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Kristie F. Bjornson, PT, PhD

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Kristie F. Bjornson, PT, PhD

Academic Title: Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Developmental Medicine

Research Center: Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development

"One of the most energizing experiences I have as a pediatric physical therapist is seeing a child accomplish a motor skill (such as walking) that was not thought possible because of the child’s problems. Parents’ excitement and miraculous belief when their child walks, even though “everyone said they would never walk,” motivate me. I love the challenge of figuring out ways to study, measure and improve physical activity and life participation for kids with physical limitations. I strive to support these kids to “do what they want to do … when they want to do it” and have full and meaningful lives."

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Overview

Clinical Interests

Physical Therapy

Research Description

Kristie Bjornson, PhD, PT, PCS is a Board Certified Pediatric Physical Therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience in settings such as the NICU, public schools, birth-to-three centers, and at Seattle Children's Hospital. Since 1989 she has been the Research Coordinator for the Spasticity Management Clinic at Seattle Children's, serving as the project coordinator for the randomized clinical trials of selective dorsal rhizotomy, botulinum toxin-A and a descriptive cross sectional study of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy. Ms. Bjornson's recent research has focused on the assessment of physical activity, health and quality of life in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and normative ambulatory data for the StepWatch accelerometer. Presently, she has an NICHD K23 career development award focusing on the measurement of physical activity and participation in daily life of ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.

Research Focus Area

Neuroscience / Neurodevelopment

Awards and Honors

Award NameAward DescriptionAwarded ByAward Date
 Jeanne Hughes Award - American Physical Therapy AssociationAmerican Physical Therapy AssociationJan. 1, 2009

Publications

Reliability and validity of the standing heel-rise test.
Physical & occupational therapy in pediatrics , 2010 Aug: 190-204
Ambulatory activity in youth with arthrogryposis: a cohort study.
Journal of pediatric orthopedics , 2009 Mar: 214-7
Self-reported health status and quality of life in youth with cerebral palsy and typically developing youth.
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation , 2008 Jan: 121-7
The relationship of physical activity to health status and quality of life in cerebral palsy.
Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association , 2008 Fall: 247-53
Ambulatory physical activity performance in youth with cerebral palsy and youth who are developing typically.
Physical therapy , 2007 Mar: 248-57
The effect of dynamic ankle foot orthoses on function in children with cerebral palsy.
Journal of pediatric orthopedics , 2006 Nov-Dec: 773-6
Use of the StepWatch activity monitor for characterization of normal activity levels of children.
Journal of pediatric orthopedics , 2006 Mar-Apr: 245-9
Physical activity monitoring in children and youths.
Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association , 2005 Spring: 37-45
Ambulatory activity monitoring in youth: state of the science.
Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy Association , 2004 Summer: 82-9
Oral motor, communication, and nutritional status of children during intrathecal baclofen therapy: a descriptive pilot study.
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation , 2003 Apr: 500-6
Comparison of functional outcomes from orthopedic and neurosurgical interventions in spastic diplegia.
Neurosurgical focus , 1998 Jan 15: e2

Research Funding

Grant TitleGrantorAmountAward Date
Activity and Participation in Ambulatory Cerebral Palsy Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award $632,903.00Jan. 1, 2009
The Relationship of School Based Therapy Services on Transition to AdulthoodAmerican Physical Therapy Association $10,000.00Jan. 1, 2008
Baclofen Safety and Efficacy Trials (BEST) NetworkAmerican Physical Therapy Association $10,000.00Jan. 1, 2006
StepWatch3 Accuracy for Energy Expenditure PredictionResearch Intramural Funding Program, School of Nursing, University of Washington $01.01.0814,353.00

Primary Office

Seattle Children's Research Institute
CW8-6 - Child Health, Behavior and Development
2001 Eighth Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
206-884-7591

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