Robert Palisano, PT, ScD, FAPTA is a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. He is a scientist, CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University and a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association. 

View Biographical Sketch of Dr. Palisano (PDF)

Faculty Fellowships

Catherine Worthingham Fellows of the American Physical Therapy Association

Professional Society

Palisano has served as research advisor or committee member for over 50 graduate students. He is co-editor of Journal Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics and associate editor of the textbook Physical Therapy for Children (Ed. 4). In 2012 he received the Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy.

Research Interests

His research includes classification and prognosis for gross motor function in children and youth with cerebral palsy, determinants of activity and participation in children with physical disabilities, interventions to improve participation of children with physical disabilities, and transition to adulthood for youth with physical disabilities.