Professor Chris Maher named one of world's top two back pain researchers

Professor Chris Maher has been ranked as one of the world’s most expert back pain specialists.

Professor Chris Maher, of the George Institute for Global Health and The University of Sydney, leads the Institute’s musculoskeletal division. His ranking came from comparisons with 33,200 other research authors.

Professor Maher says he is delighted to be named as one of the world’s most pre-eminent back pain researchers.

“On any given day in Australia, one quarter of the population is suffering back pain, and nearly 80 per cent of adult Australians will experience back pain some time during their lives. It’s very, very common.”

Back pain is the leading cause of work loss days with 25 per cent of sufferers in the 18-44 age group taking 10 or more days off per year and costs Australia around $4.8 billion each year for health care. Yet research has shown that only a minority of people receive the best treatment for their back pain, said Professor Maher.

“Back pain is the most burdensome health condition in Australia, but ignored when setting health and research priorities. Partly that is because pain is invisible so some people tend not to think of it as a real health issue. Part of my role is change those sorts of misconceptions" said Professor Maher.

Expertscape is a medical ranking website, identifying and ranking expert based on scientific articles published.

“Among the individual experts and institutions demonstrating particular expertise in back pain, Expertscape would like to recognize the following ten for their pre-eminent contributions to its understanding and treatment,” Expertscape said in a statement.

Top Experts – Back Pain

  1. Dr Maurits van Tulder – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  2. Dr Christopher Maher – George Inst for Global Health/University of Sydney
  3. Dr Bart Koes – Erasmus University Rotterdam
  4. Dr Richard Deyo – Oregon Health Sciences University
  5. Dr Roger Chou – Oregon Health Sciences University
  6. Dr Julie Fritz – University of Utah
  7. Dr Steven P. Cohen – Johns Hopkins University
  8. Dr Eugene Carragee – Stanford University
  9. Dr Kate Dunn – University of Keele
  10. Dr Steven George – University of Florida

Top Institutions – Back Pain

  1. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  2. University of Sydney
  3. University of Washington
  4. University of Keele
  5. Johns Hopkins University
  6. Erasmus University Rotterdam
  7. Mayo Clinic Rochester
  8. University of Queensland
  9. Maastricht University
  10. Oregon Health Sciences University