Fabian Pfeiffer

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Head of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Master Programs
• Lecturer with focus on musculoskeletal physiotherapy (Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Continuing Education)
• Physiotherapist (clinical practice) at Thetriz

Focus

• Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
• Acute and chronic pain
• Communication
• Patient-centered Physiotherapy
• Patient education

Teaching

• MSc muskuloskeletal
• MAS Musculoskelettal Physiotherapy
• CAS Vertiefung in Muskuloskelettaler Physiotherapie
• CAS Klinische Expertise in Muskuloskelettaler Physiotherapie
• Mastermodul Forschungsprojekt
• BSc Physiotherapy

Experience

• Head of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Master Programs
  Institute of Physiotherapy, ZHAW
  08 / 2022 - today
• Lecturer
  Institute of Physiotherapy, ZHAW
  10 / 2020 - today
• Research Associate
  Institute of Physiotherapy, ZHAW
  10 / 2017 - 09 / 2020
• Clinical work as physiotherapist (outpatient setting)
  Medbase Physioscience Winterthur
  09 / 2013 - 09 / 2020
• Clinical work as physiotherapist (outpatient setting)
  Physiotraining Buchs
  12 / 2010 - 08 / 2013

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Master of Science / Physiotherapy
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW
  09 / 2014 - 11 / 2017
• Physiotherapist
  School of Physiotherapy, Konstanz
  10 / 2007 - 10 / 2010

Continuing Education

• Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS): Higher & Professional Education
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW
  01 / 2022
• Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS): Clinical Expertise in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ZHAW
  11 / 2014

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1819-8938

Social media

• LinkedIn
• X

Projects

• The effect of pain education and graded sensorimotor relearning compared to usual physiotherapy in patients with low back pain: RESOLVE Swiss / Team member / laufend
• Translation of the Back Pain Attitude Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) and review of its psychometric properties / Project leader / laufend
• Bi-directional interactions of sensory perception, motor performance and fear of movement in the development of persistent low back pain / Team member / abgeschlossen

Publications

• Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina; Surbeck, Ursula; Morf, Rita; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2024.

  Persistence, not avoidance, is associated with low back pain : an observational cohort study.

  European Journal of Pain.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.4728

• Pfeiffer, Fabian; Luomajoki, Hannu; Meichtry, André; Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina,

  2024.

  The course of acute low back pain : a community-based inception cohort study.

  Pain Reports.

  9(3), pp. e1152.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000001152

• Zürcher, John; Liechti, Seraina; Degenfellner, Jürgen; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Bauer, Christoph,

  2024.

  Construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Modified Agility T-Test in healthy adults.

  Physioscience.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2218-1201

• Stehrenberger, Andrea; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2023.

  Beobachtung, Bauchgefühl & Beharrlichkeit : Intuition im Clinical-Reasoning-Prozess.

  physiopraxis.

  21(11/12), pp. 24-27.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2184-2812

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Benz, Thomas,

  2023.

  Rückenschmerzen : welche Evidenz haben Prävention und Physiotherapie?.

  Therapeutische Umschau.

  80(4), pp. 175-182.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1024/0040-5930/a001432

• Bucher, Thomas; Volken, Thomas; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Schaffert, René,

  2023.

  Musculoskeletal pain in health professionals at the end of their studies and 1 year after entry into the profession : a multi-center longitudinal questionnaire study from Switzerland.

  BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

  24(1), pp. 518.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06635-z

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina,

  2023.

  Psychologische Faktoren im Fokus : Fragen als Schlüssel zum Behandlungserfolg.

  MSK – Muskuloskelettale Physiotherapie.

  27(4), pp. 217-222.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2125-8078

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2023.

  Words matter : Kommunikation im klinischen Alltag.

  MSK – Muskuloskelettale Physiotherapie.

  27(05), pp. 273-278.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2140-6287

• Morf, Rita; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2022.

  Verhaltensänderung bei chronischen Schmerzen : eine Medaille mit zwei Seiten.

  pt Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten .

  74(1), pp. 23-28.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-24537

• Morf, Rita; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina; Meichtry, André; Luomajoki, Hannu,

  2021.

  Prediction and trend of tactile acuity, pain and disability in acute LBP : a six-month prospective cohort study.

  BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

  22(666).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04530-z

• Meier, R.; Emch, C.; Gross-Wolf, C.; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Meichtry, André; Schmid, A.; Luomajoki, Hannu,

  2021.

  Sensorimotor and body perception assessments of nonspecific chronic low back pain : a cross-sectional study.

  BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

  22(391).

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04269-7

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2018.

  Damit Schmerzen verstanden werden : richtig kommunizieren.

  physiopraxis.

  16(6), pp. 24-28.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0587-8030

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2018.

  Alles immer nur zentral? : Sensibilisierungsprozesse bei persistierenden Schmerzen.

  pt Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten.

  70(12), pp. 36-40.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-18865

• Pfeiffer, Fabian; Luomajoki, Hannu,

  2015.

  The pain is in the brain : die Rolle des Gehirns bei chronischen Rückenschmerzen.

  pt Zeitschrift für Physiotherapeuten.

  67(10), pp. 30-38.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-4844

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian, eds.,

  2023.

  Schmerzbuch Physiotherapie.

  1. Auflage.

  München:

  Elsevier.

  ISBN 978-3-437-45252-9.

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian, eds.,

  2022.

  Fallbuch Physiotherapie : muskuloskelettales System.

  2. Auflage.

  München:

  Elsevier.

  ISBN 978-3-437-45437-0.

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian, eds.,

  2018.

  Fallbuch Physiotherapie : muskuloskelettales System.

  1. Auflage.

  Elsevier.

  ISBN 978-3-437-45005-1.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2025.

  Physiotherapeutische Kommunikationsstrategien und Patient*innenedukation

  .

  In:

  Luomajoki, Hannu; Schwertfellner, Christoph, eds.,

  Hands-off in der Physiotherapie.

  Stuttgart:

  Thieme.

  pp. 110-117.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/f-0002-0002-b000000892

• Zürcher, John; Liechti, Seraina; Degenfellner, Jürgen; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Bauer, Christoph,

  2024.

  Construct validity and absolute and relative test-retest reliability of the modified agility T-test in healthy adults [poster].

  In:

  IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.

• Mohler, Micha; Bruderer-Hofstetter, Marina; Nyfeler, Denise; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2024.

  Cross-cultural translation and face validity of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire [poster].

  In:

  IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian; Luomajoki, Hannu; Degenfellner, Jürgen; Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina,

  2024.

  Longitudinal analysis of determinants influencing the course of acute low back pain : insights from an inception cohort [poster].

  In:

  IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian; Meichtry, André; Luomajoki, Hannu; Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina,

  2023.

  The natural course of acute low back pain in the general population : an inception cohort study [poster].

  In:

  13th Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC, Budapest, Hungary, 20-22 September 2023.

  Available from: https://europeanpainfederation.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ABSTRACT_BOOK_T-2023.pdf

• Hotz Boendermaker, Sabina; Surbeck, Ursula; Morf, Rita; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2023.

  Overactivity, not avoidance behavior, is associated with persistent low back pain : an observational cohort study [poster].

  In:

  13th Congress of the European Pain Federation (EFIC), Budapest, Hungary, 20-22 September 2023.

  Winterthur:

  ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-30152

• Morf, Rita; Reicherzer, Leah; Degenfellner, Jürgen; Ernst, Markus; Pfeiffer, Fabian; Luomajoki, Hannu; Hasenbring, Monika; Hotz-Boendermaker, Sabina,

  2024.

  Study protocol: Activity patterns and stress – prognostic factors for pain persistence and disability in acute neck pain. A one year prospective inception cohort study.

  OSF.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/DFY2J

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2022.

  Training trotz Schmerzen : eine Frage der Motivation?.

  Schmerz.Therapie.

  5(2), pp. 80-84.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1756-9108

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2020.

  Konservative Behandlung von Knieproblemen : Update zur Evidenz.

  Physioactive.

  56(3), pp. 5-10.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-20902

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2020.

  Validierte Evaluation von Angst, Kinesiophobie und Katastrophisierung.

  Der Schmerzpatient.

  3(1), pp. 26-30.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1055/a-0969-4215

• Vibe Fersum, Kjartan; Holopainen, Riikka; Brem, Peter; Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2024.

  Empowering musculoskeletal physiotherapy : a symposium on patient-centered care and curriculum transformation.

  In:

  IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian; Holopainen, Riikka; Vibe Fersum, Kjartan,

  2024.

  Transforming musculoskeletal physiotherapy : embracing patient-centred care in curriculum development.

  In:

  IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.

  Elsevier.

  pp. 27-28.

  Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2024.103128

• Luomajoki, Hannu; Pfeiffer, Fabian; van Duijn, Arjen; Walter, Rolf,

  2023.

  Ein Fall für Drei.

  In:

  7. MSK Symposium der ZHAW und des SVOMP, Winterthur, Schweiz, 18. März 2023.

  Available from: https://www.zhaw.ch/de/gesundheit/institute-zentren/ipt/symposien-tagungen/symposium-muskuloskelettale-physiotherapie/msk-symposium-2023/

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2021.

  Words matter : effektive Kommunikation in der physiotherapeutischen Praxis.

  In:

  Kommunikation in der PT-Praxis, ZHAW Gesundheit, online, 6. April 2021.

  Available from: https://www.zhaw.ch/de/gesundheit/ueber-uns/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungsdetails/event-news/webinar-kommunikation-in-der-pt-praxis/

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2021.

  Risikofaktoren einer Chronifizierung.

  In:

  6. Symposium Muskuloskelettale Physiotherapie der ZHAW und des svomp: «Ganz schön nervig – Brennpunkt Neuropathien», online, 13. März 2021.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2020.

  Akute Rückenschmerzen.

  In:

  pharmaDavos, Davos, Schweiz, 9.-14. Februar 2020.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2019.

  Richtig kommunizieren : Bedeutung im physiotherapeutischen Setting.

  In:

  pt HOLIdays, Hamburg, Deutschland, 25.-26. Oktober 2019.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2019.

  Richtig kommunizieren, damit Schmerzen verstanden werden.

  In:

  physiokongress West, Essen, Deutschland, 27.-28. September 2019.

• Pfeiffer, Fabian,

  2019.

  Richtig kommunizieren, damit Schmerzen verstanden werden.

  In:

  13. physiokongress, Stuttgart, Deutschland, 25.-27. Januar 2019.

  Available from: https://lp.thieme.de/emag/epaper-programm-physiokongress-2019/#2

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