About

Christina L. Master, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. Her clinical expertise includes concussion, sports medicine, and primary care pediatrics. Her research focuses on concussion, vision, vestibular function, sports medicine, sex differences, disparities, and the development of objective physiologic biomarkers for brain injury. She is involved in multiple research initiatives, including serving as Principal Investigator at the Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania and participating in various concussion research programs and boards. Dr. Master has contributed to advancing concussion assessment and management, particularly in pediatric and adolescent populations, through the development of diagnostic tools and screening procedures. Her work also emphasizes addressing disparities in injury outcomes and improving concussion evaluation for para sport athletes.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Emergency medicine
• Physical therapy
• Internal medicine
• Medical emergency

Selected publications

• Motion Sickness and Psychological and Vestibular Symptom Burden After Concussion

  Clinical Pediatrics · 2026-01-07 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Given the potential interplay of psychological symptoms following pediatric concussion and vestibular dysfunction, we conducted a prospective cohort study of participants ages 8 to 19 ≤72 hours of injury from the emergency department to assess the association between motion sickness and outcomes. Participants completed visio-vestibular testing and symptom-based surveys at enrollment, with outcome assessment at 1 and 4 weeks post-injury. We enrolled 114 participants, 19 with motion sickness history, 17 with new motion sickness after injury. Although not statistically significant following Bonferroni correction, those who developed motion sickness following concussion had higher total enrollment symptom scores (median 42 vs 21, P = .015), more missed school days (median 8 vs 3, P = .043), and a higher incidence of symptoms above baseline at 4 weeks (63.6% vs 38.9%, P = .181). Those with new motion sickness may be vulnerable to poorer outcomes after concussion, indicating potential value in motion sickness screening at presentation and vestibular-focused therapies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Clinical Utility of Physical Examination Findings in Pediatric and Adolescent Acute Spondylolysis

  Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen access

  Background: Previous research describes imaging via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the gold standard for the diagnosis of spondylolysis after clinical examination. Existing literature on the accuracy of physical examination findings related to positive acute spondylolysis on MRI is limited. Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of clinical examination maneuvers in assessing acute spondylolysis in adolescent athletes with low back pain related to positive radiographic findings. Study Design: Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Data were abstracted from a sports medicine registry that prospectively collects data from the electronic health record (EHR) for patients seen for orthopaedic conditions across a regional health care network. Patients aged 8 to 18 years assessed for lumbar back pain via a standardized lumbar back pain assessment protocol and who had completed an MRI study between January 2019 and February 2024 were included. Patient information, pain duration, radiographic findings, and pain-associated physical assessment maneuvers were abstracted from the EHR. Results: Of 733 patients meeting study criteria, 260 (35.5%) had findings of acute spondylolysis on MRI. The mean age at initial evaluation was 14.8 years, with most patients (40.6%) presenting with 1 to 3 months of lumbar back pain. Overall, 94.2% of patients with acute spondylolysis on MRI had pain with hyperextension of the lumbar spine on physical examination, and 52.3% had pain with the single-leg hop maneuver. Those reporting pain with both hyperextension and single-leg hop had the highest prevalence of acute spondylolysis. Male patients, patients aged 13 to 14 years, and those presenting with 2 to 4 weeks of back pain had the highest prevalence of MRI-confirmed acute spondylolysis. Conclusion: This study evaluates the clinical accuracy of physical examination and patient characteristics associated with prevalence of acute spondylolysis in patients who present with lumbar back pain confirmed via MRI. A higher prevalence of acute spondylolysis was observed across several subgroups, including males, early to mid-adolescents, those with shorter symptom duration, and those demonstrating both hyperextension and single-leg hopping pain. Incorporating both maneuvers improved diagnostic accuracy for identifying acute spondylolysis. Findings demonstrate that both hyperextension and single-leg hopping pain may warrant advanced imaging to rule out acute spondylolysis as a cause of lumbar back pain.

  PublisherDOI

• 7 (6A) Youth sports coaches’ and school nurses’ knowledge, education, and needs caring for youth with concussion in community settings

  2025-05-01

  articleOpen access

  main themes from qualitative interviews regarding concussion knowledge, education and access to care within urban communities

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Regionally Specific Resting-State Beta Neural Power Predicts Brain Injury and Symptom Recovery in Adolescents with Concussion: A Longitudinal Study

  Journal of Neurotrauma · 2025-10-06

  articleSenior author

  Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common in adolescents. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies (primarily reporting on adult males) have demonstrated abnormal resting-state (RS) brain activity in mTBI. The present study sought to identify RS abnormalities in male and female adolescents with mTBI (no previous Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5th Edition diagnosis) identified from an outpatient specialty care concussion program setting as a basis for evaluating potential clinical utility. Visit 1 MEG RS data were obtained from 46 adolescents with mTBI (mean age: 15.4 years, 25 females) within 4 months of a mTBI (mTBI acute to subacute period) as well as from 34 typically developing (TD) controls (mean age: 14.8 years; 17 females) identified from the local community. Visit 2 RS data (follow-up ∼4.3 months after Visit 1; mTBI subchronic period) were obtained from 36 mTBI (19 females) and 29 TD (14 females) of those participants. Source-space RS neural activity was examined from 4 to 56 Hz. Visit 1 t-tests showed that group differences were largest in the beta range (16–30 Hz; mTBI < TD), with whole-brain linear mixed model (LMM) analyses examining beta-band group differences as a function of Visit. A main effect of Group indicated Visits 1 and 2 beta-band group differences in midline superior frontal gyrus, right temporal pole, and right central sulcus (all mTBI < TD). The group effects were large (Cohen’s d values 0.75 to 1.31). Of clinical significance in the mTBI group, a decrease in mTBI symptoms from Visit 1 to 2 was associated with an increase in beta power in 4 other brain regions. Present findings suggest that RS beta power has potential as a measure and perhaps as a mechanism of clinical recovery in adolescents with mTBI.

  PublisherDOI

• Metrics of concussion-related vision disorders among children and adolescents with persisting post-concussive symptoms using an objective eye tracking device

  Journal of sport and health science/Journal of Sport and Health Science · 2025-05-22 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  • Near point of convergence (NPC) is greater in those with concussion-related vision disorders (CRVDs) than those without, but does not always exceed the threshold cutoff of ≥6 cm. • Concussion symptom provocation with horizontal saccades or horizontal gaze stability testing or abnormalities in the forward eyes open condition of complex tandem gait may reflect associated CRVD. • Objective infrared eye-tracking with a novel device may add value in the identification of patients with persisting post-concussive symptoms who have CRVDs and would benefit from further referral and evaluation to optimize clinical management and outcomes. Early identification of concussion-related vision disorders (CRVDs) may improve outcomes by enabling earlier management, referral, and treatment. Objective eye tracking may provide additional data to support the diagnose of CRVDs. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of objective infrared eye tracking in identifying CRVDs among adolescents experiencing persisting post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) more than 28 days after injury. This was a prospective study of adolescents with PPCS evaluated with visio–vestibular examination (VVE), comprehensive vision examination, and an eye tracking device. Of the 108 adolescents enrolled, 67 (62%) were diagnosed with a CRVD by comprehensive vision examination. On VVE, the near point of convergence break (5.5 ± 3.2 cm (mean ± SD) vs . 3.9 ± 1.7 cm, p < 0.001) and recovery (8.1 ± 3.3 cm vs . 6.8 ± 2.3 cm, p = 0.02) distinguished between those with and without CRVD. Concussion symptom provocation on VVE with horizontal saccades (35 (52%) vs . 12 (29%), p = 0.02) and horizontal vestibulo–ocular reflex testing (37 (55%) vs . 14 (34%), p = 0.03), and sway on tandem gait under the forward eyes closed condition (25 (37%) vs . 6 (15%), p = 0.01) also identified those with CRVD. From the eye tracking device, the BOX score (8.1 ± 5.8 vs . 5.2 ± 4.1, p = 0.007) and a metric of the left eye tracking along the bottom of the visual target (0.094 ± 0.500 vs . –0.124 ± 0.410, p = 0.02) identified those with CRVD, with a multivariable receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, including the BOX score, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.7637. CRVDs are common in those with PPCS, with impact on recovery after concussion. Novel eye-tracking metrics can serve as an aid in the identification of those with CRVDs who would benefit from referral for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment.

  PublisherDOI

• Evaluating Diagnostic Strategies for Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Literature-Based Clinical Decision Analysis

  The Journal of Pediatrics · 2025-10-31

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A Qualitative Study of Collegiate Student-Athlete Experiences of Recovery After Concussion

  Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation · 2025-05-29

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Social and cultural dynamics surrounding expectations of athletes may influence recovery after sport-related concussion. Qualitative investigations narrowly focus on reporting, or specific age groups or sports. We explore how collegiate student-athletes experience concussion recovery; manage diagnosis, symptoms, and return-to-academics and return-to-play decision-making. SETTING: Collegiate athletics at a large, private Division 1 University in Philadelphia, PA. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two varsity student-athletes who sustained a diagnosed sport-related concussion within 1 year from start of data collection (October 1, 2022) and progressed through the return-to-play protocol, inclusive of recently graduated alumni. DESIGN: Qualitative interview study. MAIN MEASURES: We conducted semi-structured interviews between October 2022 and May 2023 about how experience with concussion(s) shaped their perception of risk, reporting, recovery, and that of stakeholders (teammates, coaches, athletic trainers, family members). We analyzed interview data using the framework analysis method and created a post-injury-recovery-return model to summarize participant experiences in the context of these key moments over time. RESULTS: Twenty-two student-athletes (women, 59.1%; White, 77.3%; 27.3% Sophomore year) representing 15 sports teams participated. The majority of respondents experienced at least 1 concussion prior to their varsity athletics concussion. Respondents reflected on 4 key moments in their experience recovering from a concussion: (1) immediately post-diagnosis, (2) during recovery, (3) decision-making about sport and academic return, and (4) return to sports and academics. We identified the importance of managing expectations, previous concussions, and emotions on recovery and return-to-academics and sport decision-making. We also found experiences were shaped by the social environment and key actors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that experiences after concussion are influenced by factors including expectations for recovery, managing symptoms, and navigating decision-making, and by relationships and the social environment. Findings have implications for the way concussion is managed, and the design and application of new treatment and management guidelines for concussion. Future targeted work should investigate ways to explore and measure these factors.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder as a Mediating Variable for Invalid Baseline Profiles on the ImPACT

  Healthcare · 2025-07-01

  articleOpen access

  Background: Individuals with ADHD may perform poorly on tasks targeting executive functioning skills such as the ImPACT, which requires the test-taker to employ judgement in non-routine situations Objective: To determine whether ADHD serves as a mediating variable for increasing the likelihood of an invalid score. Materials and Methods: A total of 39,140 collegiate athletes and United States military cadets consented to the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium study. Participants completed the CARE Baseline Packet which included various sections through which study participants provide self-report data, including demographic, personal, and family history sections. The personal history portion of the CARE Baseline Packet addressed the participant’s neurological history, including self-reported diagnosis of ADHD and history of traumatic brain injury. Variables utilized for the current study included age, gender, race, ethnicity, the participant’s primary college sport, use of mouthguards for athletes competing in sports requiring them, and the presence of an ADHD diagnosis. Participants responded to a question, inquiring if they had ever been diagnosed by a medical professional with ADHD, ultimately producing a dichotomous yes/no response. Results: We found that participants with ADHD were more likely to produce invalid baseline scores (ß = −0.884; p &lt; 0.001). Similar results were found when controlling for sex, race, age, sport played, mouthguard use, and number of previous concussions (ß = −0.786; p &lt; 0.001). Sex, race, sport played, and mouthguard use each played a significant role in determining profile validity, independent of ADHD diagnosis. With ADHD removed from the model, age negatively affected the likelihood of a valid score (ß = −0.052; p = 0.048). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the relationship between age and ImPACT validity is explained by the presence of ADHD. Results support adjusting ImPACT’s validity thresholds for individuals with ADHD.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sport-related Concussion Characteristics By Race, Ethnicity, And Socioeconomic Status: A Care Consortium Investigation

  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2025-09-16

  articleSenior author

  Social constructs, such as race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES), are of emerging interest following sport-related concussion (SRC) due to their associations with injury characteristics and clinical management. PURPOSE: To describe initial SRC presentation by race, ethnicity, and SES among a cohort of collegiate student-athletes (SAs). METHODS: The Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium recruited SAs across 30 institutions from 2014-2022. Race and ethnicity were reported using the U.S. census categories, with racial categories binned as Black, White, and Other SAs of Color. SES was estimated via the Hollingshead 4-factor Index, which assigns values for parent/guardian education and occupation. We used a modified approach to create a continuous SES variable, with scores binned as low (3-29), middle (30-39), and high (40-66). Multivariable negative binomial regression modeling using effect estimates (ratios with 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]) were employed to evaluate predictors of time until removal from play, delayed symptom onset, and symptom severity (<48 hours) by race, ethnicity and SES after adjusting for sex, sport contact-level, and SRC history. RESULTS: Our analysis included 1,795 concussed SAs (17.9% Black; 6.1% Hispanic/Latinx; 70.0% high SES). Among SAs not immediately removed from play, Black SAs were removed sooner (Ratio 2.07 [1.44, 3.04]), whereas Other SAs of Color were removed later (Ratio 0.69, 95% CI [0.49, 0.98]), relative to White SAs. Further, Hispanic/Latinx SAs were removed later (Ratio 0.50, 95% CI [0.34, 0.78]) than non-Hispanic/Latinx SAs. Among SAs with delayed symptom onset, symptoms took longer (Ratio 0.16, 95% CI [0.09, 0.33]) to present in Hispanic/Latinx SAs compared to non-Hispanic/Latinx SAs. Lastly, high SES SAs reported lower (Ratio 0.88, 95% CI [0.79, 0.97]) initial symptom severity scores than middle SES SAs. CONCLUSION: Race and ethnicity were associated with time before removal from play, whereas ethnicity and SES were associated with delayed symptom onset and symptom severity, respectively. Further research is crucial to understand why differences across social constructs emerged, as well as develop strategies to support equitable post-SRC management. FUNDING: Supported by the NCAA-DoD (W81XWH-14-2-0151). Supported by: NCAA-DoD (W81XWH-14-2-0151)

  PublisherDOI

• Patterns of Use and Benefit of Triptans in the Treatment of Acute Headache Worsening in Youth With Post-Traumatic Headache

  Pediatric Neurology · 2025-03-29 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Objective Translational Multi-domain Early Concussion Assessment

  NIH · $4.5M · 2018–2024

Frequent coauthors

• Kristy B. Arbogast

  University of Pennsylvania

  442 shared

• Matthew F. Grady

  University of Pennsylvania

  274 shared

• Catherine C. McDonald

  Philadelphia University

  151 shared

• Thomas W. McAllister

  University of Indianapolis

  142 shared

• Daniel J. Corwin

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  141 shared

• Michael McCrea

  Medical College of Wisconsin

  101 shared

• Susan S. Margulies

  The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

  94 shared

• Mark R. Zonfrillo

  Brown University

  88 shared

Labs

• Christina L. Master LabPI

Awards & honors

• University of Pennsylvania Academy of Master Clinicians
• American College of Sports Medicine Board of Trustees
• American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Board of Direct…
• Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair Research Group