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 20 OF 29 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2023Longitudinal Associations Between Falls and Risk of Gait Decline: Results From the Central Control of Mobility and Aging Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOlder adults who had multiple falls in one year showed faster decline in walking pace and greater variability than those who did not fall. However, falls were not associated with the risk of developing clinically observable gait abnormalities during the study period.
• PTOTCohort2023Risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among adults aging with vision impairment: The role of the neighborhood environment.Disability and health journalAmong adults with vision impairment, more broadband, optical stores, grocery stores, or fitness centers were linked to lower type 2 diabetes risk. More hospitals were linked to higher risk. In older adults, more high-speed roads or intersections were linked to higher risk.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Rehabilitation to Improve Gaze and Postural Stability in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairNeither vestibular gaze training nor standard strength and aerobic exercise was superior for reducing dizziness in people with MS. Both groups improved significantly and maintained gains at 10 weeks. Choose the exercise type based on patient preference and accessibility.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Self-management of falls in people with multiple sclerosis: A scoping review.Clinical rehabilitationSelf-management programs for falls in multiple sclerosis are common but poorly defined. Randomized trials showed no reduction in falls, though some improved daily activities. Most programs target ambulatory patients, leaving non-ambulatory needs unaddressed.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The association between global cognitive function and walking capacity in individuals with broad ranges of cognitive and physical function: Are there sex differences?Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWalking distance predicted cognitive scores, but sex did not change this link. Males scored 2.9 points lower on the MoCA than females across all walking distances. This suggests males may need more cognitive support even when physical capacity is similar.
• PTCase Series2022Factors leading to falls in transfemoral prosthesis users: a case series of sound-side stumble recovery responses.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFifteen of 26 sound-side stumbles resulted in falls in six transfemoral prosthesis users. Five of six fell during mid swing stumbles, and the two oldest fell every time. Knee type did not separate outcomes.
• PTSystematic Review2022Criterion validity of ActiGraph monitoring devices for step counting and distance measurement in adults and older adults: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationActiGraph step counts were most accurate with GT3X+/wGT3X+ or wGT3X-BT on the hip at self-selected comfort walking speeds. Slow walking below 0.9 m/s was poor, though a low frequency extension filter helped GT3X+. Wrist wear and older devices gave poor counts. Distance evidence was limited.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Functioning and Disability in Community-Living People with Perceived Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Mixed Methods Study using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.Journal of rehabilitation medicineNext-of-kin rated people with cognitive impairment as having far more difficulty in daily life than the patients did themselves. Both groups agreed mobility was the least problematic area. Patients relied heavily on homecare and day centres to stay independent.
• PTSystematic Review2022Cost-Effectiveness of Physical Rehabilitation and Care of Older Home-Dwelling Persons after Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOnly 1 of 3 hip fracture rehabilitation interventions was cost-effective: comprehensive geriatric care in a geriatric ward. The others were not. This is economic evidence, not proof that one therapy is clinically better.
• PTOther2022Brain activity during dual-task standing in older adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWhen older adults stood while counting backward, central brain activity linked to motor inhibition decreased and attention-linked brain patterns increased. The attention change matched greater sway.
• PTOTRCT2022Beneficial effects of walking-based home program for improving cardio-respiratory performance and physical activity in sarcopenic older people: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineSarcopenic older adults who walked 7,500 steps daily for five days a week and did resistance bands twice weekly for 12 weeks improved grip strength, gait speed, and walking distance. Muscle mass did not change. The intervention combined walking with resistance exercise, so the effect of either alone is unknown.
• PTOTQualitative2022Going for gold: Sports and exercise groups for people with dementia and carers contribute to their well-being.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with dementia valued safe, non-stigmatising exercise groups for social connection and identity, while carers valued them for respite and peer support. The social and practical aspects mattered more than the physical activity itself for well-being.
• PTOTCohort2023Mild Neurocognitive Disorder, Social Engagement, and Falls Among Older Primary Care Patients.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOlder patients with mild neurocognitive disorder reported more falls, but social engagement alone was not linked to falls. The link between mild neurocognitive disorder and falls was stronger when social engagement was low, and the study did not test whether engagement changes fall risk.
• PTOTOther2022Naturalistic visualization of reaching movements using head-mounted displays improves movement quality compared to conventional computer screens and proves high usability.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHead-mounted displays improved 3D reaching quality and reduced movement onset time compared to 2D screens in healthy elderly and pilot brain-injured patients. Usability was high across all technologies, with no significant differences in motivation or self-reported cognitive load.
• PTOTCohort2022Six Minutes Walking in Polio Survivors: Effects on Fatigue and Walking Adaptability.Journal of rehabilitation medicineSix minutes of adaptive walking caused substantial cardiorespiratory fatigue in polio survivors, leading to a decline in walking adaptability. Healthy individuals experienced only modest fatigue and maintained or improved performance. This suggests prolonged walking may increase fall risk in polio survivors.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Successful Community Discharge Among Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury Admitted to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost older adults with traumatic brain injury return home after inpatient rehab. Those living alone before injury were less likely to succeed than those living with others. Higher motor and cognitive scores on admission predicted a better chance of going home.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Clarification of Factors Determining Discharge Destination Among Elderly Patients After Stroke With Low Levels of Independence in Activities of Daily Living: A Retrospective Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAmong stroke survivors with severe disability, those who could eat by mouth, had better cognitive scores, and lived with family were more likely to go home. Patients living alone all went to long-term care, regardless of their physical ability.
• PTOTPilot2022Modular hip exoskeleton improves walking function and reduces sedentary time in community-dwelling older adults.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwelve older adults trained with a hip exoskeleton in their senior community. Walking speed and endurance improved beyond clinically important thresholds. Daily sedentary time dropped by 112 minutes. No falls or injuries occurred. This is a small pilot, so efficacy is not yet proven.
• PTOTCohort2023Rest-Activity Rhythm Characteristics Associated With Depression Symptoms in Stroke Survivors.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStroke survivors with more fragmented 24-hour activity patterns had higher odds of depression symptoms. This association held across two distinct samples. The link was strongest for clinically significant depression rather than mild symptoms.
• PTSurvey2023Prevalence and Predictors of Ambulatory Care Physicians' Documentation of Mobility Limitations in Older Adults.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMobility limitations were documented in only 2% of ambulatory visits by adults 65 and older. Documentation was more likely in patients over 85, with arthritis or cerebrovascular disease, or when physical therapy, home health, or equipment was ordered.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Physical therapists demonstrate clinical behaviors consistent with established clinical practice guidelines in managing individuals following amputation.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyAustralian physios reported clinical behaviors largely consistent with amputation guidelines, including falls prevention, pain management, and peer support referrals. However, most were unaware of comprehensive care plans before starting treatment. This suggests strong individual practice but potential gaps in multidisciplinary coordination.
• PTOTOther2023Loaded and unloaded timed stair tests as tools for assessing advanced functional mobility in people with stroke.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThe Timed Stair Test reliably measures advanced mobility in stroke survivors. Walking with a 5% body-weight vest took 45 seconds on average, compared to 17 seconds for healthy adults. A completion time over 26 seconds strongly indicates stroke-related mobility limitations.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Opioid use in older orthopedic rehabilitation inpatients: a retrospective study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineNew opioid users in orthopedic rehab received far lower doses than guidelines suggest, with older patients requiring the least. Prior users received much higher doses. Functional recovery was similar across groups, but constipation was common in all.
• PTCohort2022The effect of fatigue on running mechanics in older and younger runners.Gait & postureOlder and younger runners adapted to fatigue similarly, with no interaction between age and exertion. Both groups showed slightly reduced knee range of motion and increased hip extension moment when tired. The change in knee motion was small, likely not clinically meaningful.
• PTCohort2022Can the 1-Leg Standing Test Be Replaced by Self-reported Balance in the First-Time Injurious Fall Screening Tool?Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Replacing the physical one-leg stand with a simple self-report question maintained the screening tool's predictive ability for first-time injurious falls in older adults. This allows physical therapists to use the tool in e-health settings or waiting rooms, though the physical test alone was a stronger predictor.
• PTOTOther2022Differences in Balance Confidence, Fear of Falling, and Fall Risk Factors Among White and Black Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)In 84 high-functioning older adults, Black participants had objectively worse fall risk markers but reported less fear of falling than White participants. Race and gait speed predicted fear, but the sample was too small to explain why White adults fall more often.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Concurrent Validity Between Potential Screening Tests for Early Mobility Decline in Independent Community Dwellers.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)New screening tests for mobility decline correlated strongly with standard physical therapy measures in adults aged 40 to 75. Scores from both test sets clearly distinguished three stages of functional decline, suggesting these tools can identify early mobility issues in community-dwelling adults.
• PTOther2022The Ziegler Test Is Reliable and Valid for Measuring Freezing of Gait in People With Parkinson Disease.Physical therapyThe Ziegler test total score showed good agreement among physical therapists and excellent agreement when the same raters rescored them later. Scores and duration correlated with percentage of time spent frozen. Use the total score, not individual start, turn, or doorway ratings.
• PTRCT2022Implementing a Personalized Physical Therapy Approach (Coach2Move) Is Effective in Increasing Physical Activity and Improving Functional Mobility in Older Adults: A Cluster-Randomized, Stepped Wedge Trial.Physical therapyA personalized physical therapy approach increased weekly physical activity by 297 minutes and improved functional mobility by 14 seconds on the Timed Up & Go test at 6 months compared to usual care. These benefits persisted at 12 months despite fewer treatment sessions.
• PTOTCase Report2023Improving functional outcomes and quality of life in an elderly woman with sarcopenia and spinal Tuberculosis: A case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn elderly woman with spinal tuberculosis and sarcopenia improved her independence and quality of life after a three-month multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. Her ability to perform daily activities increased, but this single case cannot prove the treatment works for others.
• PTOTOther2023Smartphone Global Positioning System-Based System to Assess Mobility in Health Research: Development, Accuracy, and Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAn open-source smartphone GPS system correctly labelled 97.40% of all samples. 9 older adults tested it, and results indicated easy integration into daily life. It measures out-of-home mobility, not a treatment.
• PTOTOther2023Mobile Robotic Balance Assistant (MRBA): a gait assistive and fall intervention robot for daily living.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA prototype robot slowed walking speed and step length in users but detected 94% of simulated falls in healthy adults with no false alarms. It has not been tested on patients with balance impairments, so its real-world safety and effectiveness remain unknown.
• PTOTPilot2023Gamified Physical Rehabilitation for Older Adults With Musculoskeletal Issues: Pilot Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAdding a gamified exercise machine to standard physiotherapy did not change functional outcomes compared to standard care alone. The study was too small to prove the device is as effective as usual therapy, and no significant differences were found in strength, mobility, or daily living skills.
• PTOTOther2022Using crutches during walking possibly reduces gait imagery accuracy among healthy young and older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults overestimated how fast they would walk with crutches, and this error was larger in older adults. Without crutches, older adults underestimated their speed. This suggests crutch use disrupts movement prediction, potentially increasing fall risk.
• PTOTRCT2022Pre-operative physiotherapy for elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery.The South African journal of physiotherapyNo significant differences emerged between groups for any clinical outcome. The intervention group had fewer postoperative pulmonary complications and walked further when first mobilising, but these were secondary observations in a 12-person pilot. Do not change practice based on this.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Functional connectivity of proximal and distal lower limb muscles and impact on gait variability in stroke.Gait & postureStroke survivors with stronger brain-to-muscle signals to the thigh compared to the shin showed more inconsistent step lengths. These brain signals did not predict variability in step timing. This links specific neural patterns to spatial gait instability.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022Olfactory identification ability in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.Journal of physical therapy sciencePeople with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease struggled to identify specific odors like gas leaks and curry, but could still smell pungent odors like sweaty socks. This suggests olfactory testing should precede safety guidance or sensory interventions.
• PTOTCohort2023Stroke and activity limitation in Chinese adults 65 Years or older.Disability and health journalOlder Chinese adults with stroke had markedly higher rates of needing help with daily tasks than those with other conditions. They were four times more likely to have severe activity limitations than healthy peers. IADL issues were common across all groups.
• PTOTCohort2022Relationship between the characteristics of lower extremity function and activities of daily living in hospitalized middle-aged and older adults with subacute cardiovascular disease.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn hospitalized older adults with cardiovascular disease, both lower limb strength and walking endurance correlated with daily independence. Patients aged 75 or older with deficits in both areas had the lowest independence scores. Assessing both may better identify who needs targeted rehabilitation.
• PTOTCohort2023Age-related changes in gait domains: Results from the LonGenity study.Gait & postureAs older adults age, walking pace and step time worsen faster, especially in people with cognitive impairment or mobility disability. Variability rises gradually. This helps PTs and OTs identify at-risk older adults.
• PTOTCohort2023Clinical measures of balance and gait cannot differentiate somatosensory impairments in people with lower-limb amputation.Gait & postureStandard balance and gait tests distinguish people with lower-limb amputation from able-bodied individuals, but they fail to detect differences in somatosensory integrity within the amputation group. Sensation loss was not associated with worse scores on these common clinical measures.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Age-related High-frequency Hearing Loss Is Not Associated With Horizontal Semicircular Canal Function.Ear and hearingHigh-frequency hearing loss did not predict horizontal semicircular canal function in adults aged 24 to 85. Hearing declined with age, but vestibular responses on caloric and vHIT testing did not. Do not assume age-related hearing loss implies horizontal canal dysfunction.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Functional Laryngeal Assessment in Patients with Tracheostomy Following COVID-19 a Prospective Cohort Study.DysphagiaIn 48 patients with tracheostomy after severe COVID-19, impaired airway protection was linked to longer artificial airway use and ICU stays. At discharge, most tolerated regular food and fluids, but the study had no control group.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023A systematic review of the determinants of implementation of a locomotor training program using a powered exoskeleton for individuals with a spinal cord injury.Clinical rehabilitationImplementation of exoskeleton gait training depends on managing expectations, securing staff time, and handling adverse events like falls or skin lesions. High costs and device complexity are barriers, while perceived health benefits and reduced clinician strain are facilitators for adoption in clinical settings.
• PTOTOther2023Postural instructions affect postural sway in young adults.Gait & postureTelling healthy young adults to exert effort to stand up straight made their balance worse on an unstable surface. Instructions to lighten up or stand relaxed resulted in significantly steadier posture than effort-based cues.
• PTOTSLPOther2023A new paradigm for assessing postural stability.Gait & postureHealthy adults lean significantly less than the standard limit used to score balance tests. Because the test assumes everyone can lean 12.5 degrees, it may overestimate stability and miss fall risk in patients who actually have a smaller range of motion.
• PTRCT2023Effect of the lumbar stability exercise on the height difference between shoulders and range of motion in older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn older adults, five weeks of lumbar stability exercise significantly improved shoulder flexion and abduction range of motion, while passive arm exercise only improved abduction. Neither group showed a significant change in shoulder height difference.
• PTOTSurvey2023The relationship between frailty and motor function among living in the community elderly females.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong 67 older women in community exercise salons, frailty was common, and women with frailty had weaker grip, slower walking and longer chair-to-walk-to-chair times. Depression, physical function and oral function were most strongly related to frailty.
• PTOTOther2023Determinants of quality of life in elderly rehabilitation users at a day care service center.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor older adults in day care, quality of life linked to social roles and independence, not physical strength or age. Longer time in care support predicted lower psychological and social well-being. Focus sessions on connection and daily living tasks rather than exercise alone.
• PTCase Report2023Long-term body-weight-supported treadmill training for incomplete cervical spinal cord injury: a case report.Journal of physical therapy scienceOne man with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury received home body-weight-supported treadmill training plus usual physiotherapy for over ten years. Leg strength and body-weight support improved or held, then worsened. This is one person, not proof the training works.