Margarita Tsiros

Research Interests

Paediatrics Child and adolescent development Overweight and obesity Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Clinical Education

Teaching Strengths

Research Methods
Paediatric physiotherapy
Neuroscience

Dr Margarita Tsiros

Senior Lecturer, Physiotherapy

School of Allied Health and Human Performance

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.

Dr Margarita Tsiros is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy. As a clinician, researcher and educator with more than 25 years experience in paediatrics, she is passionate about the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents. Dr Tsiros is a co-director of Adelaide University's IIMPACT in Health Research Concentration (Innovation, IMPlementation And Clinical Translation in Health). She is also a member of the ARENA Research Centre (Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity). Dr Tsiros is a past Chair of the SA Paediatric Group of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and remains an active member.
 
Margarita’s research strives to optimise the health, development and wellbeing of children and youth. She achieves this by conducting research that works with children, families, health professionals, health services, educators and the wider community. He main research focus is on helping kids to ‘move well’ and ‘move more’. Her research spans a range of paediatric topics and conditions, but she is particularly well known for her work in childhood overweight and obesity. She is a leading expert on the impact of overweight and obesity on children’s movement, function and wellbeing, providing insight into how we can set kids up for success in physical activity. She also conducts research exploring children’s play and other strategies to improve movement skills in children, including technology-enhanced therapeutic approaches. Her research publications have examined motor skills, quality of life, balance, strength, pain, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, sedentary behaviours and activity participation. She has expertise in quantitative, qualitative, systematic reviews, scoping reviews and mixed methods research.
 
Dr Tsiros’ research has been formally recognised through many external awards. In 2022 she was awarded a Women’s Mid-career Excellence in Research Award by Healthy Development Adelaide. In 2019, she received a ‘Best Paper’ award in paediatric research at the Australian Physiotherapy Association National Conference. In 2016, she was named an AMP Tomorrow-maker, recognising her determination to have a positive impact on the community through her research. In 2015, she was a finalist for the Team Kids Young Investigator Award and in 2014 she received a Tall Poppy Science Award, recognising her extensive work engaging with the media, policy-makers, schools and community groups to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours relevant to tackling childhood obesity.
 
Dr Tsiros is an experienced research degree supervisor who strives to provide high-quality supervision and mentoring to assist students with their research, career development and overall wellbeing. She is also a Graduate Research Coordinator for PhD/Masters Research students.
 
Margarita course coordinates the Honours Research Stream (Health Science Honours Thesis), across 6 Allied Health Programs. She is also a course coordinator for the post graduate course Allied Health Research Evidence Translation. She has also been a course coordinator for the Physiotherapy with Children and Families courses, Health Science Honours Prep course and teaches into multiple courses across the graduate and undergraduate physiotherapy programs. In 2025 she received an ALH Teaching Innovation Award and an Unstoppable Teaching Innovation Team Commendation. In 2024 & 2022 she received Commendations for Sustained Excellence in Teaching and in 2017, she received a Team Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.
 
Dr Tsiros qualified with a PhD, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Graduate Certificate in Research Methods and a Bachelor of Health Science (Honours).  

Dr Tsiros’s research explores ways to optimise the health, development and wellbeing of children. She is interested in helping children to ‘move well’ and ‘move more’, by working with children, families, health professionals, health services, educators and the community. She is considered a leading expert in childhood overweight and obesity. She has expertise in a range of methods (systematic/scoping/umbrella reviews, qualitative and quantitative) and her research has examined children’s activity, movement skills, balance, pain, fitness, strength and wellbeing. She also explores way to engage children to enhance their development through play-based approaches, play space design and through the use of technology.

Date Institution name Country Title
University of South Australia Australia PhD

Year Citation
2026 Seekamp, S., Ey, L. A., Herbert, J., & Tsiros, M. D. (2026). Participation of parents known to child protection in service responses: experiences of parents in an interprofessional context. Children and Youth Services Review, 184, 9 pages.
DOI
2025 Kasai, D., Tsiros, M. D., Eston, R., & Parfitt, G. (2025). Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) from a submaximal 20-m shuttle-run test accurately predict children’s VO2peak, but when should we stop the test?. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 125(2), 551-559.
DOI
2025 Wilde, J. H., Arnold, J. B., Banwell, H. A., Thivel, D., & Tsiros, M. D. (2025). The relationship between postural control by instrumented assessment and adiposity in children and adolescents: a systematic review. International Journal of Obesity, online(2), 288-301.
DOI
2025 Dankiw, K. A., Miller, N. C., Kumar, S., Baldock, K. L., & Tsiros, M. D. (2025). Australian guidance documents informing nature playspaces for children: a scoping review. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, online, 27 pages.
DOI
2024 Dankiw, K. A., Kumar, S., Baldock, K. L., & Tsiros, M. D. (2024). Do Children Play Differently in Nature Play Compared to Manufactured Play Spaces? A Quantitative Descriptive Study. International Journal of Early Childhood, 56(3), 535-554.
DOI Scopus4 WoS6
2024 Banwell, H. A., Tsiros, M., Coventry, J., Ryan, N., & Williams, C. M. (2024). Textured insoles may improve some gross motor balance measures but not endurance measures in children with motor coordination issues. A randomised controlled feasibility trial. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 17(3), 1-13.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Tsiros, M. D. (2024). Critically appraised paper: In rural youth, the iAmHealthy paediatric weight management intervention stabilises body mass index z-scores and impacts health behaviours compared with newsletters with similar content. Journal of Physiotherapy, 71(1), 59.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2023 Kasai, D., Tsiros, M. D., Eston, R., & Parfitt, G. (2023). Ratings of perceived exertion from a submaximal 20-m shuttle run test predict peak oxygen uptake in children and the test feels better. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 123(1), 103-111.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2023 Seekamp, S., Ey, L. A., & Tsiros, M. D. (2023). Partnering with families known to child protection in an interprofessional context. Child Abuse and Neglect, 145(106426), 1-12.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC1
2023 Tsiros, M. D. (2023). Critically appraised paper: In children with overweight or obesity, an aerobic plus resistance exercise program improved cardiometabolic but not mental health [Commentary]. Journal of Physiotherapy, 70(1), 65.
DOI
2023 McCabe, L. P., Tsiros, M. D., & Crozier, A. J. (2023). Monkey see, monkey do? Exploring parent-athlete behaviours from youth athletes' perspective. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5(1292812), 1-8.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2023 Dankiw, K. A., Kumar, S., Baldock, K. L., & Tsiros, M. D. (2023). Parent and early childhood educator perspectives of unstructured nature play for young children: A qualitative descriptive study. Plos One, 18(6 June), 24 pages.
DOI Scopus16 WoS14 Europe PMC5
2023 Simpson, C. E. M., Esterman, A. J., Ganu, S. S., Maki, K., Keeley, S. R., Ward, E. J., & Tsiros, M. D. (2023). Early mobilisation in critically ill children: does routine patient screening reduce time to commencing mobilisation?. Australian Critical Care, 36(2), 208-214.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6 Europe PMC4
2022 Tsiros, M. D., Shahrin, S., Mackintosh, S., & Thewlis, D. (2022). Setting up girls for success in fundamental motor skills: The role of balance in 8-10 year olds. Journal of Sports Sciences, 40(19), 2200-2207.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2022 Seekamp, S., Ey, L. A., Wright, S., Herbert, J., & Tsiros, M. D. (2022). Service delivery goals and underlying interprofessional practices: a scoping review to support interprofessional collaboration in the field of child protection. Children and Youth Services Review, 143(article no. 106680), 1-10.
DOI Scopus6 WoS8
2021 O'Malley, G. C., Shultz, S. P., Thivel, D., & Tsiros, M. D. (2021). Neuromusculoskeletal health in pediatric obesity: incorporating evidence into clinical examination. Current Obesity Reports, 10(4), 467-477.
DOI Scopus22 WoS20 Europe PMC20
2021 Kasai, D., Parfitt, G., Tarca, B., Eston, R., & Tsiros, M. D. (2021). The Use of Ratings of Perceived Exertion in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review. Sports Medicine, 51(1), 33-50.
DOI Scopus32 WoS23 Europe PMC17
2021 Truong, K., Park, S., Tsiros, M. D., & Milne, N. (2021). Physiotherapy and related management for childhood obesity: a systematic scoping review. PLoS ONE, 16(6, article no. e0252572), 1-37.
DOI Scopus8 WoS8 Europe PMC7
2021 Tsiros, M. D., Vincent, H. K., Getchell, N., & Shultz, S. P. (2021). Helping children with obesity "move well" to move more: an applied clinical review. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 20(7), 374-383.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6 Europe PMC5
2021 Dankiw, K. A., Baldock, K. L., Kumar, S., & Tsiros, M. D. (2021). Intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Behaviour Mapping Schedule: A direct observational tool for classifying children’s play behaviour. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 46(2), 139-149.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2020 Tsiros, M. D., Tian, E. J., Shultz, S. P., Olds, T., Hills, A. P., Duff, J., & Kumar, S. (2020). Obesity, the new childhood disability? An umbrella review on the association between adiposity and physical function. Obesity Reviews, 21(12), 13 pages.
DOI Scopus43 WoS38 Europe PMC33
2020 Dankiw, K. A., Tsiros, M. D., Baldock, K. L., & Kumar, S. (2020). The impacts of unstructured nature play on health in early childhood development: A systematic review. Plos One, 15(2), 22 pages.
DOI Scopus191 WoS157 Europe PMC70
2020 Tsiros, M. D., Ward, E. J., Lefmann, S., & Hillier, S. (2020). The physiotherapy in preschools program: describing a student-led assessment service for children with possible motor skill difficulties. Adapted physical activity quarterly : APAQ, 37(3), 324-337.
DOI Scopus1
2019 Fuller, J., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M., Brown, N., Hamill, J., & Buckley, J. (2019). Longer-term effects of minimalist shoes on running performance, strength and bone density: a 20-week follow-up study. European Journal of Sport Science, 19(3), 402-412.
DOI Scopus25 WoS22 Europe PMC15
2019 Tsiros, M. D., Brinsley, J., Mackintosh, S., & Thewlis, D. (2019). Relationships between adiposity and postural control in girls during balance tasks of varying difficulty. Obesity Research and Clinical Practice, 13(4), 358-364.
DOI Scopus12 WoS8 Europe PMC8
2019 Tsiros, M. D., & Shultz, S. P. (2019). Take 10! Action points for physical therapists to consider when It comes to childhood obesity. Physical therapy, 99(5), 490-493.
DOI Scopus3 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2018 Shakir, R. N., Coates, A. M., Olds, T., Rowlands, A., & Tsiros, M. D. (2018). Not all sedentary behaviour is equal: children's adiposity and sedentary behaviour volumes, patterns and types. Obesity research and clinical practice, 12(6), 506-512.
DOI Scopus18 WoS17 Europe PMC16
2017 Fuller, J., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M., Brown, N., & Buckley, J. (2017). Six-week transition to minimalist shoes improves running economy and time-trial performance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20(12), 1117-1122.
DOI Scopus22 WoS20 Europe PMC17
2017 Tsiros, M. D., Samaras, M. G., Coates, A. M., & Olds, T. (2017). Use-of-time and health-related quality of life in 10- to 13-year-old children: not all screen time or physical activity minutes are the same. Quality of life research, 26(11), 3119-3129.
DOI Scopus30 WoS27 Europe PMC19
2017 Fuller, J., Bellenger, C., Thewlis, D., Arnold, J., Thomson, R., Tsiros, M., . . . Buckley, J. (2017). Tracking performance changes with running-stride variability when athletes are functionally overreached. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 12(3), 357-363.
DOI Scopus25 WoS28 Europe PMC23
2017 Fuller, J., Thewlis, D., Buckley, J., Brown, N., Hamill, J., & Tsiros, M. (2017). Body Mass and Weekly Training Distance Influence the Pain and Injuries Experienced by Runners Using Minimalist Shoes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(5), 1162-1170.
DOI Scopus40 WoS33 Europe PMC22
2016 Fuller, J., Buckley, J., Tsiros, M., Brown, N., & Thewlis, D. (2016). Redistribution of mechanical work at the knee and ankle joints during fast running in minimalist shoes. Journal of Athletic Training, 51(10), 806-812.
DOI Scopus25 WoS23 Europe PMC18
2016 Fuller, J., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M., Brown, N., & Buckley, J. (2016). Effects of a minimalist shoe on running economy and 5-km running performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(18), 1740-1745.
DOI Scopus35 WoS30 Europe PMC20
2016 Tsiros, M. D., Buckley, J. D., Olds, T., Howe, P. R. C., Hills, A. P., Walkley, J., . . . Coates, A. M. (2016). Impaired Physical Function Associated with Childhood Obesity: How Should We Intervene?. Childhood Obesity, 12(2), 126-134.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21 Europe PMC21
2016 Fuller, J., Amado, A., Emmerik, R., Hamill, J., Buckley, J., Tsiros, M., & Thewlis, D. (2016). The effect of footwear and footfall pattern on running stride interval long-range correlations and distributional variability. Gait and Posture, 44, 137-142.
DOI Scopus27 WoS29 Europe PMC24
2016 Fuller, J., Archer, J., Buckley, J., Tsiros, M., & Thewlis, D. (2016). The reliability of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements of bone mineral density in the metatarsals. Skeletal Radiology, 45(1), 135-140.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2016 Cliff, D. P., Hesketh, K. D., Vella, S. A., Hinkley, T., Tsiros, M. D., Ridgers, N. D., . . . Lubans, D. R. (2016). Objectively measured sedentary behaviour and health and development in children and adolescents: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 17(4), 330-344.
DOI Scopus244 WoS233 Europe PMC193
2015 Fuller, J., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M., Brown, N., & Buckley, J. (2015). The long-term effect of minimalist shoes on running performance and injury: design of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 5(8), e008307-1-e008307-9.
DOI Scopus16 WoS13 Europe PMC14
2015 Tsiros, M. D., Coates, A. M., Howe, P. R. C., Walkley, J., Hills, A. P., Wood, R. E., & Buckley, J. D. (2015). Adiposity is related to decrements in cardiorespiratory fitness in obese and normal-weight children. Pediatric Obesity, 11(2), 144-150.
DOI Scopus21 WoS21 Europe PMC17
2015 Fuller, J., Bellenger, C., Thewlis, D., Tsiros, M., & Buckley, J. (2015). The effect of footwear on running performance and running economy in distance runners. Sports Medicine, 45(3), 411-422.
DOI Scopus127 WoS115 Europe PMC83
2014 Tsiros, M., Buckley, J., Howe, P., Walkley, J., Hills, A., & Coates, A. (2014). Musculoskeletal pain in obese compared with healthy-weight children. Clinical Journal of Pain, 30(7), 583-588.
DOI Scopus20 WoS16 Europe PMC15
2013 Tsiros, M. D., Buckley, J. D., Howe, P. R. C., Olds, T., Walkley, J., Taylor, L., . . . Coates, A. M. (2013). Day-to-day physical functioning and disability in obese 10-to 13-year-olds. Pediatric Obesity, 8(1), 31-41.
DOI WoS31 Europe PMC30
2013 Tsiros, M., Buckley, J., Howe, P., Olds, T., Walkley, J., Taylor, L., . . . Coates, A. (2013). Day-to-day physical functioning and disability in obese 10- to 13-year-olds. Pediatric Obesity, 8(1), 31-41.
DOI Scopus34
2013 Tsiros, M., Coates, A., Howe, P., Grimshaw, P., Walkley, J., Shield, A., . . . Buckley, J. (2013). Knee extensor strength differences in obese and healthy-weight 10-to 13-year-olds. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(6), 1415-1422.
DOI Scopus34 WoS31 Europe PMC24
2012 Parletta, N., Peters, J., Owen, A., Tsiros, M., & Brennan, L. (2012). Parenting styles, communication and child/adolescent diets and weight status: let's talk about it. Early Child Development and Care, 182(8), 1089-1103.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10
2011 Tsiros, M., Grimshaw, P., Shield, A., & Buckley, J. (2011). Test-Retest Reliability of the Biodex System 4 Isokinetic Dynamometer for Knee Strength Assessment in Paediatric Populations. Journal of Allied Health, 40(3), 115-119.
Scopus41 Europe PMC24
2011 Tsiros, M., Grimshaw, P., Shield, A., & Buckley, J. (2011). The Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer for knee strength assessment in children: Advantages and limitations. Work, 39(2 Sp Iss), 161-167.
DOI Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC11
2011 Tsiros, M., Coates, A., Howe, P., Grimshaw, P., & Buckley, J. (2011). Obesity: the new childhood disability?. Obesity Reviews, 12(1), 26-36.
DOI Scopus94 WoS91 Europe PMC74
2009 Tsiros, M., Olds, T., Buckley, J., Grimshaw, P., Brennan, L., Walkley, J., . . . Coates, A. (2009). Health-related quality of life in obese children and adolescents. International Journal of Obesity, 33(4), 387-400.
DOI Scopus363 WoS335 Europe PMC280
2008 Tsiros, M., Sinn, N., Coates, A., Howe, P., & Buckley, J. (2008). Treatment of adolescent overweight and obesity. European Journal of Pediatrics, 167(1), 9-16.
DOI Scopus70 WoS63 Europe PMC50
2008 Tsiros, M., Sinn, N., Brennan, L., Coates, A., Petkov, J., Howe, P., & Buckley, J. (2008). Cognitive behavioral therapy improves diet and body composition in overweight and obese adolescents. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(5), 1134-1140.
DOI Scopus88 WoS71 Europe PMC54

Year Citation
2014 Olds, T., Samaras, M., Coates, A., Hills, A., Walkley, J., Howe, P., & Tsiros, M. (2014). The Relationship Between Use of Time and Health-Related Quality of Life in Australian Children and Adolescents. In JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & HEALTH Vol. 11 (pp. S180). Toronto, CANADA: HUMAN KINETICS PUBL INC.
  • The bush kinder playbook: co-creating a bush kinder toolkit with stakeholders to promote children’s health, development, and connection to nature in early childhood education and care, Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, 2026-2027
  • Healthy Moves for Healthy Kids n’ Teens Program Pilot. University of South Australia, Seed Funding, 2025
  • Does the use of textured insoles improve gross motor measures balance domain outcomes in children with motor skill difficulties when compared to footwear alone. A multi-site feasibility trial, Australian Podiatry Education and Research Foundation, 2022
  • Innovating the assessment and management of balance difficulties in children and adults using the Biodex BioSwayTM technology’, Honda Foundation, 2022
  • Curriculum for paediatric physiotherapy professional entry-level education: guidance for implementing the essential and recommended content areas – an international Delphi survey, International Organisation of Physical Therapists in Paediatrics, 2020-2024
  • Early Mobilisation in Paediatric Intensive Care (EMPIC): A Quality and Safety Intervention, SA Health/University of South Australia Allied Health Research Collaboration Grant, 2018-2019
  • Setting girls up for success in physical activity, AMP Foundation, Tomorrow Maker Grant, 2016-2018
  • Musculoskeletal correlates of activity restriction and participation limitations in obese youths, Physiotherapy Research Foundation, 2007

Courses I teach

  • REHB 2042 Physiotherapy Studies 201 (2025)
  • REHB 2048 Neurosciences in Physiotherapy (2025)
  • REHB 3010 Health Science Honours Preparation (2025)
  • REHB 3065 Applied Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy (2025)
  • REHB 4012 Health Science Honours Thesis (2025)
  • REHB 5118 Allied Health Research Evidence Translation (2025)
  • REHB 3010 Health Science Honours Preparation (2024)
  • REHB 4012 Health Science Honours Thesis (2024)
  • REHB 4057 Physiotherapy with Children and Families (2024)
  • REHB 5134 Rehabilitation Skills in Physiotherapy (2024)
  • REHB 6017 Physiotherapy Practice with Children and Families (2024)

Programs I'm associated with

  • IHPZ - Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)
  • IHCP - Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Honours)
  • IHRS - Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Honours)
  • IHOC - Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Principal Supervisor Smart Playgrounds: is there a role for digitally enhanced playground experiences for children & families? - Master Full Time Gurpreet Kaur .
2021 Co-Supervisor The utility of the ratings of perceived exertion to improve fitness testing experiences in children - Doctorate Full Time Mr Daiki Kasai

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