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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 2 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohortNear-Optimal Recovery Within 3 Months: Investigating Health-Related Quality of Life and Functional Outcomes After Single-Stage Bilateral Hip Replacement for Osteoarthritis.Orthopedic nursingPatients recovered most of their function and quality of life within three months of single-stage bilateral hip replacement. Scores plateaued by twelve months, with little further improvement after the first quarter.
• PTNarrative ReviewOrthopaedic Nurse Navigators and Total Joint Arthroplasty Preoperative Optimization: Obesity and Malnutrition-Part Four of the Movement Is Life Special ONJ Series.Orthopedic nursingFor patients awaiting joint replacement, obesity and malnutrition are linked to worse outcomes, and nurse navigators reported using BMI cutoffs, dietitian referrals and weight programs. These are recommendations and associations, not tested treatment effects.
• PTCase ReportA Rare Case of Hereditary Multiple Exostoses in a Woman.Orthopedic nursingA 28-year-old woman with long-standing bilateral knee pain had a bilateral knee x-ray showing multiple hereditary exostoses. She reported improvement after reassurance and closed-chain exercises, but this was a single case with no formal outcome measures.
• PTQualitative2024Orthopaedic Nurse Navigators and Total Joint Arthroplasty Preoperative Optimization: Mental Health and Housing Status-Part Five of the Movement Is Life Special ONJ Series.Orthopedic nursingNurse navigators described screening joint replacement patients for mental health and unsafe housing, then connecting them to mental health services, social workers and physical therapists for home safety and device training. These are reported practices, not evidence of better surgical outcomes.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Low back pain self-management mobile applications: a systematic review on digital platforms.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PBack pain apps available in Brazil had some exercise and self-management features, but only two had been tested in clinical research. They are not proven treatments, so suggest them only as an adjunct with safety advice.
• PTOther2024Ergonomic risks and musculoskeletal pain in hospital cleaning workers: Convergent Care Research with mixed methods.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemHospital cleaning workers reported musculoskeletal pain in the last seven days in lower back, ankles or feet, wrists or hands, upper back and shoulders. Standing, twisting, squatting, wringing cloths and non-adjustable equipment were reported alongside pain.
• PTRNCohort2024John Henryism-racial stressors among older black men with low back pain.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)For older Black men with chronic low back pain, neither high-effort coping nor pain catastrophizing had a clear link to measured back performance. Higher high-effort coping was linked to lower self-reported pain, while higher catastrophizing was linked to higher pain.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Physical and Cognitive Function Trends in Post-acute Care after Total Joint Arthroplasty in Medicare Beneficiaries: 2013-2018.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationFrom 2013 to 2018, Medicare patients after hip or knee replacement shifted from nursing or rehab facilities to home health. Home health and rehab patients became more dependent and cognitively impaired; nursing facility patients became less dependent and impaired.
• PTRNSurvey2024Exploring the factors affecting the readiness for hospital discharge after total knee arthroplasty: A structural equation model approach.Nursing openAfter knee replacement, patients averaged 7.68 of 10 for discharge readiness. Older age, living alone, and night knee pain were linked to lower readiness; education, discharge teaching, rehab confidence, pain knowledge and social support to higher.
• PTSurvey2024Prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain among hospital cleaning staff.Revista brasileira de enfermagemLow back pain was the most common pain in the past seven days among 149 hospital cleaners (42.3%). Neck pain was associated with dissatisfaction with staffing levels; shoulder and lower back pain with self-medication. These are associations, not proof of cause.
• PTOther2025Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale in Older People Undergoing Lower Extremity Arthroplasty.Nursing & health sciencesThe Japanese Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale worked well for 113 hip or knee replacement patients. It was stable over 7 to 14 days and related to moderate activity and hip or knee function scores, but not light activity.
• PTCase Report2025A Novel Treatment for Combined Adhesive Capsulitis and Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis - Case Study: RELIEF® Treatment.Orthopedic nursingA woman with frozen shoulder and osteoarthritis reported pain relief and improved range of motion after ultrasound-guided hydrodissection using saline and amnion tissue under local anesthetic, after prior therapy and steroid injections did not help. This is a single case, not evidence the treatment works.
• PTRNCohort2025Total Distance Walked After Hip Surgery Identifies Older Patients With Sarcopenia.Nursing & health sciencesOlder hip fracture patients who walked shorter total distances on discharge day were more likely to have sarcopenia. Sex-specific distance cut-offs may help flag probable or confirmed sarcopenia during inpatient rehabilitation.
• PTOTRNRCT2025Patients' Perception of a Brief Web- and Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Pain Following Discharge After Total Joint Arthroplasty: Qualitative Description.JMIR nursingPatients recovering from joint replacement found a brief, self-guided mindfulness app helpful for managing pain at home. They liked the short sessions and phone access, but struggled to focus when pain was severe or if they doubted mindfulness would work.
• PTOTRNOther2026Contextual Factors Affecting Evidence-Based Practice in Orthopaedic Nursing and Rehabilitation: A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of advanced nursingOrthopaedic hip surgery teams described teamwork and supportive leadership, but fast-track care, heavy workload and weekend staffing shortages limited patient communication. Bladder care was frequent yet poorly explained.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Pain Catastrophizing and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesIn adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain, higher pain catastrophizing consistently links to greater pain intensity and disability. It acts as a mediator of treatment effects, meaning reducing it helps relieve pain, but it does not reliably predict who will respond best to physical interventions like exercise.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Challenges and Perspectives in Treating Individuals With Musculoskeletal Disorders and Comorbidity: A Systematic Literature Review With a Descriptive Thematic Synthesis.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesPhysiotherapists and occupational therapists caring for people with musculoskeletal disorders plus diabetes, obesity or mental health problems said they lacked training to address comorbidities. They also faced limited allied health sessions, scope uncertainty and guilt about ignoring other conditions.
• PTRNSurvey2025Machine Learning Techniques for Identifying Lifestyle Factors Associated With Low Back Pain in Adults Aged 50 and Older Using Data From the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Nursing & health sciencesIn Korean adults aged 50 and older, lifestyle factors were associated with chronic low back pain. Female sex, older age, activity limitation, stress, low walking, high sitting, smoking, and diet appeared in a predictive model, but it was not strong enough for screening.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Adaptation strategies for nurses with musculoskeletal pain in hospital work: a systematic review.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemIn nurses with work-related musculoskeletal pain, exercise, stretching, mindfulness, auriculotherapy and workplace ergonomic programs reduced pain and supported work functioning.
• PTSurvey2026Differences in chronic musculoskeletal pain among male and female Brazilian university professors.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PWomen Brazilian university professors reported more widespread and intense chronic musculoskeletal pain than men, used more medication and rehabilitation, had lower self-efficacy, and lost more productivity. The study did not show what caused these differences.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2026Geriatric Models of Surgical Care: A Scoping Review.Journal of advanced nursingMost models shortened hospital stays, but mortality results were inconsistent. Nurse practitioners performed comprehensive geriatric assessments and coordinated care in 38% of studies. Allied health input appeared in 58% of models, yet functional outcomes and quality of life were rarely measured.
• PTRNSurvey2026Comorbid Conditions of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and Vulvodynia: A Latent Class Analysis.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesAmong 1,016 females with Ehlers-Danlos or hypermobility, those with both pain and non-musculoskeletal comorbidities were most likely to screen positive for vulvodynia (73%); the pain condition class was 64%. Screening is not diagnosis.
• PTOTRNOther2026Health Outcomes Following the Health-Promoting "Reflective STRENGTH-Giving Dialogue" Intervention Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesParticipants reported lower impact of health problems on daily life and higher well-being after each dialogue on average. Over 14 weeks, no significant within-group changes were found.
• PTRNSurvey2026Patients in Every Practice: Health Status and Health Experiences of an International Sample of Adults Born Preterm.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingMost participants born preterm reported ongoing health concerns, yet 67% had never been asked about preterm birth. Concerns were similar across gestational ages and birth eras, and respiratory, mental health and neurodevelopmental symptoms were common.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationActive tDCS compared with sham reduced self-reported pain and improved pressure pain thresholds, but it did not change conditioned pain modulation. Evidence for function was low certainty.
• PTOTCohort2026Return to Community Living and Functional Ability Following Inpatient Rehabilitation for Hip Fracture in Patients Aged ≥65 Years: A Retrospective Descriptive Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost older hip fracture patients who had lived at home returned after inpatient rehabilitation, but 18.1% returning to family and 26.3% returning to live alone had low function scores and likely needed support beyond family caregivers.
• PTOther2026A multidimensional evaluation of the Atalante exoskeleton as an assistive locomotion device for individuals with complete paraplegia: a prospective longitudinal study in a controlled environment.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 11 adults with complete paraplegia, supervised hands-free Atalante exoskeleton walking became faster to set up and take off, with rare harness-assisted near-falls, but one fracture occurred. Use needs careful bone screening and supervised indoor setup.
• PTCohort2026Relative fat mass predicts symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in older adults with metabolic syndrome: a longitudinal cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome, higher relative fat mass was associated with new symptomatic knee osteoarthritis during follow-up. It identified risk better than BMI, but the paper describes the gain as modest and meant for screening, not diagnosis.
• PTOther2026Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Use Among Commercially Insured and Medicare Advantage Patients.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesRemote therapeutic monitoring use was mostly for musculoskeletal problems (56.3% of commercial use), and other clinicians such as therapists and nurses delivered 48.7%. Use grew from 2089 months in 2022 to 24,494 months in 2024, but most patients used it for only one calendar year.
• PTCase Report2026Cryoneurolysis for Spasticity in a Pediatric Patient With Cold Urticaria Managed With Targeted Skin Warming: A Case Report.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationOne child with cold urticaria had cryoneurolysis for leg spasticity with active skin warming; no cold flare occurred, and ankle and hamstring range and heel strike improved at 1 month.
• PTCohort2026Biomechanical and functional outcomes of high-burden and low-burden multilevel surgery in young people with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyGait pattern improved after both low-burden and high-burden multilevel surgery in ambulatory young people with cerebral palsy. Functional walking capacity improved only after low-burden surgery; high-burden surgery did not improve walking capacity and walking speed decreased.
• PTOTCohort2026Early Gait Responsiveness as a Predictor of Functional Trajectory in Older Adults Undergoing Postacute Rehabilitation.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn older adults in postacute rehab, walking distance that increased faster during the first five therapy sessions predicted better discharge function. Each extra meter per session was linked to a 2.6-point higher FIM motor score. This is an observational signal, not proof that changing therapy dose improves outcomes.
• PTCohort2026Severity of structural lumbar spinal stenosis does not impact responsiveness to exercise-based rehabilitation.Physical therapyRadiographic stenosis severity did not change short-term response to exercise-based rehabilitation. People with mild, moderate, or severe stenosis had similar improvements in pain, disability, goals, strength, and narcotic use.
• PTOther2026Application of Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography as an Objective Outcome Measure in Nonspecific Low Back Pain Associated with Myofascial Trigger Points.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA trained physiotherapist could measure quadratus lumborum stiffness by ultrasound with agreement close to a radiologist's. In people with nonspecific low back pain, quadratus lumborum stiffness was higher than in controls, but psoas major measurements were less consistent.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Evaluating the Effectiveness and Technique Composition of Combined Motor Learning and Behavior Change Strategies for Movement Behavior in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationCombining motor learning, behavior change, self-management support, and exercise therapy may improve how people with chronic musculoskeletal pain moved, but not how much they moved. Effects on daily activities were inconsistent.
• PTPilot2026The effect of targeted upper cervical musculoskeletal management on the frequency and burden of migraine headache in adults - a single cohort pilot study.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapyEight of ten women with migraine and restricted upper neck rotation had at least 50% lower migraine frequency three months after four manual therapy sessions, exercises, and education. Neck rotation symmetry improved in nine. Without a control group, this cannot show treatment caused these changes.
• PTCohort2025Effects of an exercise program on calf muscle characteristics in patients with Achilles tendinopathy.Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports MedicineA 16-week progressive exercise program improved calf muscle quality and size in patients with Achilles tendinopathy. Echo intensity dropped 8-13% and muscle cross-sectional area increased 5-7%. However, these structural changes did not predict improvements in functional performance like jump height.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Assessing the Effects of Focal and Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Pain and Function in Patellar Tendinopathy.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor patellar tendinopathy, shockwave therapy, sometimes with eccentric training or other exercise, reduced pain and improved function more than control. Many participants were athletes, so this is an option when usual care has not helped.
• PTOTOther2026Psychological Readiness and Kinesiophobia Are Not Associated With Effusion-Synovitis in Early Recovery After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.Journal of sport rehabilitationAt 4 to 6 months after ACL reconstruction, the severity of joint inflammation seen on ultrasound did not predict a patient's fear of movement or their psychological readiness to return to sport. Patients with more swelling were just as ready to return as those with less.
• PTOTCohort2026Physical activity measured using a triaxial accelerometer in early after surgery rehabilitation in patients with hip fracture affects walking ability: a retrospective observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder hip fracture patients with more active time in early rehab sessions were more likely to walk independently at one and two weeks. Thresholds were 21.6% at one week and 17.8% at two weeks. This is an association, not proof.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Hand injuries associated with mobile phone use: A systematic review.Work (Reading, Mass.)Review of 42 studies found hand conditions linked to phone use: De Quervain's tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, thumb or wrist pain, and less common tendon rupture or trigger finger. Evidence includes cross-sectional studies and case reports, so phone use alone cannot be proven a cause.
• PTQualitative2026Patient-reported knee osteoarthritis problems and rehabilitation goals: A qualitative study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyPeople with painful knee osteoarthritis named problems including pain, sleep, fear, walking, hiking, sport, housework, caring, and travel. Their 3-month goals varied, often focused on walking, physical activity, daily tasks, and meaningful activities.
• PTOther2026Location-Specific Disruption of the Body Schema in Chronic Low Back Pain.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPeople with chronic low back pain were slower to judge left/right in trunk movement images than matched controls, by 239±225 ms on average. Accuracy was not lower, hand judgments were unchanged, and task scores did not track pain intensity.
• PTOTOther2026Standing work and low back pain: An experimental analysis of risk factors.Work (Reading, Mass.)No tested standing setup made pain lower than another. Pain rose over 120 minutes in all eight groups, and static posture, anti-fatigue mats, and insoles did not separate the groups.
• PTOTRCT2026Video-based education is non-inferior to in-person education in patients undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.Archives of physiotherapyPreoperative video education was as good as postoperative in-person teaching for pain confidence. It also reduced fear of movement at six weeks. This allows therapists to shift education earlier, saving time without compromising recovery outcomes.
• PTOther2026Reliability and measurement error of hip abductor muscle strength using a hand-held dynamometer in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHip abductor strength measured with a handheld dynamometer and a simple belt was highly reliable in healthy adults. Using the average of two trials, rather than the maximum, reduced measurement error and improved consistency between different raters.
• PTOther2017Criterion Validity of Ultrasound Imaging: Assessment of Multifidi Cross-Sectional Area in Older Adults With and Without Chronic Low Back Pain.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Averaging 3 ultrasound images agreed with MRI for L4 multifidi cross-sectional area in older adults with and without chronic low back pain. A single image was less reliable in pain-free older adults. Ultrasound may include fat.
• PTRCT2016Effect of muscle energy technique and static stretching on pain and functional disability in patients with mechanical neck pain: A randomized controlled trial.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoBoth muscle energy technique and passive stretching reduced neck pain and disability after 6 days, but muscle energy technique plus the same conventional exercises produced greater improvement.
• PTOther2017Introducing a Third Timed Up & Go Test Trial Improves Performances of Hospitalized and Community-Dwelling Older Individuals.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Hospitalized and community-dwelling older adults were faster on the third Timed Up & Go trial than on the first two. Use the fastest of three timed trials when assessing mobility.
• PTOther2016Comparability of off the shelf foot orthoses in the redistribution of forces in midfoot osteoarthritis patients.Gait & postureTwo contoured foot orthoses shifted walking load away from the heel and forefoot and onto the midfoot in people with midfoot osteoarthritis. A sham top cover also added small midfoot load compared with a shoe.