Samuel Pierce, PT, PhD, NCS

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)
Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy
BA in Psychology - Beaver College, Glenside, PA
PhD in Physical Therapy - Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
MS in Physical Therapy - Beaver College, Glenside, PA
Physical Therapist, Level III
Therapeutic interventions for children with neurological diseases, assessment of development of children with neurological diseases
Orlando J, Pierce S, Mohan M, Skorup J, Paremski A, Bochak M, Prosser L. Physical activity in non-ambulatory toddlers with cerebral palsy. Research in Developmental Disabilities, Res Dev Disabil, 2019 Jul;90:51-58.
Prosser LA, Pierce SR, Dillingham TR, Bernbaum JC, Jawad AF. iMOVE: Intensive Mobility training with Variability and Error compared to conventional rehabilitation for young children with cerebral palsy: the protocol for a single blind randomized controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics, 2018 Oct 16;18(1):329. doi: 10.1186/s12887-018-1303-8. PMID: 30326883.
Pierce SR, Skorup J, Miller A, Paremski A, Prosser LA. The relationship between the Early Clinical Assessment of Balance and Gross Motor Function Measure-66 in toddlers with CP: Brief report. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 2018, 25:1-3.
Pierce SR, Palombaro KM, Black JB. “Bicycle helmet use in children.” Advances in Health and Disease. Volume 2, Nova Science Publishers, 2017.
Palombaro KM, Pierce SR, Dole RL. “A needs assessment and program evaluation of a physical therapy service-learning program in China.” Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education, 2017, 9:18-28.
Pierce SR, Palombaro KM, Black JB. “Implementation of a Bicycle Helmet Program for Children in an Urban Environment: A Qualitative Study.” SAGE Research Methods Cases - Health, 2017.
Pierce SR, Palombaro KM, Black JB. “Brain safety fair.” Compendium for Teaching Professional Level Physical Therapy Neurologic Content of the Neurology Section, APTA, 2016.
Erdman EE, Pierce SR. “The use of hippotherapy in adolescent male s/p subacute TBI: A case study.” Pediatric Physical Therapy, 2016, 28:109-116.
Pierce SR, Palombaro KM, Black JB. “Barriers to bicycle helmet use in young children in an urban elementary school.” Health Promotion Practice, 2014, 15:406-12.
Pierce SR, Prosser LA, Lee SC, Lauer RT. “The relationship between spasticity and muscle volume of the knee extensors in children with diplegic cerebral palsy.” Pediatric Physical Therapy, 2012, 24:177-181.
Pierce SR, Prosser LA, Lauer RT. “The relationship between age and spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2010, 91:448-51.
Lauer RT, Pierce SR, Tucker CA, Barbe MF, Prosser LA. “Age and electromyographic frequency alterations during walking in children with cerebral palsy.” Gait & Posture, 2010, 31:136-139.
Pierce SR, Lauer RT, Prosser LA, Mohamed FB, Dougherty JB, Faro SH, Betz RR. “Incidental Findings during fMRI: Ethical and Procedural Issues.” American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2009,88:275-277.
Pierce SR, Barbe MF, Barr AE, Shewokis PA, Lauer RT. “The roles of reflex activity and co-contraction during the assessment of spasticity of the knee flexors and knee extensors in children with cerebral palsy with different functional levels.” Physical Therapy, 2008, 88:1124-1134.
Pierce SR, Johnston TE, Lauer RT, Shewokis PA. “Examination of spasticity of the knee flexors and knee extensors using isokinetic dynamometry and clinical scales in children with spinal cord injury.” Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2008, 31:208-14.
Pierce SR, Barbe MF, Barr AE, Shewokis PA, Lauer RT. “Co-contraction during passive movements of the knee joint in children with cerebral palsy.” Clinical Biomechanics, 2007, 22:1045-1048.
Mount J, Pierce SR, Parker J, DiEgidio R, Woessner R, Spiegel L. “Trial and error versus errorless learning of functional skills in patients with acute stroke.” NeuroRehabilitation, 2007, 22:123-132
Stackhouse C, Shewokis PA, Pierce SR, Smith B, McCarthy J, Tucker CA. “A comparison of gait initiation in typically developing children and children with cerebral palsy. Gait & Posture, 2007, 26:301-308.
Pierce SR, Lauer RT, Shewokis PA, Rubertone JA, Orlin MN. “Test retest reliability of isokinetic dynamometry for the assessment of spasticity of the knee flexors and knee extensors in children with cerebral palsy.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2006, 87:697-702.
Orlin MN, Pierce SR, Stackhouse CL, Smith BT, Johnston TE, Shewokis PA, McCarthy JJ. “The immediate effect of percutaneous intramuscular stimulation during gait in children with cerebral palsy: a feasibility study.” Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 2005, 47:684-690.
Pierce SR, Orlin MN, Lauer RT, Johnston TE, Smith BT, McCarthy JJ. “Comparison of percutaneous and surface functional electrical stimulation during gait in a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.” American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2004, 83:798-805.
Pierce SR, Laughton CA, Smith BT, Orlin MN, Johnston TE, McCarthy JJ. “Direct effect of percutaneous electrical stimulation during gait in two children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2004, 85:339-343.
Pierce SR, Gallagher KG, Gershkoff AM, Schaumburg SW, Gaughan JP, Shutter L. “Home forced use in an outpatient rehabilitation program for adults with hemiplegia: a pilot study.” Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 2003, 17:214-9.
Pierce SR, Daly K, Gallagher KG, Gershkoff AM, Schaumburg SW. “The application of constraint induced therapy with a child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: A case report.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2002;83:1462-3.
Pierce SR, Bauxbaum LB. “Treatment of hemispatial neglect: A review.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2002, 83:256-268.
Kather C, Lima K, Torres W, Sanders O, Pierce S, Prosser L, Johnson MJ. “Kinetic Classifications for Assessment of Typical and Atypical Infant Play Behavior with Toys”, To be presented at the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 2019
Prosser LA, Zhao S, Torres W, Bogen DK, Pierce SR, Nila K. “Postural control in supine may identify early motor delay in medically fragile preterm infants during natural play”, Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, March 2019
Kather C, Torres W, Lima K, Ho E, Pierce S, Prosser L, Johnson MJ. “Distinguishing atypical infant behavior using elementary kinetic classifications.” RESKO Technical Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology, Seoul, South Korea, November 2018
Orlando J, Skorup J, Pierce S, Mohan M, Bochak M, Paremski A, Prosser L. Physical activity during floor-play in non-ambulatory toddlers with cerebral palsy. Combined Sections Meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2018
Skorup J, Pierce S, Bochnak M, Williams L, Prosser L. Losses of balance during therapy explain some of the variability in rehabilitation outcomes for toddlers with cerebral palsy. American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Annual Meeting, Montreal, Quebec, September 2017
Orlando J, Skorup J, Pierce S, Mohan M, Bochak M, Paremski A, Prosser L. Moving and grooving: The relationship between physical activity during floor-time, gross motor function, and participation in daily life in toddlers with cerebral palsy. LEND Fellowship Presentation at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2017