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 37 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTNarrative Review2026Missed opportunities in post-total knee arthroplasty rehabilitation in Indonesia: a narrative review of insurance-driven delays in functional recovery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIndonesia’s national insurance caps physiotherapy at two sessions weekly and requires administrative steps that delay start-up. This prevents patients from receiving the early, intensive rehabilitation needed to regain knee motion and strength after total knee replacement.
• PTOTCase Report2026Robotic exoskeleton rehabilitation in incomplete L2 paraplegia: functional gains contrast with metabolic challenges - a multidimensional case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne young man with incomplete paraplegia gained function and bone density over six months of exoskeleton training. However, his visceral fat rose sharply and muscle asymmetry worsened. This single case shows functional gains can coexist with metabolic decline and uneven recovery.
• PTOther2026Muscle synergy asymmetry between the affected and unaffected limbs during the stance phase in unilateral flatfoot.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with one flat foot showed different muscle coordination patterns on the affected side compared to the unaffected side. The affected limb relied more on the inner calf muscle, while the unaffected limb relied more on the front shin muscle. Both sides maintained similar overall stability.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Adipose-derived and bone marrow aspirate concentrate injections for osteoarthritis: A scoping review.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationAdipose and bone marrow injections showed mixed results versus PRP, saline, steroids or exercise in trials, and most evidence is observational with inconsistent methods, so they cannot be recommended as proven better treatments.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Nanomaterial-enabled physical rehabilitation: mechanisms, evidence, and translational pathways.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNanomaterials can localize heat, sound, or magnetic fields to target pain and tissue repair more precisely than current modalities. However, this remains preclinical. Long-term safety data for repeated exposure is missing, so there are no clinical protocols to adopt yet.
• PTSLPSystematic Review2026The adoption of innovative technologies in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine: state of the art and unmet needs.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineMost mapped rehabilitation technology studies covered neurological conditions and motor recovery. Virtual reality, non-invasive brain stimulation, robotics and tele-rehabilitation were common, but quality appraisal was absent.
• PTCohort2025Musculoskeletal Injuries and Illness in Professional British Tennis Players: An Injury Surveillance Study.International journal of sports physical therapyAmong 33 players, medical illness was the most frequent problem, wrist injuries were the most common ongoing issue, and ankle injuries had the highest average time lost or modified per injury.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Postoperative education for patients after hip/knee arthroplasty: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Archives of physiotherapyPostoperative education after hip or knee replacement showed no meaningful benefit over usual care for pain, function, or quality of life. It may slightly reduce anxiety and depression, but evidence is low certainty. Do not rely on it alone to improve physical recovery.
• PTRCT2026Effectiveness of a Physical Therapist-Administered Physical Activity Intervention After Total Knee Replacement: A Randomized Trial.Physical therapyAdding Fitbit step goals to standard physical therapy after knee replacement did not increase moderate-to-vigorous activity more than therapy alone. Both groups improved similarly over six months. Step goals alone may not be enough to change high-intensity movement in this population.
• PTOTCohort2026Capacity Versus Performance of Volitional Head Turns After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationPeople with mild traumatic brain injury turned their heads slower in the lab but not in daily life. However, their daily head movements were far less variable than healthy controls. Lab tests did not predict daily behavior. Wearables reveal deficits in movement flexibility that standard tests miss.
• PTNarrative Review2026Neuro-immune contributors to persistent musculoskeletal pain: from mechanisms to clinical assessment and management.Musculoskeletal science & practiceThis review outlines how nerve and immune system interactions may contribute to persistent musculoskeletal pain. It summarises existing evidence on assessment tools like bedside testing and imaging, but reports no new clinical trial results or patient outcomes.
• PTMeta-Analysis2025Is resistance training with external loads superior to unloaded exercise in the management of chronic low back pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.Archives of physiotherapyAdding external load to exercise for chronic low back pain did not clearly reduce pain or disability compared to unloaded exercise. While loaded training improved back muscle endurance, these physical gains did not consistently translate into better symptom relief for patients.
• PTOther2025No Difference in Static Postural Stability Bilaterally or Versus Control at 12 Weeks after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyAt 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction, single-leg static balance was no worse in the operated leg than the other leg or healthy controls. This test alone does not show full recovery.
• PTOTPilot2026Accuracy in the Estimation of Self-Reported Knee Brace Wear Time in Young Adults With a Symptomatic Knee Following ACL Reconstruction: Secondary Analysis of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesSelf-reported knee brace wear time varied widely from sensor data day-to-day, with differences up to 3.5 hours. However, averaging self-reports over the entire 6-week period or using 7-day rolling averages significantly improved accuracy compared to daily logs.
• PTOther2026Validation of the 10-Item Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS-10) for Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyThe 10-item LEFS matched the full 20-item version and was stable over 7 days in 100 Brazilian Portuguese-speaking adults with knee osteoarthritis. A change of 3 points or more is considered meaningful.
• PTOTCohort2025Relationship between musculoskeletal factors in the shoulder and upper limb function in patients with stroke: A cross-sectional study.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoIn chronic stroke, a wider shoulder gap and thinner supraspinatus and deltoid muscles on the affected side correlated with slower hand function and lower manual ability scores. These structural changes tracked with functional limits, but the study shows association only, not that treating them restores function.
• PTCase Report2026Rehabilitation Incorporating a Stroke Efficiency Analysis in a Male Tennis Player with Scapular Dyskinesis: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA tennis coach with shoulder pain and scapular dyskinesis completed 20 physical therapy sessions over four months. His pain dropped to 0/10, and he returned to serving and coaching without symptoms at six-month follow-up.
• PTOther2026Knee-Related Function and Psychological Aspects After ACL Reconstruction Among Individuals With and Without Kinesiophobia: A Mixed-Methods Study.International journal of sports physical therapyPatients with high fear of movement reported significantly worse knee-related quality of life than those with low fear, despite similar physical function scores. Both groups experienced fear and activity avoidance, but those with high fear showed less confidence and fewer coping strategies.
• PTOther2026Clinical Utility of the Japanese Version of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score for Detecting Upper Extremity Dysfunction in High-School Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyHigh school baseball players who reported symptoms had lower J-KJOC scores than asymptomatic players. A cutoff of 87.6 points helped identify symptomatic players, while physical measures did not separate the groups.
• PTOther2025Isokinetic evaluation of knee muscles and correlation of maximum torque of the extensors of the operated knee with thigh circumference in soccer players 2 years after ACL reconstruction: A cross-sectional study.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoTwo years after ACL reconstruction, operated knees had lower extensor torque at 60, 180 and 300 degrees per second, but not at 400 or 500 degrees per second. Non-operated thighs were larger at 20 cm, and size tracked extensor torque.
• PTNarrative Review2026Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Knee Menisci.International journal of sports physical therapyNo patients or outcomes are reported. This review explains knee meniscus ultrasound scanning.
• PTSystematic Review2026Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation Utilizing Gait Metrics as Outcomes - A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyFew studies test gait-targeted rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction. Some acute changes occurred, but several programs followed up for two years did not improve walking mechanics. There is no standard gait intervention ready for routine practice.
• PTCohort2026More Frequent Empathic Communication by Physical Therapists Is Associated With Improved Outcomes for Low-Impact Chronic Pain.Physical therapyPatients whose physical therapists responded to their emotional concerns more often reported lower pain intensity and interference, and their pain fell faster over six weeks. It was an observational study of 31 patients in one clinic, so causation cannot be assumed.
• PTPilot2026Effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation prior to walking on step time and trunk acceleration during the first five steps of walking initiation: a preliminary study in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults who heard nine beats of their own walking rhythm before setting off took their first five steps with more even timing and steadier sideways and forward trunk movement than when they started on the first beat. Seventeen healthy young adults, no patients.
• PTQualitative2026"It's an Uncomfortable Subject"-a Qualitative Exploration of the Challenges and Potential Solutions to Depression Screening in Low Back Pain.Physical therapyMSK triage physiotherapists described hinting at mood rather than naming depression, citing 15-20 minute appointments, no training, no clear referral route and fear of what a disclosure would uncover. They wanted training, defined pathways and brief tools so screening became as routine as red flags.
• PTNarrative Review2026Mechano responsiveness of neuroimmune cross-talk in bone and joints: A narrative review with implications for force-based manipulations.Musculoskeletal science & practicePhysical activity and loading exercise are the best-supported way to build bone. Hands-on treatments such as massage, acupuncture and spinal manipulation change some blood chemicals tied to bone turnover, but almost no human study checked whether the bone itself improves.
• PTOTOther2026Psychosocial Factors Are Rarely the Focus of Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture: A Short Report of Routinely Collected Health Data.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyIn 100 people rehabilitating after hip fracture, only 4 of 231 therapy goals were about psychosocial functioning, and only 3 patients had such a goal. Of 17 screened as at risk of anxiety or depression, 9 had nothing documented to address it.
• PTOTRCT2026Predictors of Functional Recovery in Individuals Exposed to Late-Stage Exercise Programs After Total Knee Replacement: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Physical therapyFour months after knee replacement, better self-rated health, going home rather than to rehab after surgery and higher knee pain scores predicted who recovered function six months later. Nothing predicted recovery in the community exercise group, likely because too few people improved.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026Addressing Shoulder Weakness in Individuals With Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyExercise-based rehabilitation improved shoulder strength in people with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain, with the largest gains when strengthening was the main focus. The review could not compare one programme against another, and about four in ten studies were at high risk of bias.
• PTCohort2026Psychological mediators in chronic spinal pain after fully remote digital rehabilitation: a real-world, large-sample study.Physical therapyAmong 14,818 people with long-standing back or neck pain in a remote app-based program, those whose fear avoidance, depression and anxiety improved most also reported the lowest pain at the end. There was no comparison group, so this is an association, not proof the program works.
• PTOTOther2026Feasibility of the Meta Quest 3 for upper limb kinematic analysis: accuracy, consistency, agreement and reliability.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThe Meta Quest 3 headset tracked wrist movement closely enough to match a laboratory motion capture system for movement time and speed in 39 healthy adults. Smoothness measures varied too much between repeats to be trusted, and vertical tasks tracked worse than horizontal ones.
• PTOther2026Biomechanical effects of passive exosuit assistance on tibiofemoral loading and dynamic stability during downhill walking.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPassive exosuit assistance during downhill walking cut the accumulated load on the knee over stance by about 7%, and people adopted shorter, faster, wider steps. Peak knee force was unchanged, and most of the load reduction tracked the shorter steps.
• PTSurvey2026Learning, Communication, and Use of Evidence Based Practice in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation: An Exploratory Survey of French Physiotherapists.International journal of sports physical therapyPhysiotherapists qualified 5 years or less were more likely to use PubMed than those qualified more than 15 years. Lack of time was the main barrier to training, and email or messaging apps the usual way to reach other professionals. Only 62 replied.
• PTSurvey2026Utilization of Imaging in Young Athletes with Low Back Pain.International journal of sports physical therapyMost sports medicine physicians surveyed (68% of 397) order lumbar X-rays at the first visit for a young athlete with extension-based back pain, and 13.1% order MRI, CT or SPECT then as well. This is what they report doing, not evidence that imaging helps.
• PTCohort2026Evaluation of Reactive Strength Index During Single-Limb Vertical Jumps and Isokinetic Strength Five to Eight Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyIn athletes after hamstring-graft ACL reconstruction, reactive strength on single-leg jumps tracked quadriceps strength at five and seven months but not by eight months. Jump symmetry stayed below the return-to-sport threshold.
• PTCase Report2026A Multimodal Approach for the Management of Moderate Hip Osteoarthritis in A Runner: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyHip pain dropped from 61 to 52 out of 100 and function improved from 32 to 50 out of 80 after six weeks of manual therapy, exercise and graded running. This is one 75-year-old runner, so it cannot show the programme works.
• PTNarrative Review2026Current Concepts in Hip and Core Assessment to Reduce the Risk of ACL Injury.International journal of sports physical therapy
• PTSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review of Post-Procedural Rehabilitation Protocols following Percutaneous Needle Tenotomy and Ultrasonic Debridement for Gluteal, Proximal Hamstring, and Patellar Tendinopathy.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAfter needle tenotomy or ultrasonic debridement for gluteal, hamstring or patellar tendinopathy, 27 studies show no agreed rehabilitation protocol: 70% restricted exercise, 44% gave a structured programme, and none set return-to-play criteria.
• PTOther2026The relationship between clinical outcomes and gait biomechanics in individuals with plantar fasciitis.Archives of physiotherapyIn plantar fasciitis, how far the ankle bends and how well someone balances were linked to walking speed, while heel pain was not. The authors suggest calf stretching and balance training as targets, but this study cannot show they improve anything.
• PTPilot2026A Pilot Study of a Synchronous Virtual Ultrasound Imaging Module for Physiotherapy Education.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyA one-hour virtual ultrasound session raised physiotherapy students' written test scores by a mean of 3.55 points out of 12, and a blinded expert scored their shoulder images at 69% of the maximum. With no control group, this shows feasibility rather than competence.
• PTQualitative2026Primary care provider attitudes regarding physical therapists addressing opioid use and opioid misuse: a qualitative study.Physical therapyPrimary care providers welcomed physical therapists screening for opioid misuse, educating patients about opioid risks, and suggesting dose reductions, but most wanted to hear from the therapist first and wanted positive screens sent back to them.
• PTNarrative Review2026Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy with Haglund's Deformity: A Progressive Approach to Post-Operative Rehabilitation in Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyNot a study. This is a clinical commentary proposing a five-stage post-operative rehabilitation programme after Haglund's deformity removal and Achilles debridement in athletes. It reports no patients and no outcomes, so nothing here is evidence the protocol works.
• PTCase Series2026ACL Rehabilitation Plateaus Across Athlete Populations: Two Case Reports and a Clinical Framework for Identifying Functional Stagnation.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo athletes stalled in ACL rehabilitation despite adhering to their programs. One avoided heavy weights and stayed more than 25% weaker on the operated leg, returning only to recreational play. The other lost three months of rehab, then got back to competitive football.
• PTSystematic Review2026Variability in Terminal Phase Timing and Return-to-Sport Criteria in ACL Reconstruction Rehabilitation Protocols: A Scoping Review of U.S. Academic Institutions.International journal of sports physical therapyFewer than half of 119 publicly posted ACL rehabilitation protocols say what a patient must pass before returning to sport, and those that do disagree on the tests and thresholds. Where an end point is given, the final phase finishes at about seven months.
• PTOther2026Don't Underestimate Pain on Palpation in the Clinical Exam for Achilles Tendinopathy.International journal of sports physical therapyOnly pain felt when the tendon is squeezed between finger and thumb tracked with worse tendon structure on ultrasound. Pressure pain threshold, hopping pain and the VISA-A questionnaire did not.
• PTQualitative2026Key determinants for successful lifestyle change to address chronic musculoskeletal pain: The patient's perspective.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and metabolic disease said pain and limited mobility blocked lifestyle change, but many of those same patients called moving more the change that helped most. Pain-safe exercise instruction, concrete food swaps and accountability from clinicians were what carried them.
• PTCase Report2026Multiligamentous Knee Reconstruction Complicated by Septic Arthritis Following Cosmetic Surgery, A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA recreational athlete's knee reconstruction was complicated by septic arthritis 11 days after elective cosmetic surgery, yet she returned to interval jogging by 16 weeks and coaching gymnastics by 6.5 months. One person, so nothing here proves the rehab protocol works.
• PTOther2026Reliability of a Novel Qualitative Assessment Tool for Evaluating a Run Plant Task.International journal of sports physical therapyA video checklist for judging trunk and leg alignment during a run-and-plant task was not reliable enough to guide decisions about an athlete on its own. Raters agreed moderately on two items: trunk-in-line-with-shin and the foot pointing inwards.
• PTOTOther2025Factors influencing return to work after rotator cuff surgery: A scoping review.Work (Reading, Mass.)80.72% of workers returned to work after rotator cuff surgery, on average 6.2 months later, across 21 studies. Heavy manual work predicted lower and slower return; lighter duties predicted faster return. No single factor decided the outcome.
• PTCohort2025A brief work-oriented intervention targeting musculoskeletal and mental health disorders: Exploring work disability outcomes in a prospective study.Work (Reading, Mass.)Overall the programme did not cut disability pensions. People referred within the first month of sick leave were more likely to end up on one than sick-listed people not referred. Lower risk appeared only around three to six months of sick leave.