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Women's health research

Everything we have read on women's health. 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.

137 PAPERS · PAGE 2 OF 3 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2020Sexual health and education guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePeople with spina bifida often lack specific sexual health education and face higher risks of abuse. Guidelines advise clinicians to discuss sexuality routinely, teach consent and safety skills early, and address bowel or bladder continence to support healthy relationships.
• PTCohort2021The Association of Parity with Greater Dynamic Pronation of the Feet.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationWomen with more children showed greater foot pronation during walking. This association disappeared after adjusting for age and BMI, suggesting weight and aging may drive the foot changes rather than parity itself.
• PTOTOther2021Development of a new pregnancy informational and decisional needs survey for women with physical disabilities.Disability and health journalA new survey helps clinicians understand what women with physical disabilities need when deciding about pregnancy. It covers risks, support, and provider communication. It is a tool for gathering information, not a test that scores patients or proves an intervention works.
• PTOTOther2020Common musculoskeletal impairments in postpartum runners: an international Delphi study.Archives of physiotherapyExperts agreed postpartum runners with pain commonly show abdominal, hip, and pelvic floor weakness, plus tight hip flexors. Risk factors include muscle imbalance, poor control, and returning to running too soon. This is expert opinion on what to check, not proof these causes pain.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Intergenerational Effects of Maternal Childhood Experiences on Maternal Parenting and Infant Developmental Progress.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPMothers who felt their own mothers were supportive were more likely to scaffold their infants. This scaffolding predicted better infant communication and problem-solving progress at 12 months. Adverse childhood experiences did not predict scaffolding, and maternal sensitivity did not predict developmental progress.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021A rehabilitation programme focussing on pelvic floor muscle training for persistent lumbopelvic pain after childbirth: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding biofeedback-assisted pelvic floor muscle training to standard stabilization exercises reduced pain and disability more than standard care alone at 12 weeks. However, the mental component of quality of life did not improve, suggesting physical symptoms respond better than psychological well-being.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Physical health of autistic girls and women: a scoping review.Molecular autismAutistic girls and women report more physical health problems than autistic boys and men, with epilepsy and endocrine issues like PCOS standing out. This pattern may reflect under-diagnosis in males or higher biological risk in females, rather than a simple prevalence difference.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Risk factors in early life for developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyPreterm birth and male sex are the strongest early risk factors for developmental coordination disorder. Children born before 32 weeks face a substantially higher risk. Accumulated neonatal complications and brain lesions also increase risk, but most other factors show inconsistent or weak associations.
• PTNarrative Review2021Physiotherapy and pelvic floor health within a contemporary biopsychosocial model of care: From research to education and clinical practice.The South African journal of physiotherapyPelvic floor muscle training can improve or cure urinary incontinence in women. Most pelvic health research still focuses on physical function, not mood, work, communication or tailored care.
• PTOTRCT2021Exoskeleton gait training to improve lower urinary tract function in people with motor-complete spinal cord injury: A randomized pilot trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExoskeleton walking was feasible for people with complete spinal cord injury, with high adherence and one minor adverse event. Urinary function changes were minor and variable, though incontinence improved in the Lokomat group. No clear benefit for bladder health was established.
• PTOTCohort2021Temporal trends in trunk flexor endurance and intra-abdominal pressure in postpartum women.Physiotherapy theory and practiceTrunk flexor endurance improved over the first postpartum year, but intra-abdominal pressure decreased. Women who were older and had lower body weight, BMI, or waist circumference in early postpartum were most likely to show this recovery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Continuity of primary care and prenatal care adequacy among women with disabilities in Ontario: A population-based cohort study.Disability and health journalWomen with disabilities who lacked a consistent primary care provider before pregnancy were more likely to have inadequate prenatal care. They also had higher odds of late entry into care and receiving intensive prenatal visits clustered late in pregnancy, rather than timely, consistent monitoring.
• PTRCT2021Effects of inner muscle resistance exercise on stress urinary incontinence: a randomized clinical controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceStress urinary incontinence was reported cured in 14 of 16 women after transverse abdominal plus pelvic-floor co-contraction with Thera-band resistance and 11 of 16 after pelvic-floor exercise alone, but the paper did not report whether that difference was more than chance.
• PTPilot2021Measurement reliability and cooperative movement of the pelvic floor and transverse abdominal muscles.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn seven healthy women, ultrasound reliably measured pelvic floor and abdominal muscle thickness. Co-contracting the transverse abdominal and pelvic floor muscles produced greater bladder floor elevation than contracting either alone. This suggests these muscles work together, but the study was too small to prove clinical benefit.
• PTCase-Control2021Analysis of the relationship between the transversus abdominis and lower back pain using an ultrasound.Journal of physical therapy sciencePeople with chronic low back pain had thinner abdominal muscles when contracting them with their pelvic floor compared to pain-free people. However, the test was poor at identifying patients, missing half of them. This measurement is not yet a reliable diagnostic tool.
• PTOTCohort2021Effects of yoga on the intervention of levator ani hiatus in postpartum women: a prospective study.Journal of physical therapy sciencePostpartum women doing yoga from week 1 to 12 showed a smaller levator ani hiatus area at week 12 than controls at rest and during straining, but no difference in muscle contraction. This suggests yoga may help pelvic floor structure recover, though long-term effects are unknown.
• PTCase-Control2022Association Among Pelvic Girdle Pain, Diastasis Recti Abdominis, Pubic Symphysis Width, and Pain Catastrophizing: A Matched Case-Control Study.Physical therapyWider pubic symphysis and wider abdominal muscle separation during a curl-up were associated with postpartum pelvic girdle pain. Pain catastrophizing, linea alba stability, and abdominal separation at rest were not.
• PTQualitative2022Women's experiences of obstetric anal sphincter injury and physical therapy interventions - A qualitative study.Brazilian journal of physical therapyWomen recovering from severe childbirth tears felt vulnerable and lost when hospital information was contradictory. They found safety and empowerment only when a specialist physical therapist used visual models to explain the injury and guided them through pelvic floor exercises.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2022High-Risk Preterm Infant Born to a Mother With COVID-19: A Case Report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA preterm infant born to a mother with COVID-19 tested negative after birth and had age-appropriate motor skills, but language and self-care lagged. This describes one child's course, not evidence that any intervention worked.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Reproductive and pregnancy health care for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDWomen with intellectual disabilities receive less sexual education and later prenatal care than peers. Midwife and doula support shows promise for improving care, but providers often lack specific training. Current health systems frequently fail to adapt to these patients' needs.
• PTSurvey2022Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training in People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with spinal cord injury know about pelvic floor muscle training and want to learn more, but very few have actually done it. Most said a clinician never discussed it with them, and men were less likely to know how to access it than women.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Impact of social-, health-, and disability-related factors on pregnancy outcomes in women with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A population-based latent class analysis.Disability and health journalWomen with intellectual disabilities face higher pregnancy risks, but the level depends on their specific profile. Those with significant medical, psychiatric, and physical comorbidities had the greatest risk of complications like preterm birth and caesarean delivery.
• PTOther2022Effects of motor stimulation of the tibial nerve on corticospinal excitability of abductor hallucis and pelvic floor muscles.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTibial nerve stimulation increased brain-to-muscle signals in the foot muscle it directly innervates, but not in the pelvic floor. Neither continuous nor intermittent patterns differed in effect. This suggests no immediate cortical boost to pelvic floor muscles via this specific nerve stimulation.
• PTOTOther2022Analysis of sagittal thoracolumbar spine and hip joint movements during sit-to-stand using a 2D image analysis freeware.Journal of physical therapy scienceFree 2D video software matches 3D motion capture for overall trunk angles and hip-spine coordination during sit-to-stand, but individual spine and hip angles differ before standing up. It reliably detects the altered movement patterns in late pregnancy that total trunk angle misses.
• PTOther2022Maximizing Recovery in the Postpartum Period: A Timeline for Rehabilitation from Pregnancy through Return to Sport.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper proposes a timeline for exercise and return to sport after pregnancy, but it is a clinical commentary, not a study. It offers no new evidence on whether these guidelines work or are safe, so there are no findings here to change your practice.
• PTCohort2022Can Clinical Postpartum Muscle Assessment Help Predict the Severity of Postpartum Pelvic Girdle Pain? A Prospective Cohort Study.Physical therapyAt 2 to 3 months postpartum, women with a strong pelvic floor muscle contraction on vaginal palpation had lower pelvic girdle pain scores. A diastasis recti abdominis width of 35 mm or more was linked to higher scores in a sub-analysis.
• PTOther2022Diastasis recti in the Beninese population: Cross-sectional study from normal values to diagnosis.The South African journal of physiotherapyIn Beninese postpartum women, a slack linea alba detected by palpation was linked to weaker abdominal muscles and endurance, even when the muscle gap measured by calipers was below the standard threshold for diastasis recti. Palpation should be used alongside gap measurement to identify women needing rehabilitation.
• PTNarrative Review2023Assisted reproductive technology: Short- and long-term outcomes.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMultiple embryo transfer and preterm birth carry the clearest neurodevelopmental risk in ART-conceived children, not ART alone. Neurodevelopmental outcomes are mostly reassuring.
• PTCase Report2023The "Mother Load" and Return to Sport: A Case Report of Returning to Professional Netball Following Cesarean Section.International journal of sports physical therapyA professional netballer returned to full match play 16 weeks after a cesarean section. She completed a staged, multidisciplinary program focusing on pelvic floor muscle training, abdominal control, and wound healing. No injuries or new pelvic floor dysfunction were reported at six months.
• PTNarrative Review2023Female reproductive health impacts of Long COVID and associated illnesses including ME/CFS, POTS, and connective tissue disorders: a literature review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with long COVID often report menstrual irregularities and symptom flares before or during periods. Related conditions such as ME/CFS, POTS, and EDS show similar reproductive health problems, but evidence is mostly surveys and case reports.
• PTRCT2023Duration of Electro-Dry Needling Does Not Change the Pain Response After Repeated Nociceptive Thermal Stimuli in Asymptomatic Individuals: A Randomized Intervention Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationElectro-dry needling reduced pain sensitivity in healthy adults, but the duration of treatment made no difference. Whether needles were left in for 10 minutes or 30 minutes, the immediate reduction in pain response was the same.
• PTSurvey2023Practitioner's knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices towards urinary incontinence.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost primary care practitioners in the Western Cape did not routinely screen women for urinary incontinence. They rarely used bladder diaries and almost never referred patients to physiotherapists, despite knowing pelvic floor muscle training is an initial treatment option.
• PTOther2023Novice Inter-Rater Reliability on the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) After a 4-Hour Training Session.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter just four hours of training, physical therapy students scored the same patients very differently on the SFMA checklist, and both missed more movement problems than an expert. A single short course does not make a clinician reliable at this screen.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023The impact of pregnancy on women with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a scoping review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePregnancy does not cause average curve progression in treated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, but some women progress regardless. Back pain is common but rarely severe. Surgical patients face higher caesarean rates and difficult epidurals, though analgesia is usually eventually achieved.
• PTSystematic Review2023Psychological consequences of female genital mutilation: A mixed-method systematic review.The South African journal of physiotherapySevere female genital mutilation is linked to higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, and somatisation, but depression findings are inconsistent. Cultural context heavily shapes these outcomes, with some women reporting relief or belonging rather than distress. Clinical exams can trigger trauma memories.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Achieving Functional Goals During a Skilled Nursing Facility Stay: A National Study of Medicare Beneficiaries.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationFewer than half of skilled nursing facility residents met their documented discharge goals for self-care and mobility. Residents aged 90+, those with cognitive impairment, amputations, or incontinence had significantly lower odds of meeting these goals compared to younger, orthopedic patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Changes in postpartum insurance and care use by disability status during the COVID-19 pandemic.Disability and health journalDuring the pandemic, postpartum Medicaid coverage rose and uninsurance fell for people with disabilities. However, this did not lead to more postpartum visits or contraceptive care compared to people without disabilities. Coverage gains alone did not close the gap in care use.
• PTCohort2023Relationship Between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Postpartum Diastasis Recti Abdominis in Women in the First Year Postdelivery.Physical therapyWomen with gestational diabetes were more likely to have postpartum diastasis recti and wider upper abdominal separation. Rectus abdominis strength was not different.
• PTSurvey2024Causation in cerebral palsy: Parental beliefs and associated emotions.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents who thought lack of oxygen, brain damage or medical intervention during birth caused their child's CP were more likely to report anger and confusion. 92% said it was important to understand the cause.
• PTOTCohort2024The Impact of Exercising on Pelvic Symptom Severity, Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength, and Diastasis Recti Abdominis After Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study.Physical therapyWomen who exercised low-impact at least twice weekly in the first 3 months postpartum reported less pelvic girdle pain than those who did not. However, non-exercisers saw their stress urinary incontinence worsen over the year. Pelvic floor strength and abdominal separation improved in all groups, regardless of exercise level.
• PTSurvey2024Screening for Incidence and Effect of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in College-Aged Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyOlder athletes, swimmers, and those reporting more pelvic-floor knowledge had higher symptom scores. Of 53 college athletes, 13 scored 3 or more; 92.3% of them had abnormal pelvic-floor muscle activity, and 69% reported embarrassment, anxiety/worry and annoyance while 77% reported personal-life impact.
• PTCase Series2024A Pre and Postnatal Physical Therapy Protocol for Recreational Athletes: A Case Series.International journal of sports physical therapyAll six recreational athlete mothers returned to desired running or group fitness without pain, urinary dysfunction, or prolapse and improved function and urinary distress scores after physical therapy visits, a home exercise program, and individualized pelvic floor care.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Neurological examination of healthy term infants at ages 6 and 10 weeks in Tshwane District.The South African journal of physiotherapyHealthy infants in South Africa showed rapid neurological maturation between 6 and 10 weeks, including better head control and visual tracking. Most scored within normal ranges on the Hammersmith exam, providing local benchmark data to help identify early developmental risks.
• PTOTCohort2025Disability severity and risk of new or recurrent intimate partner violence - Evidence from a cohort study in rural Pakistan.Disability and health journalIn rural Pakistan, mothers with medium or high disability severity faced a higher risk of psychological, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence in the following year compared to those with low severity. The risk was elevated for all violence types, suggesting disability severity predicts future IPV.
• PTSystematic Review2024Evidence evaluation of acupuncture and its related therapies for female urinary incontinence: an overview and quality assessment of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAcupuncture was reported better than sham or other treatments for female urinary incontinence in seven reviews, but evidence quality ranged from moderate to very low. Consider it possible adjunct, not replacement for pelvic floor training.
• PTOTOther2024Evidence based clinical practice guideline for follow-up care in persons with spinal cord injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA new guideline recommends spinal cord injury follow-up care at 3, 6, and 12 months post-rehab, then annually. It urges checking for secondary conditions like pain, bladder issues, and mobility changes, though the evidence behind these schedules is currently low.
• PTOTPilot2024Virtual Assessment of Functional Mobility in Lower Extremity Prosthesis Clients: An Exploratory Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTwelve lower-limb prosthesis users completed a virtual mobility test at home. Their self-reported function scores matched the timed Up and Go results. A faster Up and Go time predicted a higher self-rated ability to handle daily activities.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024The effects of rehabilitation potential on activities of daily living in patients with stroke in Taiwan: a prospective longitudinal study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineDaily living improved most before discharge, then flattened. Better swallowing, lower-limb strength and motivation, plus no incontinence or moderate cognitive impairment, were linked with higher daily living scores.
• PTCohort2025Increasing prevalence of cerebral palsy in children born very preterm in Denmark.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCP prevalence among Danish children born very preterm increased by 3.5% annually from 2003 to 47.8 per 1000 live births in 2013, while neonatal mortality fell. This is a population trend, not evidence that therapy changes CP risk.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Characterizing self-reported physical activity before and during a subsequent pregnancy among parents in a familial autism cohort.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMost parents of autistic children miss exercise targets, dropping to under 10% during pregnancy. While child autism traits did not predict overall activity levels, mothers of children with higher trait scores were nearly three times as likely to stop vigorous exercise when pregnant.