Cristina L. Sadowsky, MD

Professional Titles

• Clinical Director, International Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Kennedy Krieger Institute
• Director, Paralysis Restoration Clinic, Kennedy Krieger Institute

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Background

Centers and Institutes

International Center for Spinal Cord Injury

Videos

• Dr. Cristina Sadowsky | Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

• Bone Density and Rehabilitation Approaches for Paralysis

• Understanding Activity-Based Rehabilitation

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

• Bent Out of Shape: What About Contractures? | New Mobility (March 2015)

  The Way Forward: The judge helped a quadriplegic man become a lawyer. Could he help her recover from a catastrophic fall? | Washington Post (July 2015)

  Aging with rare neuro-immune disorders, TMA Ask the Expert Podcast (May 1, 2018)

  Implant helps 3 paralyzed take steps. Clinton Herald (September 26, 2018)

  Paralyzed Wisconsin man takes first steps in years with Mayo Clinic implant. Twin Cities Pioneer Press (September 25, 2018)

  Family Grapples With Polio-Like Disease In Children Being Treated in Maryland. CBS Baltimore (October 2018)

  Parents of children with AFM being treated in Baltimore warn about rare, scary polio-like condition. Washington Post (October 2018)

  5 Possible Cases of polio-Like Illness or AFM in Maryland Children, CDC Investigating. CBS Baltimore (October 2018)

Contact for Research Inquiries

716 N. Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21205

Phone: (443) 923-9211

Research Interests

Efficacy of activity-based restoration therapies in helping individuals with long-term spinal cord injury and paralysis recover sensation, movement and independence, Prevention of complications in patients with paralysis

Research Summary

Dr. Sadowsky’s research focuses on prevention of complications in patients with paralysis and the efficacy of activity-based restoration therapies in helping individuals with long-term spinal cord injury and paralysis recover sensation, movement and independence.

Google Scholar

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5lmxyRYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

PubMed

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=cristina+sadowsky

Research Gate

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cristina_Sadowsky

Selected Publications

• Cristina Sadowsky, John McDonald. Activity Based Restorative Therapies (ABRT); concepts and applications in spinal cord injury-related neurorehabilitation. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 15:112-116. 2009.

• Sadowsky C, Hammond E, Stroll A, Commean P, Eby S, Damiano D, Wingert J, Bae K, McDonald J. Lower extremity functional electrical stimulation cycling promotes physical and functional recovery in chronic spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med. 2013 Nov; 36(6):623-31.

• Choe AS, Belegu V, Yoshida S, Joel S, Sadowsky CL, Smith SA, van Zijl PC, Pekar JJ, McDonald JW. Extensive neurological recovery from a complete spinal cord injury: a case report and hypothesis on the role of cortical plasticity. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013 Jun 25; 7:290. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00290. eCollection 2013. PMID: 23805087

• Hammond E, Metcalf H, McDonald J, Sadowsky C. Bone Mass in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Associations with Activity-Based Therapy, Functional and Neurologic Status, a Retrospective Study". Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014; 95:2342-9.

• Mulcahey MJ, Calhoun Thielen C, Dent K, Sinko R, Sadowsky C, Martin R, Vogel LC, Davidson L, Taylor H, Bultman J, Gaighan J. Evaluation of the graded redefined assessment of strength, sensibility and prehension (GRASSP) in children with tetraplegia. Spinal Cord (2018); published online 2018-03-26. DOI: 10.1038/s41393-018-0084-0

Courses & Syllabi

Program Director Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 7/1/07 - 6/30/16

Honors

• America's Top Physicians, 1/1/09
• Best Doctors in America, 1/1/07
• Top Doctors in Baltimore, 1/1/07
• Outstanding Performance Award from the Spinal Cord Injury Board, Washington University School of Medicine, 1/1/00
• Best Teaching Attending of the Year, Washington University School of Medicine, 1/1/99
• Best Resident of the Year in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Washington University School of Medicine, 1/1/98
• Outstanding Resident Award in Medicine, Meridia Huron Hospital, 1/1/95

Memberships

• American Medical Association
• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• American Paraplegia Society
• Association of Academic Physiatrists
• Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals
• International Society for Clinical Densitometry
• Maryland State Medical Society Med Chi
• American Spinal Cord Injury Association
• International Spinal Cord Association
• American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

Professional Activities

• American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Co-chair, Pediatric Networking Group, 1/1/15
• American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Reviewer, 7/1/01
• Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Reviewer, 7/1/03
• Department of Veteran Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (RR&D) Scientific Merit Review Board, Board member
• Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Reviewer, 7/1/06
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports, Section Editor Spinal Cord Injury Medicine

Additional Training

Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 1997, Physical medicine and rehabilitation; Mediai Huron Hospital / Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 1994, Internal medicine