TOPIC

Geriatrics research

Everything we have read on geriatrics. 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.

1,442 PAPERS · PAGE 16 OF 29 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2020Improved Self-Reported Comfort, Stability, and Limb Temperature Regulation with an Immediate Fit, Adjustable Transtibial Prosthesis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationParticipants rated the iFIT adjustable prosthesis significantly better than their conventional device for comfort, stability, and temperature regulation. No skin breakdown or falls were reported. However, wear time was lower, and the study was short-term with self-selected participants.
• PTOTOther2020Slip-Fall Predictors in Community-Dwelling, Ambulatory Stroke Survivors: A Cross-sectional Study.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTIn community-dwelling stroke survivors, a combination of dynamic gait stability, Timed Up and Go time, and hip extensor strength predicted who would fall when a slip was simulated. A 13-second TUG time and hip extensor strength below 106 Nm were key cutoffs.
• PTNarrative Review2021Aging, Osteo-Sarcopenia, and Musculoskeletal Mechano-Transduction.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAging bone and muscle cells lose their ability to sense mechanical load, requiring heavier weights to trigger growth. This review suggests that while resistance exercise is essential, it may not fully reverse this loss of sensitivity, pointing to cellular mechanisms as future therapeutic targets.
• PTOTOther2020People with Parkinson disease with and without freezing of gait respond similarly to external and self-generated cues.Gait & postureListening to music increased walking variability in all groups, while mental singing did not. People with Parkinson's and freezing of gait responded like those without freezing. Those with the highest baseline variability improved the most when cued.
• PTOTOther2021One-to-One and Group-Based Teleconferencing for Falls Rehabilitation: Usability, Acceptability, and Feasibility Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFalls rehab via smartphone video was acceptable but unreliable for delivering exercises. Poor connectivity, phone overheating, small screens, and safety concerns outweighed benefits; it may support follow-up calls, not replace face-to-face visits.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Factors related to physical and mental components of quality of life in the community-dwelling frail older persons.Journal of physical therapy scienceDeclines in physical quality of life were linked to reduced lung function, while declines in mental quality of life were linked to depression and swallowing problems. Therapists should monitor breathing capacity, mood, and swallowing to protect overall well-being.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Brain activity during real-time walking and with walking interventions after stroke: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBrain imaging during real-time walking in stroke survivors shows increased activity in motor and planning areas compared to standing, but findings vary widely by walking phase. Activation patterns are inconsistent when compared to healthy adults, and no single brain region reliably predicts walking recovery.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Combining transcranial direct current stimulation with a motor-cognitive task: the impact on dual-task walking costs in older adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationApplying brain stimulation while older adults walked a complex virtual reality task cut dual-task walking costs by almost 50%. Stimulation while seated or sham stimulation during walking did not change gait costs. This immediate effect requires confirmation in larger trials before clinical use.
• PTCase-Control2020The effect of the type of foam pad used in the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (mCTSIB) on the accuracy in identifying older adults with fall history.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoBoth Airex and Neurocom foam pads identified older adults with a fall history similarly well. A mCTSIB foam score of 223 of 240 seconds, or composite score of 447 of 480 seconds, distinguished fallers from non-fallers.
• PTPilot2021Comparison of the effects of real-time propulsive force versus limb angle gait biofeedback on gait biomechanics.Gait & postureIn ten healthy adults, telling people to extend their leg further back at push-off increased forward propulsion just as much as telling them to push harder. Targeting leg angle may help patients who cannot generate strong ankle push-off, but this was an immediate effect in healthy walkers.
• PTOther2020Effect of arm swaying from wearing a self-applied arm sling with a loop on walking and other mobility skills.Journal of physical therapy scienceElderly participants could put on a looped arm sling alone, but not a triangular bandage. Walking speed and sit-to-stand times did not differ significantly. The bandage increased step rate and arm sway during standing up, suggesting it creates more discomfort.
• PTOTOther2020One-repetition maximum can be estimated with a handheld dynamometer and circumference in community-dwelling older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor older adults, knee strength (1RM) can be estimated using a handheld dynamometer and thigh circumference. The predicted values matched actual measurements closely, offering a safe, low-cost alternative to heavy gym equipment for prescribing resistance training.
• PTOther2020The exercise intensity of square-stepping exercise in community-dwelling late elderly females.Journal of physical therapy scienceSquare-stepping performed alone reached moderate intensity, but in group classes it dropped to low intensity because participants waited for turns. Therapists should not assume a class session equals moderate exercise, as the actual workload is lower than individual performance.
• PTOther2020Where do healthy older adults take more time during the Timed Up and Go test?Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy older adults spent proportionally more time turning and sitting during TUG, and turned along a wider path with less body lean. The study compared healthy groups in a lab and did not test falls or therapy.
• PTOTSLPCohortSuccessful Community Discharge Among Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury in Skilled Nursing Facilities.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationFor older adults with TBI in skilled nursing facilities, discharge home depends on function, not injury severity. Cognitive impairment, dependence in daily activities, incontinence, and dual Medicare/Medicaid enrollment predict failure to discharge home. Traditional injury scores like GCS do not.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2020The Efficacy of Fall Hazards Identification on Fall Outcomes: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFall hazard identification programs did not reduce the number of falls in adults over 50. The pooled data showed no benefit compared to usual care. While these programs help identify hazards, they did not lower fall rates in the included trials.
• PTOTQualitative2020Perceptions of Physical Activity in African American Older Adults on Hemodialysis: Themes From Key Informant Interviews.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTen African American older adults on hemodialysis described walking to the mailbox, shopping, or using day care equipment as feasible ways to stay active. They cited pain, lack of motivation, and icy sidewalks as primary barriers, while family encouragement and personal desire to walk again drove their efforts.
• PTOther2020Association between skeletal muscle mass index and lung function/respiratory muscle strength in older adults requiring long-term care or support.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 120 older adults needing long-term care, higher skeletal muscle mass was related to stronger maximum expiratory pressure, not peak flow. This links body muscle mass to breathing muscle strength, but does not prove cause.
• PTOther2020The Asian working group for sarcopenia's new criteria updated in 2019 causing a change in sarcopenia prevalence in Japanese older adults requiring long-term care/support.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn Japanese day-care users needing long-term care/support, the new AWGS 2019 criteria diagnosed sarcopenia in 60.2% versus 53.4% under AWGS 2014. The rise was clear in men, but the female difference was not clear, and prevalence did not differ by age.
• PTOTSystematic Review2020The Effect of Caregiver-Mediated Mobility Interventions in Hospitalized Patients on Patient, Caregiver, and Health System Outcomes: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTeaching caregivers to help hospitalized patients move improved patient independence and reduced caregiver burden. Interventions that also encouraged collaboration with staff reduced length of stay. Evidence is low quality because blinding was impossible and studies varied widely.
• PTOTCohort2020Fall prediction using decision tree analysis in acute care units.Journal of physical therapy scienceA decision tree model predicted inpatient falls with moderate accuracy (AUC 0.7919). Patients with no fall history and no need for transfer assistance had no falls. For those needing transfer help, a Berg Balance Scale score of 51 or higher indicated low fall risk.
• PTOTCohort2021Comparison of forward and backward postural perturbations in mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease.Gait & posturePeople with Parkinson's disease showed no difference from controls in the number of steps taken to recover balance after backward or forward perturbations. However, a detailed analysis of body sway identified a distinct difference during forward stepping, suggesting subtle motor control issues that standard step counts miss.
• PTOTCohort2020Relation of chair rising ability to activities of daily living and physical activity in Parkinson's disease.Archives of physiotherapyParkinson's patients who need to push off the chair with their arms have significantly lower independence and physical activity than those who rise normally. This simple observation helps identify who needs extra support, though it reflects existing decline rather than predicting future loss.
• PTOTOther2021Validation of IMU-based gait event detection during curved walking and turning in older adults and Parkinson's Disease patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationShank-mounted sensors accurately detect foot contacts during straight and curved walking in older adults and people with Parkinson's or stroke. Detection fails during turns, missing many steps and creating false ones. Do not trust sensor data from turning without manual checks.
• PTOTOther2021Performance in complex life situations: effects of age, cognition, and walking speed in virtual versus real life environments.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVirtual reality shopping tasks did not replicate real-world walking patterns, showing slower speeds and different gait variability. However, they accurately captured age-related differences in cognitive performance and task efficiency, suggesting VR is better suited for assessing thinking strategies than gait mechanics.
• PTOTCohort2020Does age of patients with gastrointestinal cancer impact postoperative physical function and quality of life? A prospective study using the new Japanese elderly standard.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients aged 75 or older had shorter walking distance, weaker knee extension, and lower physical functioning and mental health at 4 weeks after surgery. Body mass index fell in all age groups, but knee force and walking distance did not change overall.
• PTRCT2021Clinical utility of the over-ground bodyweight-supporting walking system Andago in children and youths with gait impairments.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 18 children with walking impairments, Andago was practical to set up, generally accepted, and produced more varied step timing than treadmill walking. It does not prove the device improves walking.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Association Between Dysphagia and Inpatient Outcomes Across Frailty Level Among Patients ≥ 50 Years of Age.DysphagiaHospitalized adults 50 and older with dysphagia stayed longer, cost more, and had more complications than those without, regardless of frailty level. This held true even for non-frail patients. Dysphagia is an independent risk factor for poor outcomes, not just a marker of being frail.
• PTOther2021The correlation between toe flexor strength and performance-based measures of physical fitness in the elderly.Journal of physical therapy scienceToe strength was linked to leg, grip, and balance performance in older men and women. It was also linked to trunk flexibility in men but not women.
• 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.
• PTOTOther2021Age-associated increase in postural variability relate to greater low-frequency center of pressure oscillations.Gait & postureIn older adults, greater postural variability during a forward lean task was strongly predicted by low-frequency center-of-pressure oscillations. This suggests future rehab strategies could target these specific oscillations to improve balance and reduce fall risk.
• PTOTRCT2021Effect of Virtual Reality Gait Training on Participation in Survivors of Subacute Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Physical therapyVirtual reality gait training did not improve community participation more than standard treadmill training in stroke survivors. Both groups improved, and patients found the virtual reality approach safe and enjoyable, but it offered no statistical advantage over conventional care.
• PTCohort2021Walking energetics and abductor strength are associated with physical activity in older women with hip osteoarthritis.Gait & postureHigher walking energy use was associated with lower self-reported activity, more sedentary time and less light activity in older women with hip osteoarthritis. Stronger hip abductors were associated with higher reported activity, but not with walking energy use.
• PTCohort2021Sequencing and Integration of Cervical Manual Therapy and Vestibulo-oculomotor Therapy for Concussion Symptoms: Retrospective Analysis.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 38 patients, a sequenced clinic program combining cervical manual therapy, exercise, canalith repositioning, vision therapy, vestibular rehab and light cardio was associated with improved symptoms. No control group means the program cannot be shown to have caused the improvement.
• 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.
• PTOTOther2021Concurrent and discriminant validity of Nintendo Wii Fit exergame for the assessment of postural sway.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor adults, two Wii Fit games matched standard balance tests on specific sensory conditions, but for elderly users, no game matched the standard test. The games did distinguish adults from elderly participants, but they are not a valid substitute for clinical balance assessment in older adults.
• PTOTPilot2021A 3-month multicomponent home-based rehabilitation program for older people with restricted life-space mobility: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder adults with very restricted mobility improved their life-space score by 18.5 points after 3 months of home rehab. This gain exceeded the 10-point threshold considered clinically meaningful. However, the improvement came from moving with help, not independently.
• PTOther2021Virtual reality-based assessment of cognitive-locomotor interference in healthy young adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 healthy young adults walking in VR, memory accuracy fell by 6.67% only when avoiding virtual agents and tracking a modified shopping list. Walking speed did not clearly change.
• PTPilot2021Individual analysis of dynamic stability for twenty-four Tai Chi forms among persons with knee osteoarthritis: A pilot study.Gait & postureTai Chi forms varied in balance stability during performance compared with walking in eight adults with knee OA. Form 8 had the largest forward-back range, Form 10 had the largest side-to-side range, and Form 1 had the smallest ranges.
• PTOther2021Machine-assisted foot stretching in the elderly: a comparison with self-stretching.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter one session, both machine-assisted and towel self-stretching increased ankle dorsiflexion range in 12 healthy elderly people. The machine was used on the right foot and self-stretching on the left, so the comparison is affected by starting differences.
• PTOTCohort2021Evaluating Intrinsic Fall Risk Factors After Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Distinguishing Fallers From Nonfallers.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSlower walking, weaker legs, poor foot sensation, and side-to-side sway when eyes are closed were linked to more falls in people with incomplete spinal cord injury. These factors help flag risk, but no single test predicts falls reliably.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Effect of Action Observation Therapy in the Rehabilitation of Neurologic and Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAction Observation Therapy improves motor recovery in stroke and Parkinson's disease, with strong evidence for upper limb function and balance. It shows moderate benefit for orthopedic pain and range of motion. However, it does not help children with cerebral palsy or improve cognition in dementia.
• PTOTQualitative2021Perspectives of individuals with chronic spinal cord injury following novel balance training involving functional electrical stimulation with visual feedback: a qualitative exploratory study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive people with incomplete spinal cord injury described a balance program using electrical stimulation and visual feedback as helping them feel stronger and more stable. They reported doing more household tasks and going out in the community. They wanted more sessions to keep improving.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Efficient and rapid assessment of multiple aspects of frailty using the Kyoto Frailty Scale, developed from the Edmonton Frail Scale.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe Kyoto Frailty Scale, a 9-question self-report derived from the Edmonton Frail Scale, accurately identifies frailty in elderly patients. It requires only 2-3 minutes, offers high sensitivity for screening, and covers physical, cognitive, and social domains without needing clinical tests like the TUG.
• PTOther2021Intraclass correlation coefficient of trunk muscle thicknesses in different positions measured using ultrasonography.Journal of physical therapy scienceTo get reliable ultrasound measurements of trunk muscles in healthy older men, a single examiner needs to take multiple readings. Back muscles require only one measurement, but abdominal muscles need three to five depending on whether the patient is lying, sitting, or standing.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Feasibility and effect of interactive telerehabilitation on balance in individuals with chronic stroke: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor chronic stroke, Kinect-based telerehabilitation improved balance similarly to conventional physiotherapy. However, the study was conducted in a hospital room rather than a home, and the small sample size limits confidence in these findings.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021One-year longitudinal study on spinal kyphosis and respiratory function in community-dwelling older Japanese adults who require long-term care or support.Journal of physical therapy scienceSpinal kyphosis worsened significantly over one year in older adults requiring long-term care, but respiratory function and muscle mass remained stable. This suggests postural changes can progress without immediate loss of breathing capacity in this group.
• PTPilot2021Prehabilitation for Frail Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: Lessons Learnt From a Randomised Feasibility Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOnly five of 106 screened frail patients were randomised, and just one completed all follow-up assessments. Recruitment was blocked by short surgical waits, transport issues, and patients recoiling at the mention of exercise.
• PTOther2021Patterns of whole-body muscle activations following vertical perturbations during standing and walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationVertical balance perturbations activated thigh muscles early, while horizontal perturbations activated lower-leg muscles first. During walking, downward perturbations activated the opposite-side shoulder muscle early. Visual conflict delayed responses, and eyes closed increased muscle activation duration and magnitude.
• PTRCT2021Using a microprocessor knee (C-Leg) with appropriate foot transitioned individuals with dysvascular transfemoral amputations to higher performance levels: a longitudinal randomized clinical trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA C-Leg microprocessor knee plus 1M10 foot and training improved walking speed and reported confidence versus baseline in 10 people with dysvascular or diabetic transfemoral amputation, but several balance and endurance tests did not improve. No direct knee comparison was made.