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Orthopaedic research

Everything we have read on orthopaedic. 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.

2,015 PAPERS · PAGE 18 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCase-Control2021Dual goals of trunk restriction and stability are prioritized by individuals with chronic low back pain during a volitional movement.Gait & posturePeople with active low back pain stood up by restricting trunk movement and using more knee and ankle motion. Despite this 'knee strategy', they maintained stability similar to healthy controls by generating greater braking forces with their leg muscles.
• PTOther2022Effects of step frequency during running on the magnitude and symmetry of ground reaction forces in individuals with a transfemoral amputation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRunning faster steps lowered forces on both prosthetic and intact limbs. However, it increased asymmetry, with the prosthetic side bearing more load. Optimal symmetry occurred near the runner's preferred step rate, not the fastest rate.
• PTCase Series2021Physical therapeutic options for residual sacrotuberous ligament pain after treatment of sacroiliac joint dysfunction.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 57 people with residual buttock pain after sacroiliac injections, 33 had sacrotuberous ligament pain. Injection relieved 11 alone; 22 needed physical therapy. In this small record review, ligament relaxation, plus biceps femoris relaxation or gluteus maximus contraction, was chosen using first exam findings.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Effects of Visual Feedback During Balance Training on Knee Function and Balance Ability in Postoperative Patients After Knee Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding visual feedback training to routine rehab for knee fracture patients improved balance scores after 8 weeks. However, knee function and gait scores showed no difference between groups at 4 weeks, suggesting the benefit is specific to balance stability rather than immediate functional recovery.
• PTOTCase-Control2021The study of respiratory muscles activation during respiratory muscle strength effort in adult females with chronic neck pain.Journal of physical therapy scienceWomen with chronic neck pain generated lower maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures than healthy controls. They recruited upper trapezius, anterior scalene, and intercostal muscles more heavily during breathing efforts, suggesting inefficient respiratory mechanics linked to cervical musculoskeletal changes.
• PTOTCohort2021Factors affecting early knee-flexion range of motion after total knee arthroplasty.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients who could flex their knee more before surgery, had better quadriceps strength after surgery, and had slower pre-op walking tests were more likely to reach 110 degrees of flexion two weeks after total knee replacement. Pre-op stiffness and post-op muscle weakness were key barriers.
• PTOTPilot2021Quality of life and life-space mobility after total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot case-controlled study.Journal of physical therapy scienceFive months after knee replacement, patients with rheumatoid arthritis had similar muscle strength and walking speed to those with osteoarthritis. However, they went out of town significantly less often and reported worse daily life function. Physical recovery did not translate into broader life participation.
• PTCohort2022Fear of Reinjury Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Is Manifested in Muscle Activation Patterns of Single-Leg Side-Hop Landings.Physical therapyPeople with high fear of re-injury after ACL reconstruction showed stiffer muscle activation during single-leg side-hop landings. They did not show different joint angles or worse self-reported knee function compared to those with low fear. This suggests fear alters how muscles stabilize the knee, not how the joint moves.
• PTSurvey2021Reported practices related to, and capability to provide, first-line knee osteoarthritis treatments: a survey of 1064 Australian physical therapists.Brazilian journal of physical therapyOnly 11% of surveyed Australian physical therapists could name an accepted knee osteoarthritis guideline. Most reported providing strength exercise and education, but weight management discussion was less frequent than belief in its evidence.
• PTSystematic Review2021Neurologic and musculoskeletal effects of tilt-table standing on adults: a systematic review.Journal of physical therapy scienceTilt-table standing in adults with neurologic disorders did not show consistent neurologic or musculoskeletal benefits, although some studies reported small increases in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Excess healthcare spending associated with fractures among adults with cerebral palsy.Disability and health journalAdults with cerebral palsy who fracture incur excess healthcare costs, largely in the first three months. Vertebral column fractures drove the highest costs for this group, unlike hip fractures in the general population. This highlights a critical window for post-fracture intervention.
• PTOther2021Motor slacking during resisted treadmill walking: Can visual feedback of kinematics reduce this behavior?Gait & postureDuring resisted treadmill walking, knee angle dropped 17.0 degrees without feedback. Visual feedback kept knee angle near baseline, raised muscle activity compared with no feedback, and produced larger changes that carried over.
• PTCohort2021Utilizing Hip Abduction Strength to Body-Weight Ratios in Return to Sport Decision-Making After ACL Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes with hip abduction strength below 33% of body weight reported lower confidence and function at return-to-sport and two years later. However, they had no more re-injuries than stronger athletes. Low strength flags reduced self-reported function, not necessarily physical risk.
• PTQualitative2021Evaluation of the First Contact Physiotherapy (FCP) model of primary care: a qualitative insight.PhysiotherapyPeople using first contact physiotherapy and staff reported positive experiences and confidence in physiotherapists, but capacity was too low to reduce GP workload. Work advice was seen as central, and many patients needed reception signposting because they did not know the service existed.
• PTOther2021Patients' health outcomes after an implementation intervention targeting the physiotherapists' clinical behaviour.Archives of physiotherapyPatients treated by physiotherapists who received active or passive implementation support had similar pain, disability, health, self-efficacy, catastrophizing and fear outcomes. Both groups improved. Sick leave differences were hard to interpret because the active group had more sick leave at baseline.
• PTCohort2021Grip Strength Measurement in Baseball Pitchers: A Clinical Examination to Indicate Stride Length Inefficiency.International journal of sports physical therapyShortened stride length caused a 1.9 kg drop in dominant-arm grip strength after 80 pitches, while over-striding showed no significant change. Grip strength loss may signal fatigue when ball velocity remains stable, but this small pilot does not prove injury risk.
• PTOther2021Kinetic Asymmetry During a Repetitive Tuck Jump Task in Athletes with a History of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyNine athletes repeatedly loaded their uninjured leg more during tuck jumps after ACL reconstruction. This happened on all five landings analyzed. For return-to-sport work, check for offloading of the reconstructed leg.
• PTOTCohort2021Fractures and Chronic Recurrence are Commonly Associated with Ankle Sprains: a 5-year Population-level Cohort of Patients Seen in the U.S. Military Health System.International journal of sports physical therapyFractures accompany nearly one in five ankle sprains, and recurrence is common. Over half of patients received no rehabilitation, and those who did waited a mean of 72.6 days. Clinicians should screen for fractures and consider earlier access to care rather than assuming sprains are self-limiting.
• PTSystematic Review2022EMG-driven control in lower limb prostheses: a topic-based systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNo lower-limb prosthesis on the market uses muscle-signal control. The review found no clinically validated muscle-signal knee or ankle device, and prototypes are tested inconsistently, so this does not change everyday prosthetic care.
• PTCase Report2021Traumatic Hip Dislocation in an NCAA DI Football Player with Occult Sequelae: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA football player returned to sport after hip dislocation but later needed surgery for hidden cartilage damage. This case highlights that early pain relief does not rule out serious complications, and athletes may hide symptoms until activity is limited.
• PTNarrative Review2021Clinical Measures of Pelvic Tilt in Physical Therapy.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper reviews how to measure pelvic tilt but reports no new patient outcomes. It suggests inclinometers are more precise than visual checks, yet notes there is no evidence that changing pelvic tilt improves recovery.
• PTOther2021Correlation between change in pain, disability, and surface electromyography topographic parameters after interferential current treatment in patients with chronic low back pain.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 29 patients with chronic low back pain, pain and disability scores were lower after 6 weeks of interferential current, and a flexion muscle signal change tracked pain change. There was no control group, so this cannot show the treatment caused the improvement.
• PTOTOther2022Reliability and Validity of a Chinese Version of the Lysholm Score and Tegner Activity Scale for Knee Arthroplasty.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe Chinese versions of the Lysholm and Tegner scores are reliable and valid for assessing knee function in patients after total knee replacement. Scores remained consistent when repeated 3–7 days later and aligned closely with the IKDC, supporting their use in clinical practice.
• PTSurvey2021Referral practices of medical practitioners in central South Africa to physiotherapy services for patients living with musculoskeletal conditions.The South African journal of physiotherapyMedical practitioners in Bloemfontein said previous positive physiotherapy outcomes and direct communication influenced musculoskeletal referrals. Only 59.2% used referral criteria.
• PTQualitative2021Patients' use of physical therapy for lower back pain: A qualitative study.Musculoskeletal science & practicePatients with back pain often wanted a physician to diagnose them before physical therapy, even though they believed exercise helped. Many did not recall being offered physical therapy, and copays discouraged repeated visits.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Revision 2021.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyExercise training is strongly recommended for acute and chronic low back pain. Manual therapy helps short-term but not long-term. Education alone is ineffective; it must be paired with active treatments. Traction is not recommended.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Inertial Measurement Units and Application for Remote Health Care in Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: Narrative Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesInertial sensors can track movement and recovery in hip and knee osteoarthritis, but most studies are small, lab-based, and use different methods. These devices show promise for remote care but are not yet ready for routine clinical use without further validation.
• PTOTOther2022Characterization of neuropathic component of back pain in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.NeuroRehabilitationIn patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures, neuropathic pain features were present in 23.6% of cases. This prevalence was linked to fracture location rather than number. Therapists should screen for neuropathic symptoms in patients with thoracic or lumbar fractures.
• PTProtocol2021Physiotherapy in an advanced rehabilitation pathway for patients after hip and knee arthroplasty: A proposal.The South African journal of physiotherapyThis paper proposes a physiotherapy protocol for hip and knee replacement recovery but reports no patient results. It describes a planned study comparing early mobilisation against a standard pathway, so there are no findings to change practice with yet.
• PTOTCohort2022Knee biomechanics and contralateral knee osteoarthritis progression after total knee arthroplasty.Gait & postureWalking mechanics did not predict knee osteoarthritis progression in the opposite knee after total knee replacement. Despite high rates of radiographic worsening over eight years, neither knee loading nor motion explained which patients progressed.
• PTOTCohort2022Cumulative Risk And Associated Factors For Fall-Related Fractures In Stroke Survivors After Discharge From Rehabilitation Wards: A Retrospective Study With A 6-Year Follow-Up.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAfter discharge from convalescent stroke rehabilitation, 13.7% had a fall-related fracture within 5 years. Female sex and moderate leg weakness at discharge were linked to higher fracture risk, especially in the first year.
• PTOther2022Muscle contributions to pre-swing biomechanical tasks influence swing leg mechanics in individuals post-stroke during walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 people post-stroke, more pre-swing vasti braking predicted less peak knee flexion during swing. Gastrocnemius contributions predicted propulsion asymmetry. Rectus femoris was not a primary knee extensor, and total musculotendon work on the paretic leg did not predict knee flexion.
• PTRCT2021Curative effect of long-term intervention using a new device in patients with chronic low back pain.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn adults with chronic low back pain, using a specialized training bed to guide simultaneous abdominal and pelvic floor contraction increased muscle thickness and reduced pain more than standard supine or sitting training. The device appears to help patients engage deep core muscles more effectively than position alone.
• PTCase-Control2021Analysis of the relationship between the transversus abdominis and lower back pain using an ultrasound.Journal of physical therapy sciencePeople with chronic low back pain had thinner abdominal muscles when contracting them with their pelvic floor compared to pain-free people. However, the test was poor at identifying patients, missing half of them. This measurement is not yet a reliable diagnostic tool.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Applications of Digital Health Technologies in Knee Osteoarthritis: Narrative Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesDigital tools like apps and video calls often match in-person therapy for pain and function in knee osteoarthritis and replacement. Blended care with real-time feedback and clinician contact appears more effective than self-directed websites alone.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021Physiotherapy support for self-management of persisting musculoskeletal pain disorders.The South African journal of physiotherapySelf-management support for chronic pain often fails because patients lack readiness and therapists reinforce unhelpful beliefs. Success requires therapists to act as coaches using motivational interviewing and pain neuroscience education, rather than just delivering exercises.
• PTCohort2022Digitally Delivered Exercise and Education Treatment Program for Low Back Pain: Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAfter 3 months in a digital back-pain program, pain fell by 1.7 points, and 58.50% reached a meaningful improvement. No control group means the program cannot be proven to cause this.
• PTOther2021Relationships among lumbar hip motion angle, perceptual awareness, and low back pain in young adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceYoung adults with persistent low back pain who reported more disability had less lumbar movement and more hip movement during forward bending, and higher back awareness scores. Pain intensity was not linked to these measures.
• PTCohort2022Impact of Hearing Aid Use on Falls and Falls-Related Injury: Results From the Health and Retirement Study.Ear and hearingIn older adults, hearing aid use did not appear to change the link between self-reported hearing difficulty and falls or falls-related injury. Hearing difficulty itself was linked to more reported falls.
• PTCohort2022Clinical Outcomes After a Digital Musculoskeletal Program for Acute and Subacute Pain: Observational, Longitudinal Study With Comparison Group.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with recent back, neck, hip, knee, or shoulder pain who used a digital physical therapy program combining video visits, app exercises, and education reported lower pain and more functional improvement than nonparticipants at follow-up. This was observational, so it shows association, not proof.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Improves Function Independent of Comorbidities in Medically Complex Patients.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMedically complex patients in acute inpatient rehabilitation improved function regardless of most comorbidities. Patients with higher functional gains or efficiency were significantly more likely to go home and less likely to return to acute care, suggesting comorbidity burden alone should not exclude patients from this level of care.
• PTOTSLPOther2021The Reliability and Validity of Gluteal Endurance Measures (GEMs).International journal of sports physical therapyTwo new gluteal endurance tests showed high reliability and specificity for gluteal fatigue. However, they did not distinguish between healthy subjects and those with recurrent low back pain. Use these tests to measure gluteal endurance, but not yet to screen for back pain history.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Cervical musculoskeletal impairments in migraine.Archives of physiotherapyMigraineurs with neck pain are not a uniform group. Some have true cervical dysfunction, while others have pain referred from migraine sensitisation. Treating the neck helps only the former. Assess carefully for combined impairments and avoid tests that aggravate hypersensitivity.
• PTProtocol2021Protocol for a multicenter, randomised controlled trial of surgeon-directed home therapy vs. outpatient rehabilitation by physical therapists for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: the SHORT trial.Archives of physiotherapyNo results are available yet. This protocol plans to compare weekly outpatient physical therapy with surgeon-directed home exercises after reverse shoulder replacement.
• PTCohort2021The Relationship between Landing Error Scoring System Performance and Injury in Female Collegiate Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyLanding Error Scoring System (LESS) scores did not predict lower extremity injuries in female collegiate athletes. Athletes with higher error scores were not more likely to get injured than those with lower scores. Do not use LESS total scores alone to screen for injury risk.
• PTOTOther2021Electromyographic Evaluation of Early-Stage Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises Following Rotator Cuff Repair.International journal of sports physical therapyMost early shoulder exercises exceeded safe loading limits in healthy volunteers. Only the pendulum, table slide, and assisted wall slide kept supraspinatus activation low. Clinicians should not assume passive exercises are safer than active-assisted ones for protecting the cuff.
• PTOTRCT2022Association Between Measures of Muscle Strength and Performance of Daily Activities in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIsokinetic peak strength predicted walking, chair-rise and stair-climb performance better than estimated 1-RM in knee OA. The expected activity-specific pattern for 1-RM was not found. These two strength measures reflect different constructs.
• PTOther2021Reliability of an Observational Biomechanical Analysis Tool in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers.International journal of sports physical therapyA 2D video tool for adolescent baseball pitchers gave consistent total scores among trained sports raters, but some individual mechanics items were less consistent. It does not yet show injury risk or replace 3D motion analysis.
• PTOTCase-Control2022Increased foot strike variability during turning in Parkinson's disease patients with freezing of gait.Gait & posturePeople with Parkinson's who freeze take shorter, wider turns with less foot contact and more variability. Freezing happens most often in the middle of a turn, where the body must change direction fastest, suggesting this phase is a key target for therapy.
• PTOther2021Effective Attentional Focus Strategies after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Commentary.International journal of sports physical therapyThis commentary suggests changing exercise wording so patients focus on the movement effect, not their body, after ACL reconstruction. It reports no new methods or outcomes.