Researcher

Title

• Assistant Professor, School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal
• Physiotherapist

• Postdoctorate, Laboratory of Cognitive Neurosciences, Aix Marseille University-CNRS, Marseilles, France, Jan. 2013
• PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, 2010
• Master’s in Biomedical Sciences (Rehabilitation option), Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, 2004
• Bachelor’s in Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, 1983

Carole Fortin worked as a physiotherapist at the Marie-Enfant Rehabilitation Center (CRME) in the Neurotraumatology, Cerebral Motor Deficiency and Musculoskeletal Amputee (scoliosis and arthritis client) programs. She began her research training in 2000 and became especially interested in young people with idiopathic scoliosis. She completed her Master’s in 2003 on gait in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and her doctorate in 2010 on developing and validating a clinical assessment tool for posture. She then did her postdoctoral training at the Laboratory of Cognitive Neurosciences at Aix-Marseille University-CNRS. Her research focused on the behavioral and cerebral markers of the central organization of posture-movement coordination and anticipation in children and adolescents.

Over her career, Carole Fortin has developed expertise in the field of evaluating and treating children and adolescents with scoliosis. To achieve this, she completed basic training in global postural reeducation (1990-1991), and advanced training in global postural reeducation applied to scoliosis (2006 and 1996) as well as advanced training workshops on reeducation methods and making braces in Lyon, France (1999 and 1993). She also acquired expertise in gait assessment and analysis by taking the course Clinical Gait Analysis – A focus on interpretation (in cerebral palsy and other gait disorders) in Connecticut (USA) in April 2005 and during her Master’s training. In addition, Carole Fortin took numerous training courses on evaluating and treating children and adults with neurological impairment: NDT – A Neurodevelopmental Approach in Pediatrics, (Ontario, 1996); Advanced NDT: clientele with cranial trauma (Newport, USA, 1992) and NDT: Hemiplegic Adult Clientele (Montreal, 1986).

Her clinical and research expertise led her to give university courses and training to rehabilitation professionals, become a guest speaker, take part in setting up and running the CRME Ambulation Clinic and draft a project to organize professional services intended for clients with evolutive spinal deformities at the Sainte-Justine UHC.

• Study of the neurophysiological mechanisms inherent in postural abilities and movement (muscular, sensory and posture-movement coordination functions)
• Development and validation of clinical assessment tools
• Development of evidence-based therapeutic intervention models in physiotherapy and verification of their efficacy in idiopathic scoliosis, neurotraumatology and cerebral motor deficiencies
• Knowledge sharing and transfer

• Biomechanics of posture, postural control and gait analysis
• Idiopathic scoliosis and other evolutive spinal deformities
• Musculoskeletal system
• Neurosciences
• Development and validation of measurement tools;
• Cerebral investigations (using EEG);
• Neurotraumatology;
• Cerebral motor deficiency
• Rehabilitation
• Knowledge transfer

Awards and Distinctions

• Travel award to attend the Canadian Paediatric Spinal Deformities Study Group (CPSSG), Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, February 2013
• Postdoctoral training award, FRQ-S, 2011-2013
• Research grant (principal applicant), Validity and Reliability of a clinical measure of trunk list, OPPQ-REPAR (Professional Order of Physiotherapy of Quebec-Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network), 2010-2012
• Research grant (principal applicant), Reliability and accuracy of a new software program for the quantitative analysis of posture, Research Program in Pediatric Rehabilitation, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 2008-2010
• Research grant (principal applicant), Inter-rater reliability and validity of the evaluation of muscular chains associated with posture asymmetries, OPPQ-REPAR (Professional Order of Physiotherapy of Quebec-Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network), 2008-2010
• Travel award to attend the 2009 Annual Scientific Conference hosted by the Canadian Arthritis Network, Vancouver, December 2009
• Research grant (co-applicant), Development and validation of a quantitative clinical postural assessment tool, Canadian Arthritis Network, 2006-2009
• Postdoctoral training award for holders of a professional degree, FRSQ, 2006-2009.
• First Prize for a Presentation, Clinical Research Category, 28th Research Day, Édouard Samson Orthopedics Program, University of Montreal, May 2008
• First prize in the Doctoral Student Competition, REPAR (Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network) 2008 Scientific Day, May 2008
• Doctoral training award, Networks of Centers of Excellence, a MENTOR-REPAR (CIHR Training Program in Mobility and Posture Disorders-Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network) partnership, 2005-2006
• Research training award, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, 2005-2006
• Dean’s Honor List, Master’s degree, University of Montreal, 2004.
• First prize in the Master’s Student Competition, REPAR (Quebec Rehabilitation Research Network) 2003 Scientific Day, May 2003
• Master’s training grant for holders of a professional degree, FRSQ, 2001-2003
• Master’s research grant, OPPQ (Professional Order of Physiotherapy of Quebec) 2001-2002

Presentations

• Fortin C. Innovative low photographic cost method for standardising postural scoliosis assessment. 1st SOSORT Instructional Research Course. Chicago (USA), mai 2013.
• Fortin C, Barlaam F, Vaugoyeau M, Schmitz C, Assaiante C. Marqueurs comportementaux et cérébraux de l’organisation centrale de la coordination posture-mouvement et de l’anticipation chez l’enfant. XIXe Congrès de l’Association Posture Équilibre (APE) et 1er Congrès de la Société Francophone Posture, Équilibre, Locomotion (SOFPEL), Marseille, France, décembre, 2012.
• Fortin C. EBM and Global Postural re-education. 39e Congrès international du Groupe kinésithérapique de travail sur la scoliose et le rachis (GKTS), Bruxelles, Belgique, novembre, 2012.
• Fortin C. Comment favoriser l’application clinique des connaissances issues de la recherche? Journée Interne Technique du Groupe kinésithérapique de travail sur la scoliose et le rachis (GKTS), Lyon, France, novembre, 2011.
• Fortin C, Feldman D, Cheriet F, Labelle H. Étude comparative de la posture debout et assise auprès de personnes atteintes d'une scoliose idiopathique. 38e Congrès du Groupe kinésithérapique de travail sur la scoliose et le rachis (GKTS), Nancy, France, octobre, 2010.
• Fortin C, Feldman D, Cheriet F., Labelle H. Development and validation of a quantitative clinical posture assessment tool. 12th Research Colloquium in Rehabilitation. School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montréal, mai, 2010.
• Fortin C, Feldman D, Cheriet F., LabelleH. Développement et validation d’un outil clinique pour l’analyse quantitative de la posture auprès de personnes atteintes d’une scoliose idiopathique. Journée de pédiatrie, IRDPQ, Québec, mai, 2010.
• Fortin C. Intervention en physiothérapie dans la prise en charge globale de personnes atteintes d’une scoliose idiopathique. Congrès de l’ACFAS, Montréal, mai, 2010.