Article Title: Strength Training: A Game Changer in Neurological Rehabilitation
Author: Roberto Tedeschi
Publish Date: 14 October 2024
Journal: Springer Nature Link, Neurological Sciences
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This article details how strength training can aid the recovery of those with neurological issues. The author contrasts past methods of neurological rehabilitation to strength training, noting that this novel method leads to many benefits throughout recovery (Tedeschi, 2024).
Article Title: Exploration of Collaborative Goal Setting in Occupational Therapy for Adults with Aphasia
Author: Anne Escher, Arti Gandhi, Sue Berger
Publish Date: January 2025
Journal: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This article describes the importance of collaborative goal setting for patients with aphasia, a communicative disorder that often impacts social activity and mental wellbeing (Escher et al., 2025). Authors researched four stroke victims to evaluate how collaborative goal setting in occupational therapy may improve symptoms of aphasia.
Article Title: Supporting Long-Term Meaningful Outcomes in Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Vivian Fu, Stephanie Thompson, Nicole Kayes, Felicity Bright
Publish Date: February 2025
Journal: Springer, Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This article emphasizes the need for a whole-person approach to stroke rehabilitation and recovery. Traditional therapy focuses on delivering as much treatment as possible to ensure that a timely discharge can be deemed ‘safe’, however, these methods do not account for long-term outcomes that are meaningful to stroke victims. The article calls for supporting mental-wellbeing, cultural considerations, and self-management interventions post-stroke. (Fu et. al., 2025)
Article Title: Philosophy and Clinical Reasoning in Rehabilitation Sciences: Bridging the Gap
Authors: Davide Rosa, Daniele Chiffi, Mattia Andreoletti
Publish Date: December 2024
Journal: Springer, Global Philosophy
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This paper integrates insights from medical philosophy to offer a multidisciplinary perspective on the role of rehabilitation within healthcare. This article addresses clinical reasoning in the field of rehabilitation sciences, exploring its focus on improving quality of life and overall function through diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. (Rosa et al., 2024)
Article Title: Social Work Practice and Outcomes in Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review
Authors: Nadja Freymuller, Tobias Knoop, Thorston Meyer-Feil
Publish Date: November 2024
Journal: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Science
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This paper reviews international research on the interaction between social work and the rehabilitation process, examining work-related activities and reported outcomes. The article analyzes 66 studies and found that social workers in rehabilitation settings primarily engaged with aiding in the social environment, financial security, work-related issues, and other aspects for patients during recovery. The article demonstrates that social work can play a vital role during rehabilitation, but more research is needed to identify the effectiveness of social work interventions. (Freymuller et al., 2024)
Article Title: Changes in COPD-related anxiety symptoms during pulmonary rehabilitation: a prospective quantitative and qualitative study.
Authors: Ingeborg Farver-Vestergaard, Eva-Holmegaard Buksted, Dorthe Sørensen, Sune Jonstrup, Henrik Hansen, Camilla Fische Christiansen, Anders Løkke
Publish Date: August 2024
Journal: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Science
Access: McMaster University Library
Short Summary: This study examined changes in and management of COPD-related anxiety during a 9-week pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program by collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Among a sample of COPD patients, a significant but small reduction in anxiety was observed, though it was not linked to improvements in disability, quality of life, or exercise capacity. Qualitative interviews with 13 patients identified four anxiety management strategies: planning, problem-solving, accepting, and confronting, influenced by interactions with healthcare professionals and peers. (Farver-Vestergaard et al., 2024)
Article Title: Effect of a telerehabilitation exercise program versus a digital booklet with self-care for patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a protocol of a randomized controlled trial assessor-blinded, 3 months follow-up
Authors: Juliene Correa Barbosa, Josielli Comachio, Amelia Pasqual Marques, Bruno Tirotti Saragiotto, Mauricio Oliveira Magalhaes
Publish Date: September 2023
Journal: Trials
Access: McMaster University Omni Library
Short Summary: This research aims to evaluate the effect of a telerehabilitation exercise program compared to a digital booklet with self-care information in individuals with non-specific chronic neck pain. The study's outcomes will provide insights into the viability of telerehabilitation for managing chronic neck pain. As this is a study protocol, results are not yet available, but this study acts as a foundation to outline the manner in which you can compare telerehabilitation to an exercise program with a self-directed booklet.
Article Title: "Educational, Exercise, and Occupational Therapy-Based Telerehabilitation in Patients With Post-COVID-19 Fatigue and Dyspnea: A Randomized Clinical Trial"
Authors: José Calvo-Paniagua, María José Díaz-Arribas, Juan Antonio Valera-Calero, Mabel Ramos-Sánchez, César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, Marcos José Navarro-Santana, Tamara Del Corral, Gustavo Plaza-Manzano
Publish Date: September 1, 2024
Journal: American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Access: McMaster University Omni Library
Short Summary: This research compared the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation exercise program versus a "wait-and-see" approach on physical exertion, quality of life, dyspnea severity, heart rate, and oxygen saturation in patients experiencing post-COVID fatigue and dyspnea. The results indicated that the telerehabilitation group experienced greater improvements in self-perceived physical exertion during daily activities, dyspnea severity, health-related quality of life, and performance on the 6-minute walking test.
Article Title: “Robot-Assisted Therapy in Stratified Intervention for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial"
Authors: Yang Liy, Lijun Cui, Jixian Wang, Zihao Xiao, Zhi Chen, Jin Yan, Chuanxin Niu, Qing Xie
Publish Date: September 25, 2024
Journal: Frontiers in Neurology
Access: McMaster University Omni Library
Short Summary: This single-blinded randomized controlled trial evaluated the benefits of incorporating robot-assisted therapy (RT) into upper-limb training for stroke patients, stratified by Brunnstrom stages of recovery. The results demonstrated that participants in the RT group showed a faster recovery rate in upper limb motor function compared to those receiving conventional therapy, particularly in proximal joints and for patients in Brunnstrom Stage III.
Article Title: Efficacy of Targeted Scapular Stabilization Exercise Versus Conventional Exercise for Patients With Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Lan Tang, Kang Chen, Lihua Huang, Juan Liang, Man Wang, Lanjuan He, Lintao Liu, Lixing Li, Yanhong Ma
Publish Date: September 2024
Journal: American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Access: McMaster University Omni Library
Short Summary: This randomized clinical trial examines the effectiveness of targeted scapular stabilization exercises compared to conventional exercises in patients experiencing shoulder pain. The study aims to determine whether the targeted approach provides superior outcomes in terms of pain reduction and functional improvement. After a 6 week intervention, patients say an improvement in the Constant-Murley score, indicating greater scapular stabilization in the exercise group, compared to the conventional exercise group. They concluded that this form of physical therapy is an effective intervention program that may be applied to the rehabilitation of shoulder pain.