabilitation using an unactuated device based on serious games improves the upper limb function in chronic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChronic stroke patients improved arm function after six weeks of home training with the MERLIN device and serious games. Gains lasted six weeks after stopping, but quality of life did not change. Only ten of twelve participants completed the training.
• OTCase Series2021Stable, simultaneous and proportional 4-DoF prosthetic hand control via synergy-inspired linear interpolation: a case series.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwo upper-limb amputees used implanted EMG to control virtual prosthetic hands with four movements at once. They matched all 3-DoF targets and up to 100% of 4-DoF targets, with stability up to 10 months.
• PTOTCohort2021Recovery of arm function during acute to chronic stage of stroke quantified by kinematics.Journal of rehabilitation medicineArm movement speed and smoothness improved most in the first 4 weeks after stroke, but continued to get better between 3 and 6 months. Younger age, milder stroke, and ischaemic type predicted faster recovery. Peak velocity did not improve over time.
• PTOTOther2021Analysing the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT): a cautionary tale from the RATULS trial.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationThe Action Research Arm Test subscales often produce U-shaped score distributions where patients score either zero or full marks. Comparing average scores between groups is misleading. Clinicians should check data shape and use binary comparisons for these subscales.
• PTOTOther2021Reliability of measurement using Image J for reach distance and movement angles in the functional reach test.Journal of physical therapy scienceImage J software reliably measures both reach distance and joint angles during the functional reach test. For healthy young men, a change of more than 18.3 mm in distance or 2.6 degrees in trunk angle is likely real improvement rather than measurement error.
• PTOTCohort2021Objectively measured arm use in daily life improves during the first 6 months poststroke: a longitudinal observational cohort study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAffected arm use in daily life improved significantly during the first 12 weeks poststroke and gains were largely retained through 6 months. Patients with excellent arm function recovery showed higher daily arm use and ratios than those with poor or moderate recovery.
• PTOTRCT2021Efficacy and safety of abobotulinumtoxinA for upper limb spasticity in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized repeat-treatment study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy who received 8U/kg or 16U/kg abobotulinumtoxinA plus home exercises and ongoing therapy had greater reduction in elbow or wrist muscle tone at 6 weeks than those given 2U/kg. Function and goal scores improved in all groups, without dose differences.
• PTOTCohort2021Motor Impairment and Its Influence in Gait Velocity and Asymmetry in Community Ambulating Hemiplegic Individuals.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 55 community ambulators with stroke, stronger ankle plantarflexors predicted faster walking and more symmetrical gait patterns. Spasticity in the hip adductors and quadriceps was associated with greater asymmetry in swing time and step length, respectively.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Appraising the Validity of Tools to Measure Multijoint Leg Power: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationNo existing tool reliably measures maximum multijoint leg power for older adults. Three devices were reviewed, but all had validation flaws. Correlation does not prove accuracy. Without a valid measure, therapists cannot accurately prescribe or track leg power rehabilitation.
• PTOTOther2021Evaluation of the Structural Validity of the Work Instability Scale Using the Rasch Model.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe 23-item Work Instability Scale fits poorly for upper-limb injury workers. Removing three items creates a 20-item version that measures work instability accurately and allows valid statistical comparison of scores.
• PTOTOther2021Finger orthoses for management of joint hypermobility disorders: Relative effects on hand function and cognitive load.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalWomen with hypermobility disorders completed hand function tests significantly faster when wearing custom silver finger orthoses. However, brain activity measured during the tasks showed no consistent reduction in attentional demand, suggesting the orthoses helped speed but not necessarily mental effort.
• PTOTOther2021Added-value of spasticity reduction to improve arm-hand skill performance in sub-acute stroke patients with a moderately to severely affected arm-hand.NeuroRehabilitationAdding botulinum toxin to standard arm-hand therapy showed no group-level benefit once spontaneous recovery was accounted for. However, individual results varied: three patients improved arm capacity, seven improved function, and three showed no benefit, suggesting patient selection is key.
• PTOTCohort2021Predictive validity of the Hand Assessment for Infants in infants at risk of unilateral cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe Hand Assessment for Infants accurately predicts unilateral cerebral palsy in at-risk infants, but only from about 3.5 months of age. Scores before this time are too variable to rely on. The single-hand score and asymmetry index perform best.
• PTOTOther2021Translational Value of Skilled Reaching Assessment in Clinical and Preclinical Studies on Motor Recovery After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairSkilled reaching recovery followed a similar proximal-to-distal timeline in rats and humans. In patients, this assessment correlated strongly with standard clinical measures like the Fugl-Meyer and Action Research Arm Test, supporting its use to distinguish true motor recovery from compensation.
• PTOTCase Report2021Long-term effects of combined botulinum toxin treatment and rehabilitation on upper limb muscle spasms: a case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn one man with cervical spinal cord injury, years of botulinum toxin type A plus physical and occupational therapy and splints were followed by improved upper-limb motion, less finger spasm, and faster left-hand tasks. It is one person, not proof the treatment works.
• OTOther2021Mechanical evaluation of the "Hüfner hand" prosthesis.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalThe Hüfner hand requires far less energy to close and pinch than modern body-powered hands. Its simple design avoids inner gloves that cause friction, offering a model for future prosthetics that could reduce user fatigue.
• PTOTRCT2021The use of game modes to promote engagement and social involvement in multi-user serious games: a within-person randomized trial with stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCollaborative game modes drove significantly higher behavioral involvement than competitive or co-active modes. Competitive modes generated more flow and challenge, particularly for participants with better motor skills and higher cognitive function. Co-active modes produced the lowest engagement metrics.
• PTOTRCT2021Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a combined virtual reality, robotics and electrical stimulation intervention in upper extremity stroke rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChronic stroke patients improved arm function after 12 sessions combining robotics, virtual reality, and electrical stimulation. However, hand strength and dexterity showed no gains, and without a control group, these improvements cannot be separated from usual care or time.
• PTOTCohort2021Arm impairment and walking speed explain real-life activity of the affected arm and leg after stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineArm motor impairment and walking speed explained about two-thirds of the real-life activity of the affected arm in people with subacute stroke. Walking speed alone explained 60% of the affected leg's activity. Clinical assessments can help estimate these activity levels.
• PTOTRCT2021Validity, reliability, and sensitivity to motor impairment severity of a multi-touch app designed to assess hand mobility, coordination, and function after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTapping and finger extension exercises on a tablet app correlated well with standard hand tests and distinguished mild from moderate stroke impairment. Other exercises, like pincer grasps and writing, showed weaker validity or reliability. The app is not yet a standalone assessment tool.
• PTOTOther2021Myoelectric prosthesis users and non-disabled individuals wearing a simulated prosthesis exhibit similar compensatory movement strategies.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople wearing a simulated prosthetic hand moved their arms and bodies in ways that closely matched those of real prosthesis users. Both groups moved more slowly and used more trunk and shoulder motion than people with typical arm function.