Dr. Olaf Verschuren

Olaf Verschuren, PT, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Brain Center Rudolf Magnus and Center of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands, and a supervisor of a number of PhD-students and MSc-students. His research focuses on pediatric rehabilitation, specifically on the physical function and physical health of children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Most of his research is related to fitness measures for aerobic and anaerobic capacity, exercise fitness programs, and physical health for children and adolescents with CP. He has experience implementing fitness measures and exercise programs in various rehabilitation centers/schools for special education across Europe, Canada and Australia.  The overall goal of his innovative research is to improve the physical health of people with CP. Therefore, the last three years he has broadened his research areas; besides physical activity, he also focuses on sleep and nutrition. Managing these three components, preferably in a comprehensive fashion, will afford a vitally important opportunity to promote the health of people with CP across the lifespan.