We’re excited to welcome Kristian Christensen to the National Scoliosis Center (NSC). Kristian is a certified orthotist (brace maker) who joins us from Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City, Utah.
After caring for scoliosis patients at Shriners, Kristian developed an interest in focusing his skills in non-operative care of scoliosis. This past spring, Kristian attended the International Society of Spinal Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) annual conference in San Francisco to learn more about scoliosis care. While there, Kristian met Luke Stikeleather (founder and president of NSC), who spoke at the conference as SOSORT president for 2018-19. The pair found that they had the same passion for seeking to improve the quality of care for scoliosis patients and the desire to increase their knowledge within the field.
After the SOSORT conference, Luke invited Kristian to visit the Fairfax, Virginia office. Kristian found it to be just the place he was looking to work. Shortly thereafter, Kristian and his wife made the decision to move their family (including three young children, two boys and a girl) to Virginia so that Kristian could begin working at the National Scoliosis Center.
One of the main reasons Kristian made the leap to the National Scoliosis Center is the commitment to patients and families that is evident throughout the center. In addition, working with the Rigo Cheneau style of bracing allows for more detailed customizations, and he appreciates the structured process in place when creating a Rigo Cheneau brace—“each brace addresses the patient-specific 3D nature of scoliosis and uses millimeters of correction that make a big difference.”
Kristian says, “treating and helping children with scoliosis gives me energy and purpose.”
Be sure and say “hi” to Kristian when you come visit!