The Spine Journal
Elsevier BV · SG · ISSN 15299430
SJR Q1
What the numbers say
Fewer papers are appearing but a typical paper now attracts more citations.
Annual output went from 823 to 603 papers. Expect a smaller annual volume of publications from this journal than before. Field-weighted citation impact moved from 0.99 to 1.23. If citation visibility matters, this trend suggests slightly stronger reach per paper. Recent titles increasingly carry csorn · lumbar · discectomies · tlif · interbody. If your work uses those procedures or terms, the journal now shows clearer topical alignment. Hospital for Special Surgery leads all institutions with 630 papers. Seeing many papers from a single leading hospital means readers will frequently encounter that institution's work.
Citation metrics
SJR quartile
Q1
SJR score
1.77
Citations / doc (2y)
4.51
h-index
171
Based on the Scopus and OpenAlex citation graphs. We do not provide Clarivate’s JCR Impact Factor.
Output and citation impact
Whether citation performance keeps up as output grows.
PapersField-weighted impact
2018
823
0.99
2019
765
0.91
2020
738
0.77
2021
733
1.21
2022
652
0.89
2023
662
1.04
2024
783
1.05
2025
603
1.23
Topic shift
Share in the last 24 months (2024-09 – 2026-08) versus the previous 24 (2022-09 – 2024-08).
Rising
- Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy9.6%→13.8%+4.2%pPrevNow
- Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies4.9%→7.0%+2.1%pPrevNow
Falling
- Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment14.4%→12.0%−2.4%pPrevNow
- Medical Imaging and Analysis7.0%→4.7%−2.4%pPrevNow
Terms appearing more often
Wording in recent paper titles that stands out against the journal's own baseline.
csornlumbardiscectomiestlifinterbody
Author countries
Last 24 months (2024-09 – 2026-08) against the previous 24 (2022-09 – 2024-08).
- US67.6%→61.0%−6.7%pPrevNow
- CN10.8%→11.1%+0.4%pPrevNow
- JP4.2%→6.2%+2.0%pPrevNow
- CA6.8%→6.0%−0.8%pPrevNow
- KR3.3%→4.8%+1.4%pPrevNow
- GB0.0%→3.8%+3.8%pPrevNow
Top 5 institutions
Top 5 institutions publishing in this journal, 2018 – 2026.
Recently published
20The 20 most recent papers — not the full list.
1
2
3
4
Article2026
Prophylactic Concave-side Decompression and Spinal Cord Medialization Reduces Neurological Complications in Severe Kyphoscoliosis with Type 3 Cord MorphologyYutong Dai, Yuan‐Shun Lo, Dun Liu, Erh-Ti Ernest Lin, Saihu Mao, Zhen Liu, Yong Qiu, Zezhang Zhu, Benlong Shi*
SurgeryMedicine
5
Article2026
Machine Learning–Based Identification of Distinct Risk Factors for Moderate vs Severe Proximal Junctional Kyphosis After Adult Spinal Deformity SurgeryDong-Ho Kang, Jin-Sung Park, Chong-Suh Lee, Se‐Jun Park*
SurgeryMedicine
6
Article2026
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare Affordability, Access, and Provider Concordance for Low Back Pain: An All of Us Cross-Sectional AnalysisJoseph E. Nassar, Lama A. Ammar, Ashley Knebel, Michael Farias, Maxwell Sahhar, Gabriel A. Gonzalez, Candace Hurley, Bassel G. Diebo, Alan H. Daniels*
OAPharmacologyMedicine
7
Article2026
Network-Based Analysis of Health-Related Quality of Life Following Surgery for Degenerative Cervical MyelopathyTakahiro Kitagawa, Narihito Nagoshi*, Junichi Yamane, Toshiki Okubo, Reo Shibata, Yoshiomi Kobayashi, Kanehiro Fujiyoshi, Yoshiyuki Yato, Tatsuya Yamamoto, Kazuya Kitamura, Takeshi Ikegami, Kentaro Ago, Kentaro Fukuda, Takahito Iga, Kazuki Takeda, Masahiro Ozaki, Satoshi Suzuki, Morio Matsumoto, Masaya Nakamura, Kota Watanabe
OASurgeryMedicine
8
Article2026
Malnutrition and Adverse Outcomes after Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisAhmed Ashraf, Aydin Kaghazchi, Gabriel Jelkin, Janesh Karnati, Leina Lunasco, Shameel Abid, M. Ashraf, Sruthi Ranganathan, Mikayla Wallace, Joseph Cheng, Owoicho Adogwa*
PhysiologyMedicine
9
Article2026
When aging becomes degeneration: Evidence from Metabolomics of Healthy Age-stratified organ-donor and degenerated lumbar discs.Shanmuganathan Rajasekaran*, Chitraa Tangavel*, Divya Arunachalam*, Gnanaprakash Gurusamy*, Sharon Miracle Nayagam*, Arun Meena*, Sri Vijay Anand*
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
10
Article2026
Long-Term Outcomes of Sacral and Sacrococcygeal Chordomas: A 30-Year Single-Center Experience Comparing Three Treatment ModalitiesTakashi Hirase, Jessica A. Lavery, Yoshiya Yamada, Mark H. Bilsky, Max Vaynrub, Patrick J. Boland*
OARheumatologyMedicine
11
Article2026
1-2 Level Lateral Single Position Surgery is Highly Cost-Effective in the Treatment of Surgically Indicated Degenerative Lumbar Spinal PathologyLuca Erdmann Cordeiro, Ayham Yasein*, Sanam Tavakkoli Oskouei, Aaron J. Buckland
OAPathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
12
Article2026
Definitions and Diagnostic Criteria of Lumbar Spine Instability: A Systematic ReviewNikita Gonugunta, Austin Kennemer, Aakash K. Shah, Michael P. Steinmetz*
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
13
Article2026
The Value of Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury: Long-Term Healthcare Costs in Relation to Home Time in a Population-Based CohortChristopher S. Lozano, Vishwathsen Karthikeyan, Barbara Haas, Ning Liu, Karlo M. Pedro, Husain Shakil, Armaan K. Malhotra, Jasleen Saini, Michael G Fehlings, Jefferson R Wilson*
OAPathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
14
Article2026
Timely Surgery and Time to Culture Positivity: Prognostic Indicators in Staphylococcus-related Pyogenic SpondylodiscitisCheng-Min Hsu, Yung-Hsueh Hu, Yu‐Cheng Yeh*, Ming-Kai Hsieh, Tsung‐Ting Tsai, Po‐Liang Lai, Chi‐Chien Niu, Lih-Huei Chen, Wen‐Jer Chen
SurgeryMedicine
15
Article2026
Comparison of Posterior Cellular Bonegraft Options for Single Level Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Randomized TrialG BUTTERMANN*
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
16
Article2026
Geniohyoid Muscle Size Is Associated With Respiratory Complications After Surgical Treatment for Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord InjuryShizumasa Murata, Keiji Nagata*, Yuyu Ishimoto, Masatoshi Teraguchi, H Hashizume, Hiroshi Iwasaki, Shunji Tsutsui, Masanari Takami, Kimihide Murakami, Takuhei Kozaki, Ryuichiro Nakanishi, Yuta Yamamoto, Kusushi Murai, Shigeaki Inoue, Hiroshi Yamada
Speech and HearingHealth Professions
17
Article2026
Paraspinal Musculature and Adjacent Segment Disease After Lumbar Fusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis of fusion with and without posterior instrumentationConor McNamee*, Andrew Kelly, Salman Keraidi, Richard N. Storey, Jake M. McDonnell, Stacey Darwish, Joseph S. Butler
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
18
Article2026
Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Foot Ulcerations Are Independently Associated With Spinal InfectionMichael J. Patetta*, Majd Mzeihem, Cathy Cummings, Steven Mardjetko, Wayne Cheng, Olumide A. Danisa
Endocrinology, Diabetes and MetabolismMedicine
19
Article2026
Rising Suspicion, Stable Disease: An Eight-Year Analysis of Suspected and Confirmed Cauda Equina SyndromeElie Najjar*, Shahbaz Khan, Rawan Masarwa, Daniel Daquino, Michael Grevitt
UrologyMedicine
20
Article2026
Diagnostic Value of Upright–Supine Imaging and Its Association with Postoperative Outcomes in Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis - A Two-Year PROM Based Comparison with Flexion Extension RadiographsTom Folkerts, Julia Wimmer, Lukas Schönnagel, Anna-Maria Mielke, Bruno Verna, Pedro Rocha Torres, P Köhli, Jiaqi Zhu, Jennifer Shue, Rolando Duculan, Andrew A. Sama, Federico P. Girardi, Frank P. Cammisa, Carol A. Mancuso, Marco D. Burkhard, Alexander P. Hughes
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
Most cited
20Top 20 most cited, 2018 – 2026.
1
ReviewCitations 4222021
Consensus statement for perioperative care in lumbar spinal fusion: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society recommendationsBertrand Debono*, Thomas W. Wainwright, Michael Y. Wang, F. Sigmundsson, Michael Yang, Henriëtte Smid-Nanninga, A. Bonnal, Jean‐Charles Le Huec, William Fawcett, Olle Ljungqvist, G. Lonjon, Hans D. de Boer
OASurgeryMedicine
2
ArticleCitations 3492021
Decision curve analysis to evaluate the clinical benefit of prediction modelsAndrew J. Vickers*, Ford Holland
OASurgeryMedicine
3
ReviewCitations 2842018
Risk factors for low back pain and sciatica: an umbrella reviewPatrícia do Carmo Silva Parreira*, Christopher G. Maher, Daniel Steffens, Mark J. Hancock, Manuela L. Ferreira
PharmacologyMedicine
4
ArticleCitations 2782019
Novel MRI-based score for assessment of bone density in operative spine patientsJeff Ehresman, Zach Pennington, Andrew Schilling, Daniel Lubelski, Ali Ahmed, Ethan Cottrill, Majid Khan, Daniel M. Sciubba*
Orthopedics and Sports MedicineMedicine
5
ReviewCitations 2652019
Spinal tuberculosis: a comprehensive review for the modern spine surgeonKrishn Khanna*, Sanjeev Sabharwal
OASurgeryMedicine
6
ArticleCitations 2472018
Bony ingrowth potential of 3D-printed porous titanium alloy: a direct comparison of interbody cage materials in an in vivo ovine lumbar fusion modelKirk C. McGilvray*, Jeremiah T. Easley, Howard B. Seim, Daniel P. Regan, Sigurd Berven, Wellington K. Hsu, Thomas E. Mroz, Christian M. Puttlitz
OAPathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
7
ReviewCitations 2432018
Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysisIan D. Coulter*, Cindy Crawford, Eric L. Hurwitz, Howard Vernon, Raheleh Khorsan, Marika Booth, Patricia M. Herman
OAPharmacologyMedicine
8
ReviewCitations 2282020
Guideline summary review: an evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of low back painD. Scott Kreiner*, Paul G. Matz, Christopher M. Bono, Charles H. Cho, John E. Easa, Gary Ghiselli, Zoher Ghogawala, Charles A. Reitman, Daniel K. Resnick, William C. Watters, Thiru M. Annaswamy, Jamie Baisden, Walter S. Bartynski, Shay Bess, Randall P. Brewer, R. Carter Cassidy, David S. Cheng, Sean Christie, Norman Chutkan, Bernard A. Cohen, Simon Dagenais, Dennis E. Enix, Paul Dougherty, S. Raymond Golish, Padma Gulur, Steven W. Hwang, Cumhur Kılınçer, Jeffrey A. King, Adam C. Lipson, Anthony J. Lisi, Richard J. Meagher, John E. OʼToole, Paul Park, Murat Pekmezci, Daniel R. Perry, Ravi Prasad, David A. Provenzano, Kris E. Radcliff, Gazanfar Rahmathulla, Tom E. Reinsel, Robert Rich, Daniel S. Robbins, Karie A. Rosolowski, Jonathan N. Sembrano, Anil Kumar Sharma, Alison Stout, Christopher K. Taleghani, Ryan A. Tauzell, Terry R. Trammell, Yakov Vorobeychik, Amy M. Yahiro
PharmacologyMedicine
9
ReviewCitations 2172021
Augmented and virtual reality in spine surgery, current applications and future potentialsHamid Ghaednia*, Mitchell S. Fourman, Amanda Lans, Kelsey Detels, Hidde Dijkstra, Sophie Lloyd, Allison Sweeney, Jacobien H. F. Oosterhoff, Joseph H. Schwab
OASurgeryMedicine
10
ArticleCitations 1782019
Biportal endoscopic versus microscopic lumbar decompressive laminectomy in patients with spinal stenosis: a randomized controlled trialSang‐Min Park, Ji-Won Park, Ho Su Jang, Young Woo Heo, Heesoo Han, Ho‐Joong Kim, Bong‐Soon Chang, Choon‐Ki Lee, Jin S. Yeom*
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
11
ReviewCitations 1772018
Imaging for low back pain: is clinical use consistent with guidelines? A systematic review and meta-analysisHazel Jenkins*, Aron Downie, Christopher G. Maher, Niamh Moloney, John Magnussen, Mark J. Hancock
PharmacologyMedicine
12
ReviewCitations 1692018
Anxiety and depression in spine surgery—a systematic integrative reviewJanni Strøm*, Merete Bjerrum, Claus Vinther Nielsen, Cecilie N. Thisted, Tove Lise Nielsen, Malene Laursen, Lene Bastrup Jørgensen
PharmacologyMedicine
13
ArticleCitations 1632020
Vertebral bone quality score predicts fragility fractures independently of bone mineral densityJeff Ehresman, Andrew Schilling, Xinghai Yang, Zach Pennington, Ali Ahmed, Ethan Cottrill, Daniel Lubelski, Majid Khan, Kendall F. Moseley, Daniel M. Sciubba*
Orthopedics and Sports MedicineMedicine
14
ReviewCitations 1562020
Safety and accuracy of robot-assisted placement of pedicle screws compared to conventional free-hand technique: a systematic review and meta-analysisNida Fatima, Elie Massaad, Muhamed Hadzipasic, Ganesh M. Shankar, John H. Shin*
SurgeryMedicine
15
ArticleCitations 1542018
Risk factors for cage migration and cage retropulsion following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusionMan-Kyu Park, Kyoung‐Tae Kim*, Woo-Seok Bang, Dae-Chul Cho, Joo-Kyung Sung, Young-Seok Lee, Chang Kyu Lee, Chi Heon Kim, Brian K. Kwon, Won-Kee Lee, Inbo Han
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
16
ArticleCitations 1452021
Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion using the biportal endoscopic techniques versus microscopic tubular techniqueMin‐Seok Kang, Ki‐Han You, Jun-Young Choi, Dong Hwa Heo, Hoon‐Jae Chung, Hyun‐Jin Park*
Pathology and Forensic MedicineMedicine
17
ArticleCitations 1402018
Predicting survival for metastatic spine disease: a comparison of nine scoring systemsAli Ahmed, C. Rory Goodwin*, Amir S. Heravi, Rachel C. Kim, Nancy Abu-Bonsrah, Eric W. Sankey, Daniel Kerekes, Rafael De la Garza Ramos, Joseph H. Schwab, Daniel M. Sciubba
SurgeryMedicine
18
ArticleCitations 1372022
Preoperative MRI-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score assessment in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusionStephan N. Salzmann, Ichiro Okano, Conor Jones, Jiaqi Zhu, Shuting Lu, Ikenna Onyekwere, Venkatesh Balaji, Marie–Jacqueline Reisener, Erika Chiapparelli, Jennifer Shue, John A. Carrino, Federico P. Girardi, Frank P. Cammisa, Andrew A. Sama, Alexander P. Hughes*
Orthopedics and Sports MedicineMedicine
19
ReviewCitations 1322019
Brace treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: risk factors for failure—a literature reviewRon El Hawary*, Daphna Zaaroor-Regev, Yizhar Floman, Baron S. Lonner, Yasser I. Alkhalife, Randal R. Betz
SurgeryMedicine
20
ArticleCitations 1302021
Global incidence, prevalence, and disability of vertebral fractures: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study 2019Yimin Dong, Renpeng Peng, Honglei Kang, Kehan Song, Qian Guo, Hongjian Zhao, Meipeng Zhu, Yayun Zhang, Hanfeng Guan, Feng Li*
Orthopedics and Sports MedicineMedicine
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Data as of 2026-09-05