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Physical therapy research, made readable

Every study here is broken down into what the researchers asked, who they studied, what they found, and what it means — with a version for clinicians, for students, and for patients. Tap any underlined term for a plain-language explanation.

Browse by condition

Low back painLower back painPain between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the legs, with or without pain down a leg. Most episodes improve, and staying active is central to recovery.Guideline available
Neck painNeck pain and stiffnessPain or stiffness in the neck, sometimes with headaches or pain into the arm.Guideline available
Rotator cuff and shoulder painShoulder painPain around the shoulder, often when lifting the arm, most commonly from the rotator cuff tendons.Guideline available
Knee osteoarthritisKnee arthritisWear-related changes in the knee joint that cause pain and stiffness. Exercise is one of the most studied treatments.
Meniscus and cartilage injuriesKnee cartilage and meniscus tearsDamage to the cushioning cartilage inside the knee, often from twisting, that can cause pain, swelling or catching.Guideline available
ACL injury and reconstructionACL tearsA tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, a key stabilizer of the knee, common in pivoting sports.
Patellofemoral painPain around the kneecapPain around or behind the kneecap, often worse with stairs, squatting or sitting for a long time.
Hip osteoarthritisHip arthritisWear-related changes in the hip joint that cause groin or hip pain and stiffness.Guideline available
Lateral ankle sprainSprained ankleA stretched or torn ligament on the outside of the ankle, usually from rolling it inward.Guideline available
Achilles tendinopathyAchilles tendon painPain and stiffness in the tendon at the back of the ankle, common in runners.Guideline available
Stroke rehabilitationRecovering after a strokeRebuilding movement, balance and everyday function after a stroke.
Parkinson's diseaseA progressive condition affecting movement. Exercise and balance training are a major focus of research.
Falls and balance in older adultsPreventing fallsBalance and strength training to lower the chance of falling, especially in older adults.
ConcussionA mild brain injury from a blow or jolt to the head that can cause headache, dizziness and balance problems.

How to read what you find here

Guidelines first. A clinical practice guideline is experts weighing all the research on a condition. Where one exists, it leads the page.
Then reviews. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses pool many trials, so they outweigh any single study.
Then the newest trials. Individual randomized trials are the building blocks. Check how many people were studied and for how long.
“Significant” is not the same as “meaningful.” Where a study reports a known outcome measure, Limbic checks whether the difference is big enough for patients to notice.

For clinicians and students

Sign in for a personalized research feed with a breakdown of every study you open, outcome-measure calculators, special tests, a home exercise program builder, and board-style practice questions linked from each study.