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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 41 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2026Cross cultural adaptation of the TENDINopathy severity assessment - Achilles (TENDINS-A) for Spanish speaking populations.Musculoskeletal science & practiceA Spanish version of the TENDINS-A Achilles tendinopathy questionnaire shows good reliability and validity in 90 Spanish-speaking adults, but the Pain sub-score is less reliable and it failed to distinguish patients who consider their symptoms acceptable from those who do not.
• PTSystematic Review2026Clinical practice guideline for physical therapist management of total knee arthroplasty: revision 2026.Physical therapyThe revised TKA guideline tells PTs to do prehab, progressive strength training, and NMES, and to stop using CPM, bracing, and splinting. Start therapy within 24 hours of surgery. No single ROM exercise method beats another.
• PTOther2026Reliability and Construct Validity of the Six-Minute Step Test in Individuals With Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyThe six-minute step test reliably measures stepping performance and clearly separates people with chronic low back pain from healthy controls (37 fewer steps). It is a practical stepping test, not a measure of aerobic fitness.
• PTSystematic Review2026Summary of the best evidence on blood flow restriction training for patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn evidence summary of 18 sources supports using blood flow restriction with low-load exercise (20–40% 1RM) for post-ACL-surgery patients who can't tolerate heavy lifting. Protocols are practical but rest on small, hard-to-blind trials. Treat as a useful option, not a proven standard.
• PTOther2026Unveiling the hidden dynamics: patellar support tissue alterations in post-stroke rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 70 stroke patients, ultrasound showed the soft tissues around the knee patella differ between the affected and unaffected sides, with the pattern changing after 60 days. Both legs need targeted attention in knee rehabilitation, not just the weak side.
• PTOther2026Diagnostic Dilemma: Testing to Differentiate UCL Sprains From Flexor-Pronator Elbow Strains in the Overhead Athlete.International journal of sports physical therapyA clinical commentary from a sports medicine center describing how to physically examine an overhead athlete's elbow to tell a UCL sprain apart from a flexor-pronator strain. No study was conducted; it is expert opinion on examination technique.
• PTSystematic Review2026Functional rehabilitation strategies for enhancing neuromuscular control after ACL reconstruction: A systematic review.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoNine small trials suggest jump training and aquatic exercises improve muscle coordination after ACL surgery, and blood flow restriction may protect early strength. Most findings rest on a single trial, so treat these as promising, not proven.
• PTOther2026Shoulder Internal and External Rotator Strength Reliability and Validity in Healthy Adolescent Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyHandheld dynamometry gives a usable number for shoulder internal rotator strength in teen athletes (prone or supine), but its external rotator readings are unreliable in every position tested. Do not use HHD external-rotator numbers to clear a young athlete back to throwing.
• PTNarrative Review2026Return to Golf Rehabilitation Progression after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using an Evidence-Based Foundation.International journal of sports physical therapyA proposed six-phase return-to-golf framework after ACL reconstruction, built from biomechanics and rehab literature. It is not validated. The authors call for a prospective pilot study before it can guide practice.
• PTQualitative2026Patients' Mental Barriers in Rehabilitation after ACL Reconstruction: A Qualitative Interview Study.International journal of sports physical therapyNine patients 5–9 months post-ACL surgery describe readiness as a shifting process, not a fixed milestone. Their physical therapist is the main psychological anchor, yet they don't recognise that support as psychological. Ask about fear and confidence, not just strength.
• PTCase Report2026Calcific Patellar Tendinopathy. A Case Report Integrating Diagnostic Ultrasound Throughout a Multi-Modal Treatment Approach.International journal of sports physical therapyOne 46-year-old woman with calcific patellar tendinopathy improved in pain, function, and tendon ultrasound appearance over 11 months using dry needling, spinal manipulation, and progressive exercise together. This is a single case, not proof the approach works, and no component can be isolated.
• PTCohort2026Isokinetic Quadriceps and Hamstring Peak Torque in Athletes Aged 10-50+: Preoperative Uninvolved Limb Reference Values for ACL Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 321 athletes scheduled for ACL surgery, quadriceps and hamstring strength (adjusted for body weight) declined with age, but the hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio stayed stable. The widely used 3.0 Nm/kg strength target may not fit patients outside their 20s.
• PTNarrative Review2026Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Glenoid Labrum.International journal of sports physical therapyThis is a technique guide for using musculoskeletal ultrasound to look at the shoulder labrum. It describes anatomy, scanning positions, and what normal versus torn tissue looks like on screen. It reports no patient data and no outcomes.
• PTPilot2026Intelligent Robot-Aided, Task-Oriented Physiotherapy Method for Upper Limb Rehabilitation: Development and Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA robot that adjusts its help based on your performance produced at least as much muscle activation as a fixed-assistance robot, and more than a physiotherapist's hands. But this was one session in 34 mixed patients. No proof yet it improves recovery.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026The short-term efficacy of heat therapy for osteoarthritis of the hands: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHeat therapy for hand osteoarthritis reduces short-term pain and improves grip strength, but does not improve overall hand function scores. Multimodal approaches (paraffin, mud baths) outperformed simple heat. Based on 9 trials with 627 patients.