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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 21 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2022Reliability and validity of subjective radiologist reporting of temporal changes in lumbar spine MRI findings.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationRadiologists rarely agreed on temporal changes in lumbar MRI findings, with poor reliability for reporting changes despite high agreement on no changes. False positives were rare but present. Clinicians should avoid basing decisions on these subjective temporal changes.
• PTOTOther2022The Dutch Multidisciplinary Occupational Health Guideline to Enhance Work Participation Among Low Back Pain and Lumbosacral Radicular Syndrome Patients.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe guideline advises starting with work-focused information and advice, using risk and prognostic factors to guide care. If sick leave persists after six weeks, add physiotherapy, workplace modifications, or cognitive behavioural therapy. Multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation is considered after twelve weeks if full work participation is not achieved.
• PTOTCohort2022The Readiness for Return to Work Scale; Does it Help in Evaluation of Return to Work?Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe Norwegian version of the Readiness for Return to Work scale fails to measure a single clear construct and poorly predicts who returns to work. Clinicians should not use this questionnaire in the clinic or to evaluate interventions, as its subscales are too small and unstable to guide treatment.
• PTOTOther2022Development of reference charts for monitoring quadriceps strength with handheld dynamometry after total knee arthroplasty.Disability and rehabilitationNew reference charts let therapists compare a patient's quadriceps strength after knee replacement to typical recovery curves. This helps identify who is recovering poorly and needs more attention, though even top performers often remain weaker than healthy peers.
• PTOTQualitative2022The experiences and beliefs of people with severe haemophilia and healthcare professionals on pain management, and their views of using exercise as an aspect of intervention: a qualitative study.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with severe haemophilia avoid pain medication and exercise due to fears of addiction, liver damage, and bleeding. They want functional improvement over pain elimination. Trust in haemophilia specialists is essential for them to accept advice.
• PTOTQualitative2022How does a lifetime of painful experiences influence sensations and beliefs about pain in adults with severe haemophilia? A qualitative study.Disability and rehabilitationMen with severe haemophilia described pain as central to their identity, not just a symptom. Fear of bleeding drove constant self-monitoring and avoidance of activity. Childhood experiences and family dynamics shaped adult beliefs, making pain management complex and deeply personal.
• PTOTRCT2022Does Anesthetic Relief Correspond to Future Pain Relief?: A Prospective Trial Examining Future Pain Relief for Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid-Anesthetic Injections.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationImmediate pain relief from the anesthetic in a steroid injection poorly predicts long-term benefit. Patients without immediate relief still had a 50% chance of improvement by three months. Most patients report steroid relief within four days, though it can take up to two weeks.
• PTOther2023Unique characteristics of patients who choose an intensive lifestyle medicine program to address chronic musculoskeletal pain.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationSelf-reported function, pain interference, anxiety, and depression did not meaningfully separate lifestyle program patients from standard non-operative care; they were more racially diverse and had more obesity and diabetes. Versus surgical patients, they reported worse anxiety but less pain interference.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Utilization Between Patients Who Used Telemedicine and Office Visits in Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics During the COVID-19 Pandemic.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationTelemedicine patients had more follow-up visits and higher opioid use, but no difference in emergency care. Sicker patients and people of color used telemedicine more. This reflects pandemic-era selection bias, not proof that video visits are safer or more efficient.
• PTRCT2022Participatory Ergonomics Intervention to Prevent Work Disability Among Workers with Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial in Workplace Setting.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAdding workplace ergonomic visits to standard physiotherapy counselling did not improve work ability compared to counselling alone. Both groups saw similar pain reduction and absence rates, so this participatory approach showed no added benefit for preventing work disability.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Hyaluronan homeostasis and its role in pain and muscle stiffness.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationHyaluronan in muscle tissue may drive pain and stiffness through increased viscosity and pressure on nerves. While animal studies link low-molecular-weight hyaluronan to pain, human data suggests high accumulation causes stiffness. Hyaluronidase injections show promise in small trials, but evidence remains preliminary.
• PTOTCohort2023Prevalence of rapidly progressive osteoarthritis of the hip following intra-articular steroid injections.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationRapidly progressive hip osteoarthritis occurred in 2.8% of patients after steroid injections. Half of these cases appeared within three months, and most required hip replacement. Older age was linked to higher risk, but the study cannot prove the injection caused the joint destruction.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Latent Neuropsychological Profiles to Discriminate Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Active-Duty Service Members.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationStatistical clustering of symptoms and test scores separated service members into five profiles, but diagnostic labels like mild TBI or PTSD did not map cleanly to them. Many with mild TBI plus PTSD showed normal functioning, while others had combined deficits.
• PTOTCohort2023Impact of Opioid Use on Duration of Time Loss After Work-Related Lower Limb Injury.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers with lower limb injuries who were dispensed opioids took longer to return to work. The effect was strongest for those given both strong and weak opioids, who had a median of 331 compensated days off compared to 31 days for those given no opioids.
• PTOTCohort2023Perceived Injustice as a Determinant of the Severity of Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms Following Occupational Injury.Journal of occupational rehabilitationIn 187 workers off duty after injury, stronger feelings of unfairness were linked to worse post-traumatic stress symptoms over 6 weeks. Women reported more severe pain and stress symptoms. This does not prove injustice caused symptoms.
• PTOTCohort2023Post-fracture rehabilitation pathways and association with mortality among adults with cerebral palsy.Clinical rehabilitationIn adults with cerebral palsy discharged home after a fracture, starting outpatient physical or occupational therapy within 6 months was associated with lower 1-year mortality. Each additional week of therapy correlated with a 13% unadjusted and 16% adjusted reduction in mortality risk.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Injury Profiles of Police Recruits Undergoing Basic Physical Training: A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationInjury risk during police training was significantly higher for female recruits and those aged 30 or older. Lower limb and shoulder injuries caused the most time away from training, suggesting prevention efforts should target these areas and high-risk groups.
• PTOTCohort2023Natural Course of Muscular Strength, Physical Performance, and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMost hospitalized COVID-19 patients improved over 12 weeks, but sit-to-stand speed remained slow in many. Hand grip strength was normal in almost all, so lower-limb function lagged behind.
• PTPilot2022Feasibility of repeated session error-augmentation gait training for people with nontraumatic transtibial amputation.Prosthetics and orthotics internationalStep length symmetry improved one week after repeated split-belt error-augmentation training in people with non-traumatic transtibial amputation. Seven of eight completed training, but one developed a residual limb blister and there was no control group.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Varus Knee Limits Pain Relief Effects of Laterally Wedged Insoles and Ankle-Foot Orthoses in Medial Knee Osteoarthritis.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with less severe knee varus alignment experienced greater pain relief from both laterally wedged insoles and ankle-foot orthoses. A mechanical axis deviation under approximately 14.5 mm predicted a positive response to either device with over 80% sensitivity.
• PTOTSurvey2023Factors Influencing Mobility During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationDuring the early pandemic, 26.3% of older adults said physical activity was worse, while most reported no change in home or housework mobility. Walking volume, falls, pain, health, assistance, comorbidities, fear of falling, and pleasant neighborhoods were linked to better mobility.
• PTOTCohort2023Does Consulting an Occupational Medicine Specialist Decrease Time to Return to Work Among Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients? A 12-Month Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationConsulting an occupational medicine specialist within three months of total knee replacement did not speed up return to work. Patients who saw a specialist returned to work later than those who did not, especially those with high preoperative expectations of their work ability.
• PTRCT2023Effect of Multicomponent Home-Based Training on Gait and Muscle Strength in Older Adults After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Single Site Randomized Trial.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA targeted home exercise program did not improve walking speed more than an active control program in older adults after hip fracture surgery. Both groups improved walking speed; targeted training improved non-fractured leg strength more.
• PTRCT2022Effect of single end-range and not end-range Maitland mobilization on pressure pain threshold and functional measures in knee osteoarthritis: randomised, controlled clinical trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA single end-range knee mobilization raised pain thresholds at the knee and wrist for up to four days and cut Timed Up and Go time immediately. Not end-range mobilization and sham did not match these effects. The benefit was short-lived, lasting only days after one session.
• PTOTCohort2023Identification and Characterisation of Trajectories of Sickness Absence Due to Musculoskeletal Pain: A 1-Year Population-based Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationWorkers on sick leave for musculoskeletal pain follow one of six distinct return-to-work paths over a year. Expectancy of returning to work and prior sick leave days were the strongest markers of persistent absence, while pain intensity and age were not.
• PTMeta-Analysis2023Do people with musculoskeletal pain differ from healthy cohorts in terms of global measures of strength? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationLimited multi-joint strength data exist for musculoskeletal pain. Compared with active community women, women with fibromyalgia had small reductions in chest press and leg press strength. Other pain groups could not be compared.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Pre-rehabilitation scores of functioning measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule in persons with nonspecific low back pain: a scoping review.International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift fur Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de readaptationPeople with chronic low back pain seeking rehab score moderately impaired on the WHODAS, worse than those with acute pain. The data is sparse, mostly from high-income countries, so these scores are a rough guide rather than a standard benchmark.
• PTCohort2022Distal and Proximal Predictors of Rehospitalization Over 10 Years Among Survivors of TBI: A National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationRehospitalization stayed common for 10 years after moderate to severe TBI, with 23.4% at year 1 and 18.6% at year 10. Seizures were top reason early, fractures top at year 10. Lower motor independence and seizures were linked to higher risk.
• PTCohort2022Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care "6-Clicks" Basic Mobility Scores Predict Discharge Destination After Acute Care Hospitalization in Select Patient Groups: A Retrospective, Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA standardized “6-Clicks” mobility score of 42.88 or higher predicted discharge to home rather than an institution for the overall sample and orthopedic, pulmonary, and other neurological groups. The score failed to reliably distinguish home from home-with-services or inpatient rehab from skilled nursing.
• PTOTCohort2022ICF-based prediction of return to work after trauma rehabilitation: Results of the icfPROreha study in patients with severe musculoskeletal injuries.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPain at rest and financial concerns at rehab admission strongly predicted failure to return to work 78 weeks after trauma. A model using these and other factors identified at-risk patients with 65.6% sensitivity, enabling early targeted intervention for delayed return to work.
• PTOther2022Effects of Walking With a Cane on Frontal Plane Hip Joint Loading in Patients With Late-Stage Unilateral Hip Osteoarthritis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 27 patients with late-stage unilateral hip OA, walking with a cane lowered pain during gait and reduced peak hip loading on the affected side. The opposite hip may carry more load.
• PTMeta-Analysis2022Effectiveness of muscle energy technique in patients with nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineMuscle energy technique reduced pain in chronic and subacute low back pain, but did not improve disability. The effect was small for chronic pain and moderate for subacute pain. Most trials had poor methodological quality, so these findings offer weak evidence for changing practice.
• PTRCT2022Comparison of Quadriceps and Hamstring Muscle Strength after Exercises with and without Blood Flow Restriction following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAfter ACL surgery, low-load knee exercises with blood flow restriction showed greater strength gains and better knee pain and function scores than higher-load exercises without restriction.
• PTOTOther2022An Early Biopsychosocial Intervention Design for the Prevention of Low Back Pain Chronicity: A Multidisciplinary Empirical Approach.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThis paper describes the design of a new multidisciplinary intervention to prevent low back pain becoming chronic. It outlines how experts created the plan using existing literature and clinical experience. No patients were treated and no outcomes were measured, so it offers no evidence that the intervention works.
• PTOTOther2022Development and validation of a military fear avoidance questionnaire.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new questionnaire helps Army clinicians spot fear avoidance in soldiers with musculoskeletal pain. It reliably tracks these concerns in a military context, offering a practical tool to guide early rehabilitation and reduce pain-related disability.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Is Exercise Beneficial in Patients with Low Back Pain? - A Cochrane Review Summary with Commentary.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise helps chronic low back pain more than doing nothing, but the benefit is small. It is slightly better than some other treatments like education or electrotherapy, but no better than manual therapy. The gains in pain and function did not reach the threshold for clinical importance.
• PTOTPilot2022Compliance with a personalised home exercise programme in chronic low back pain patients after a multidisciplinary programme: A pilot randomised controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding a personalised home exercise calendar did not improve compliance compared to standard advice alone. Both groups exercised similarly over 12 weeks. The pilot's results are unreliable due to extreme data loss, with only 15 of 30 participants completing the logbooks.
• 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.
• PTOTOther2022A comparative study of the efficacy and functionality of 10 commercially available wrist-hand orthoses in healthy females during activities of daily living.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTen commercially available prefabricated wrist-hand orthoses failed to consistently block wrist flexion or radial deviation during five common daily tasks. All orthoses increased the time required to complete activities like pouring water or turning a key, with longer devices causing the greatest delays.
• PTOTOther2022Perceived psychosocial stressors and coping resources in chronic low back pain patients as classified by the avoidance-endurance model.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesChronic back pain patients with fear-avoidance or distress-endurance patterns reported significantly more mental suffering than those with adaptive coping. Adaptive copers also had more resources like exercise and hobbies. Work and family stress levels did not differ significantly between these psychological subgroups.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Arthralgia: a map of Cochrane evidence relevant to rehabilitation for people with post COVID-19 condition.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCochrane reviews of other conditions suggest exercise, tai chi, and stimulations may reduce joint pain. Evidence is very low quality and indirect. No treatments are proven for post-COVID joint pain specifically.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Biomechanics beyond the lab: Remote technology for osteoarthritis patient data-A scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost remote biomechanics tools for osteoarthritis are only partially remote and require specialist setup, not true home use. Inertial measurement units are the most common validated technology, but lack of standardised placement methods limits data comparison across studies.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Aging Affects the Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment for Osteoarthritis.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn mice, knee injections of platelet-rich plasma from young donors protected cartilage, while plasma from older donors did not and increased inflammation. This laboratory work suggests age affects the quality of autologous plasma, but it does not test human outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2023Prevalence and determinants of hip pain in non-ambulatory cerebral palsy children: a retrospective cohort study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineHip pain was reported in 8.9% of children with severe cerebral palsy, rising to 10.9% in those with GMFCS level V. Key independent predictors were older age, female sex, higher migration percentage, and lumbar scoliosis. Pain often resolved after treatment, suggesting a need for targeted assessment rather than assuming dislocation is the sole cause.
• PTOTOther2022Design and validation of a multi-task, multi-context protocol for real-world gait simulation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA short lab protocol with varied tasks captures a wider range of walking speeds than straight walking alone. Adding complex tasks like turning and stepping over obstacles slowed people down more than simply asking them to walk slowly. The protocol was safe for people with mobility impairments.
• PTOTCohort2023Long-Term Change and Predictors of Change in Physical and Mental Function after Rehabilitation: A Multi-Centre Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation patients reported modest improvements in physical and mental function that persisted for 3 years. Patients with lower coping resources at baseline showed the greatest mental health gains, while those with higher coping resources improved more physically. Neurological patients improved more slowly than other groups.
• PTOTCohort2023Associations Between Adherence to Self-Management Activities and Change in Function and Health Outcomes in the Rehabilitation of Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients with rheumatic diseases who stuck to their self-management plans improved more in pain, fatigue, physical function, and quality of life over a year. Adherence did not predict better mental health or daily living skills. Routines were the hardest activities to keep up.
• PTOther2022Musculoskeletal disorders among secondary school teachers in Douala, Cameroon: The effect of the practice of physical activities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost teachers reported musculoskeletal pain, especially neck, lower back and shoulders. Inactive teachers were more likely to report pain in the last week than active teachers. Age was also linked to higher risk.
• PTOTSurvey2023Physical activity levels in adults with chronic low back pain: A national survey in the general Spanish population.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMost adults with chronic low back pain in Spain were not sufficiently active. Those who were least active reported more pain, greater disability and poorer mental health. This links inactivity to worse outcomes but does not prove that exercise fixes these issues.
• PTRCT2023Efficacy of therapeutic ultrasound in the treatment of chronic calcific shoulder tendinitis: a randomized trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineIn chronic calcific shoulder tendinitis, therapeutic ultrasound added to exercises reduced calcification size more than sham ultrasound added to exercises. Pain and range of motion did not show clear between-group differences.