TOPIC

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 19 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2022Physiotherapists perceived role in managing anxiety in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a mixed-methods study.Archives of physiotherapyPhysiotherapists said anxiety affects RRMS rehabilitation, but were less comfortable acting on disclosures. They used goal setting, relaxation and listening, and wanted more training and MDT support.
• PTNarrative Review2022Therapeutic Ultrasound and Shockwave Therapy for Tendinopathy: A Narrative Review.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationTherapeutic ultrasound and shockwave therapies for tendinopathy show mixed success, and poor reporting of acoustic dose makes firm recommendations difficult. Focused shockwave may maintain pain relief longer than low-intensity ultrasound, but the evidence is not strong.
• PTRCT2022Fear of Reinjury Following Surgical and Nonsurgical Management of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: An Exploratory Analysis of the NACOX Multicenter Longitudinal Cohort Study.Physical therapyFear of reinjury remained high at 12 months after ACL injury, regardless of whether patients chose surgery or rehabilitation alone. Patients who later opted for surgery reported worse fear than those who did not. Prognostic factors differed by treatment group, with self-efficacy predicting lower fear only in the rehabilitation group.
• PTOther2022A Multi-Systems Approach to Human Movement after ACL Reconstruction: The Nervous System.International journal of sports physical therapyNo study results are reported. This is a commentary on nervous-system contributions to rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction.
• PTNarrative Review2022Changing our Diagnostic Paradigm Part II: Movement System Diagnostic Classification.International journal of sports physical therapyThis article proposes a framework for classifying shoulder pain by movement dysfunction rather than tissue damage, but it reports no study results or patient outcomes. It is a theoretical argument for changing diagnostic practice, not evidence that the proposed classification works.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Capturing and Operationalizing Participation in Pediatric Re/Habilitation Research Using Artificial Intelligence: A Scoping Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesArtificial intelligence tools currently measure only observable behavior, failing to capture how children actually feel or think during therapy activities. These tools also rely on data from autistic boys, meaning they cannot yet assess the full experience of participation for all patients.
• PTOTOther2022mHealth Apps for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation: Systematic Search in App Stores and Content Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost musculoskeletal rehab apps lack evidence and fail to support adherence. Only 11% cited research, and 75% had no patient-reported outcomes. Few offered two-way clinician communication or safety warnings, limiting their usefulness for safe, tailored home exercise programs.
• PTOther2021The Inaugural IJSPT and OSET Research Symposium: 2021 Abstracts.International journal of sports physical therapyThis document is a collection of conference abstracts, not a single study. It summarizes varied findings, such as dry needling adding no benefit to hip strengthening in runners, while visual biofeedback increased quadriceps activation more than verbal cues.
• PTOther2022Lifting Techniques: Why Are We Not Using Evidence To Optimize Movement?International journal of sports physical therapyThere is no single safest lifting technique. The optimal choice depends on the patient's goal, such as conserving energy, building specific tissue, or managing pain, rather than defaulting to the squat.
• PTNarrative Review2022Forefoot Injuries in Athletes: Integration of the Movement System.International journal of sports physical therapyThis clinical commentary describes how to examine and treat athletes with forefoot injuries. It reports no patients and no outcomes, so there is nothing here to change your practice on.
• PTNarrative Review2022A Multi-Systems Approach to Human Movement after ACL Reconstruction: The Integumentary System.International journal of sports physical therapyNo finding to act on. This is a clinical commentary on skin and scar care after ACL reconstruction, not a study of outcomes.
• PTOther2022A Multi-Systems Approach to Human Movement after ACL Reconstruction: The Cardiopulmonary System.International journal of sports physical therapyThere is no trial result to report. This paper is a clinical commentary arguing that cardiopulmonary fitness declines after ACL reconstruction and should be assessed and trained alongside strength and movement. It offers expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• PTOther2022Movement System Dysfunction Applied to Youth and Young Adult Throwing Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper proposes a screening framework for baseball pitchers but reports no results. It lists tests for shoulder, hip, and core function without demonstrating that using them prevents injury. There is no evidence here to change clinical practice.
• PTOther2022Detection of Low Back Physiotherapy Exercises With Inertial Sensors and Machine Learning: Algorithm Development and Validation.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA machine learning system using three wearable sensors correctly identified McKenzie exercises and good sitting posture in healthy people. It does not yet work for patients with low back pain or those performing exercises incorrectly.
• PTOTQualitative2022"It's second best": A mixed-methods evaluation of the experiences and attitudes of people with musculoskeletal pain towards physiotherapist delivered telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.Musculoskeletal science & practicePeople with musculoskeletal pain viewed telehealth as valuable but second-best to in-person care. They valued convenience and safety but struggled with physical assessment and lacking hands-on treatment. Many preferred a hybrid model where video supports follow-up rather than replacing clinic visits.
• PTOther2022eHealth Interventions to Support Self-Management in People With Musculoskeletal Disorders, "eHealth: It's TIME"-A Scoping Review.Physical therapyThe most common eHealth self-management interventions for musculoskeletal disorders were internet-based, and most combined eHealth with face-to-face care; 50% of reported outcomes improved, but effectiveness cannot be concluded.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Differences in preoperative function and outcome of patients with versus without sarcopenia after total hip arthroplasty.Journal of physical therapy scienceSarcopenia was found in 2 of 25 hip arthroplasty patients. These two patients had lower muscle mass and grip strength, and both needed transfer to a convalescent hospital rather than going home. No statistical comparison was possible.
• PTOther2022Concurrent Validity and Reliability of Two-dimensional Frontal Plane Knee Measurements during Multi-directional Cutting Maneuvers.International journal of sports physical therapyA cheap phone-camera test for knee collapse during sharp turns matched gold-standard motion capture well for 90-degree cuts, but not for 30-degree cuts. It was highly reliable when repeated. Use it to screen athletes for high-angle cutting risk, not shallow turns.
• PTCohort2022Performance on a Motor Control Test in an Asymptomatic Adolescent Population.International journal of sports physical therapyAdolescents performed worse on the supine double leg lowering test than adults, with females scoring lower than males. Sport participation did not affect scores. This suggests adult normative values are not appropriate for assessing motor control in healthy adolescents.
• PTOTPilot2022Electromyographic Characteristics of a Single Motion Shoulder Exercise: A Pilot Study Investigating a Novel Shoulder Exercise.International journal of sports physical therapyA novel Figure-of-8 shoulder exercise activated the rotator cuff and most scapular muscles similarly to standard exercises. However, it significantly under-activated the middle and lower trapezius compared to the standard protocol. The exercise may be a viable simplification but lacks full scapular stabilizer engagement.
• PTOther2022Correlation Between Y-Balance Test and Balance, Functional Performance, and Outcome Measures in Patients Following ACL Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyOne year after ACL reconstruction, Y-Balance scores did not track static balance, knee laxity, or hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio. They showed weak links to knee strength and stronger links to hop and vertical jump tests.
• PTPilot2022Modified Biering-Sorenson Protocol Changes Joint Contributions to Total Support in Individuals with a History of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction During Drop Vertical Jump Landings.International journal of sports physical therapyFatiguing the hip extensors reduced their contribution to landing support in people with prior ACL reconstruction, but did not change single-joint angles or forces. The injured limb consistently loaded less than the uninjured one, regardless of fatigue state.
• PTCohort2022Musculoskeletal Imaging for Low Back Pain in Direct Access Physical Therapy Compared to Primary Care: An Observational Study.International journal of sports physical therapyDirect-access physical therapists ordered imaging within 28 days of low back pain diagnosis in 3.3% of visits, compared to 18.0% in primary care. They waited significantly longer before imaging but showed no difference in clinically significant findings or specialist referrals.
• PTCase-Control2022Knee dynamics during take-off and landing in spike jumps performed by volleyball players with patellar tendinopathy.Journal of physical therapy scienceVolleyball players with medial patellar tendinopathy showed no difference in knee angles during jumps. However, their injured knee displayed opposite rotational forces and ground reaction vectors passing laterally, unlike the healthy controls.
• PTOTCohort2022Analysis of factors influencing patient satisfaction after total hip arthroplasty in a Japanese cohort: the significant effect of postoperative physical activity.Journal of physical therapy sciencePostoperative physical activity levels, not mental health scores, were the strongest factors linked to patient satisfaction after hip replacement. Patients who reported higher activity levels and demonstrated greater hip abductor strength were significantly more likely to be very satisfied.
• PTPilot2021Shoulder Tendon Adaptations Following a Graded Exercise Test to Exhaustion in Highly Trained Wheelchair Rugby Athletes With Different Impairments.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAfter a maximal exercise test, biceps tendon echogenicity dropped significantly, suggesting fluid shift or reactive change. Athletes with spinal cord injuries had thicker supraspinatus tendons than those with other impairments. However, most tendon measures did not change, and pain was only linked to one post-exercise ultrasound finding.
• PTOther2022Gait cycle time variability in patients with knee osteoarthritis and its possible associating factors.Journal of physical therapy scienceFemale knee OA patients showed more irregular timing of their gait cycle than healthy women, even at their comfortable walking speed. Slower 5-meter walk times and worse knee pain and function were related to this irregularity.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Effectiveness of Self-Monitoring Approach Using Fitness Trackers to Improve Walking Ability in Rehabilitation Settings: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding fitness trackers to usual rehabilitation showed little to no improvement in walking ability across most conditions. Stable COPD patients saw a small increase in walking distance that was still below the threshold for clinical importance. Trackers alone are not a fix for gait deficits.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021What Is Intensity and How Can It Benefit Exercise Intervention in People With Stroke? A Rapid Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHigh-intensity exercise appears safe for people with stroke, with no adverse events reported in the studies reviewed. However, there is no agreed definition of intensity, and most studies measured body changes rather than how much people could actually do in daily life.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021Klotho: An Emerging Factor With Ergogenic Potential.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis review links low Klotho protein levels to muscle weakness and poor physical function in aging and kidney disease. It suggests exercise may raise Klotho levels, but human evidence is observational. No therapy is proven to improve patient outcomes yet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The Neck Disability Index Reflects Allodynia and Headache Disability but Not Cervical Musculoskeletal Dysfunction in Migraine.Physical therapyIn people with migraine and neck pain, Neck Disability Index scores tracked allodynia and headache impact, not cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction. Shortened NDI versions also failed to reflect physical neck limitations, suggesting scores capture migraine features rather than local neck mechanics.
• PTOTRCT2022Effects of incorporating elliptical trainer exercise during rehabilitation on physical function and self-reported outcomes after total hip arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding 20 minutes of daily elliptical trainer exercise to standard hip replacement rehabilitation improved walking speed, stride length, and knee strength at 1 and 3 months compared to standard walking practice. Patients also reported less fear of falling at 1 month. There was no difference in patient-reported hip function scores.
• PTOther2022A Multi-Systems Approach to Human Movement after ACL Reconstruction: The Musculoskeletal System.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper is a clinical commentary reviewing musculoskeletal adaptations and rehabilitation strategies after ACL reconstruction. It describes assessment methods and general principles but reports no original patient outcomes or comparative results to change practice.
• PTOTCohort2022The relationship between depression, anxiety, and pain interference with therapy referral and utilization among patients with hand conditions.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsDepression, anxiety, and pain interference scores were not associated with referral to hand therapy. Traumatic conditions were referred more often. Among treated patients, high depression tracked with fewer long-term goals, but this study did not prove that depression caused poorer goal attainment.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022ICF Core Sets for the assessment of functioning of adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyExperts created a checklist of 33 essential categories to assess functioning in adults with cerebral palsy. This brief set highlights mobility, self-care, pain, and environmental factors like support services, aiming to standardise care for this growing population.
• PTOTRCT2022Comparison of the effects of external focus of attention with metaphor and internal focus of attention on temporal changes in seating pressure during sitting motion in community-dwelling elderly people.Journal of physical therapy scienceTelling healthy older adults to imagine sitting in a bathtub without making waves led to smoother, safer sit-downs than telling them to lean forward slowly. This external focus reduced the speed of pressure increase on the spine, potentially lowering fracture risk.
• PTOTCohort2022Recovery and prediction of physical function 1 year following hip fracture.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyPhysical function improves most in the first 3 months after hip fracture. Pre-fracture walking aid use and discharge SPPB scores predict recovery. Asking about walking aids is a simple way to identify patients at risk of poor long-term outcomes.
• PTOTOther2022Concurrent validity and precision of the thumb disability examination (TDX) in first carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsIn 16 adults with thumb CMC osteoarthritis, the TDX agreed with the bMHQ. Total score changes above about 17 points on a 0 to 100 scale may reflect real change, but the pain subscale was less precise.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Free-Living User Perspectives on Musculoskeletal Pain and Patient-Reported Mobility With Passive and Powered Prosthetic Ankle-Foot Components: A Pragmatic, Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCurrent users of powered prosthetic feet reported less knee pain and better mobility than when they used passive feet. However, most people who tried the powered device gave it up because it did not help them, so it is not a universal fix.
• PTOtherEssential Components of Physical Therapist Management of Patients With Osteoporosis: A Delphi Study.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Expert physical therapists agreed on 17 essential components for osteoporosis care, focusing on exercise history, fall risk, and education. They did not reach consensus on screening tools or specific manual therapies, prioritizing fracture prevention and safe movement instead.
• PTCohort2022Quadriceps Strength following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Normative Values based on Sex, Graft Type and Meniscal Status at 3, 6 & 9 Months.International journal of sports physical therapyHamstring grafts showed higher quadriceps symmetry than patellar or quadriceps tendon grafts at 3, 6, and 9 months. Men had greater relative strength than women, but symmetry was similar. Meniscal repair did not affect strength outcomes.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Systematic Review of Biopsychosocial Prognostic Factors for Return to Work After Acute Orthopedic Trauma: A 2020 Update.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesInjury severity was the clearest early factor and a late barrier to return to work after acute orthopedic trauma. In the late phase, older age, high pain, low self-efficacy, lower education, blue-collar work, and compensation status were linked to delayed return.
• PTOther2022Classification Based Treatment of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) with Integration of the Movement System.International journal of sports physical therapy
• PTOther2022Reliability and Differences Between Sexes in Landing Mechanics when Performing the Lateral Bound Test.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 30 healthy non-athletes, repeated lateral bounds measured landing knee angles mostly stayed consistent when the same rater reviewed videos, but week-to-week measurements varied, especially initial knee bend. Males showed more inward knee collapse than females.
• PTSystematic Review2022Effect of Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter ACL reconstruction, low-load blood flow restriction training showed mixed results. Some studies found it improved quadriceps strength, mass, and reduced pain compared to standard training. However, other studies found no difference, and no significant effect was seen on graft laxity.
• PTPilot2022Intra-rater Reliability of a Qualitative Landing Scale for the Single-Hop Test: A Pilot Study.International journal of sports physical therapyA single physiotherapist scored landing errors on a single-hop test twice, two weeks apart, for 17 healthy athletes. Overall scores were consistent. But individual error items were unreliable, and scoring one limb took 30 minutes of video analysis.
• PTPilot2022Side Effects and Patient Tolerance with the Use of Blood Flow Restriction Training after ACL Reconstruction in Adolescents: A Pilot Study.International journal of sports physical therapyBlood flow restriction training was well tolerated by adolescents after ACL reconstruction. Across 535 sessions, no major adverse events like blood clots or fainting occurred. Minor side effects like itching were rare, suggesting the technique is safe for this age group.
• PTOTQualitative2022The role of contextual factors on participation in the life area of work and employment after rehabilitation: A qualitative study on the views of persons with chronic pain.Work (Reading, Mass.)Participants described chronic pain as consuming the energy needed for work and home life. They identified three critical needs for rehabilitation success: feeling understood by peers and staff, early employer involvement, and ongoing support after the program ends to help maintain new habits.
• PTRCT2022Cognitive therapeutic exercise in early proprioception recovery after knee osteoarthritis surgery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding 10 minutes of cognitive joint-position training to standard post-knee surgery rehab improved accuracy at 30 and 60 degrees of knee bend after 4 weeks. It made no difference at 90 degrees. Both groups improved their proprioception, so the benefit was specific to certain angles.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Injury and Illness in Elite Athletics: A Prospective Cohort Study Over Three Seasons.International journal of sports physical therapyOveruse injuries caused half of all time loss in elite track and field athletes, with hamstring strains being the most frequent diagnosis. Illness accounted for 12% of time loss, and respiratory issues were the most common medical presentation.