Prof. Thomas Benz, PhD

Work at ZHAW

Position

• Professor of Physiotherapy
• Head Head of Continuous Education and Services Physiotherapy
• Deputy Head of the Institute of Physiotherapy
• GLA:D Back Switzerland Project Manager and Head of Research
• Project Manager (PI) RESOLVE Swiss (SNSF Project)

Experience

• Professor ZHAW
  ZHAW
  2023 - today
• Head of Continuous Education and Services Physiotherapy
  ZHAW
  2020 - today
• Scientific Collaborator Research Department
  ZurzachCare, Bad Zurzach
  2009 - today
• Head of Therapies, Pain Center
  ZurzachCare, Bad Zurzach
  2009 - 2020
• Physiotherapist
  diverse
  2005 - 2009

Education and Continuing education

Education

• PhD / Health Sciences
  Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern
  2015 - 2020
• MSc ETH / Human Movment Sciences
  ETH Zürich
  2000 - 2005
• Physiotherapist
  Physiotherapieschule Leukerbad
  1991 - 1995

Continuing Education

• Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Management-oriented Business Administration
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  07 / 2025
• Leadership training
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences
  08 / 2023

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6538-0022

Social media

• LinkedIn
• ORCiD

Projects

• RESOLVE Swiss: a new treatment approach in patients with low back pain / Project leader / ongoing
• GLAD Back Switzerland / Project leader / ongoing

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Angst, F., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sándor, P. S., & Wagner, S. (2026). Volume reduction in leg lymphedema after comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation : a naturalistic prospective cohort study. Vasa. https://doi.org/10.1024/0301-1526/a001268
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P. S., & Angst, F. (2025). Comprehensiveness and validity of a multidimensional assessment of patients with fibromyalgia : a prospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 26(1), 1064. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-025-09270-y
• Bechter, S., Benz, T., & Niedermann, K. (2025). Leitlinienbasierte Therapie bei Arthrose und Rückenschmerzen mit GLA:D®. der informierte @rzt, 15(8), 18–22. https://doi.org/10.23785/ARZT.2025.08.004
• Angst, F., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Seifritz, E., Sándor, P. S., & Angst, K. (2024). Measurement of depression and anxiety in chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia : a validity comparison of four patient-reported outcome measures. Journal of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, 6(1), 162–172. https://doi.org/10.36959/362/489
• Angst, F., Geiser, F., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., & Sandor, P. (2024). Somatisation differentiates fibromyalgia from low back pain : a comparative, cross-sectional cohort study. Rheumatology, 64(4), 1741–1749. https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keae462
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2023). Relationship between subjectively-rated and objectively-tested physical function across six different medical diagnoses. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 55(jrm9383). https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v55.9383
• Giangreco, S., Benz, T., Luomajoki, H., & Felsch, Q. (2023). Validierung und Reliabilitätsprüfung des „Athlete Fear Avoidance Questionnaire (AFAQ)“. Sportverletzung - Sportschaden, 37(4), 164–170. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2176-4349
• Walder, S., Betschart, M., & Benz, T. (2023). Vergleich zweier Bandagetechniken bei sekundärem Armlymphödem nach Brustkrebs – Wirkung des Zweilagen-Kompressionssystems „3M Coban 2 Lite“ auf das Ödemvolumen und die Lebensqualität bei brustkrebsbedingtem Armlymphödem im Vergleich zur Dreischichten-Kompressionsbandage : eine Kohortenstudie. Physioscience, 20(02), 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2069-8113
• Angst, F., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sándor, P. S., & Wagner, S. (2023). Effects of inpatient rehabilitation in leg lymphedema : a naturalistic prospective cohort study with intra-individual control of effects. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 104(12), 2035–2042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2023.06.001
• Luomajoki, H., Pfeiffer, F., & Benz, T. (2023). Rückenschmerzen : welche Evidenz haben Prävention und Physiotherapie? Therapeutische Umschau, 80(4), 175–182. https://doi.org/10.1024/0040-5930/a001432
• Angst, F., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P. S., & Benz, T. (2022). Catastrophizing as a prognostic factor for pain and physical function in the multidisciplinary rehabilitation of fibromyalgia and low back pain. European Journal of Pain, 26(7), 1569–1580. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1983
• Angst, F., Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Wagner, S. (2021). Common and contrasting characteristics of the chronic soft-tissue pain conditions fibromyalgia and lipedema. Journal of Pain Research, 14, 2931–2941. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S315736
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Elfering, A., Sandor, P. S., & Angst, F. (2021). Comprehensiveness and validity of a multidimensional assessment in patients with chronic low back pain : a prospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 22(291). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04130-x

Books, peer-reviewed

Benz, T., Broecker, M., Careddu, S., Holopainen, R., Jones, Mark. A., Kiesele, J., Klaes, D., Kromer, T. O., Löscher, S., Lüdtke, K., Messner, T., O’Sullivan, P., Pfeiffer, F., Riese, D., Ringel, S., Rucker, A. M. L., & Weber, J. (2025). Hands-off in der Physiotherapie : Schmerzedukation, Kommunikation, Soft Skills und Behandlungsansätze (H. Luomajoki & C. Schwertfellner, eds.). Thieme.

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

• Benz, T. (2025). Physiotherapeutisches Patient*innenmanagement am Beispiel des GLA:D Rückenprogramms. In H. Luomajoki & C. Schwertfellner (eds.), Hands-off in der Physiotherapie (pp. 263–268). Thieme. https://doi.org/10.1055/b000000892
• Angst, F., & Benz, T. (2023). Disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire (DASH). In F. Maggino (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (pp. 1808–1828). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17299-1_3892

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Benz, T., Geiser, F., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2025, April 24). Somatisation differentiates fibromyalgia from low back pain : a comparative, cross-sectional cohort study. 14th Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC, Lyon, France, 24-26 April 2025.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2025, April 24). Relationship between subjectively-rated and objectively-tested physical function across six different medical diagnoses. 14th Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC, Lyon, France, 24-26 April 2025.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2025, April 24). Comprehensiveness and validity of a multidimensional assessment of patients with fibromyalgia : a prospective cohort study. 14th Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC, Lyon, France, 24-26 April 2025.
• Benz, T., Niedermann Schneider, K., & IG GLA:D. (2024, November 14). The implementation of exercise and education as first-line interventions for osteoarthritis and low back pain in Switzerland. Swiss Pain Society and Swiss Gender Health Network Annual Congress, Aarau, Switzerland, 14-15 November 2024.
• Benz, T., Geiser, F., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2024, November 14). Somatisation differentiates fibromyalgia from low back pain : a comparative, cross-sectional cohort study. Swiss Pain Society and Swiss Gender Health Network Annual Congress, Aarau, Switzerland, 14-15 November 2024.
• Angst, F., Geiser, F., Benz, T., Lehrmann, S., & Sandor, P. (2024, June). Somatisation differentiates fibromyalgia from low back pain : a comparative, cross-sectional cohort study. 11th Annual Scientific Conference of the European Association for Psychosomatic Medicine (EAPM), Lausanne, Switzerland, 12-15 June 2024.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2022). Catastrophizing as a prognostic factor for pain and physical function in the multidisciplinary rehabilitation of fibromyalgia and low back pain. 12th Congress of the European Pain Federation (EFIC), Dublin, Ireland, 27-30 April 2022.
• Benz, T., Angst, F., Lehmann, S., Wagner, S., Simmen, B., Sandor, P., Gengenbacher, M., & Angst, J. (2021). Extended overview of the longitudinal pain-depression association : a comparison of 6 naturalistic cohort studies of specific chronic pain conditions. World Physiotherapy Congress, Online, 9-11 April 2021.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Elfering, A., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2021). Comprehensiveness and validity of multidimensional assessment in patients with chronic low back pain. IASP 2021 Virtual World Congress on Pain, Online, 9-11 June and 16-18 June 2021.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Wagner, S., Simmen, B., Sandor, P., Gengenbacher, M., Angst, J., & Angst, F. (2021). Extended overview of the longitudinal pain-depression association : a comparison of 6 naturalistic cohort studies of specific chronic pain conditions. IASP 2021 Virtual World Congress on Pain, Online, 9-11 June and 16-18 June 2021.
• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Elfering, A., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2021). Comprehensiveness and validity of multidimensional assessment in patients with chronic low back pain. World Physiotherapy Congress, Online, 9-11 April 2021.
• Benz, T., Hilfiker, R., Allet, L., Bechter, S., Frank, F., Peters, R., Roffler, M., Scascighini, L., & Niedermann Schneider, K. (2021, May). GLA:D Rücken : ein Schulungs- und Übungsprogramm für Personen mit Rückenschmerzen. 2. Kooperationskongress SMARTER REHA, online, 6.-7. Mai 2021.

Other publications

• Stehrenberger, A., Careddu, S., Degenfellner, J., Pfeiffer, F., Meier, M., Ott, J., Rapp, C., Koponen, M., Luomajoki, H., & Benz, T. (2025, June 26). Effect of pain science education and graded sensorimotor retraining on disability in patients with chronic low back pain : a study protocol of a cluster-randomized clinical trial. 19th International Forum for Back and Neck Pain Research in Primary Care (IBNP Forum), Davos, Switzerland, 24-27 June 2025.
• Benz, T., Allet, L., Bechter, S., Capra, G., Hilfiker, R., Niedermann Schneider, K., Scascighini, L., Frank, F., Peters, R., & Roffler, M. (2022). GLA:D Rücken Programm : ein Edukations- und Übungsprogramm für Personen mit chronischen oder rezidivierenden lumbalen Rückenschmerzen. Physioactive, 58(1), 5–9. https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-1047016
• Bechter, S., Benz, T., & Niedermann, K. (2022). Spezifisches Training & Edukation. Schmerz.Therapie, 5(02), 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1756-9434

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Benz, T., Lehmann, S., Sandor, P., & Angst, F. (2025). Zusammenhang zwischen subjektiv beurteilter und objektiv getesteter Gang-bezogener Funktionsmessung [Conference presentation]. Physioscience, 21(S 03), S6–S7. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0045-1812359
• Benz, T., Bechter, S., & Niedermann, K. (2025). Verlaufskontrolle und Qualitätsmonitoring durch ein nationales Datenregister in der Physiotherapie [Conference presentation]. Physioscience, 21(S 03), S23–S24. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0045-1812402
• Careddu, S., Stehrenberger, A., Benz, T., Luomajoki, H., Pfeiffer, F., & Degenfellner, J. (2025). RESOLVE-Intervention bei chronischen Rückenschmerzen : Protokoll einer cluster-randomisierten Studie [Conference presentation]. Physioscience, 21(S 03), S4. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0045-1812353
• Benz, T. (2024, November 6). GLA:D - Programm und die Evidenz von Trainingsmassnahmen bei lumbalen Rückenproblematiken. 6. Physio-Symposium der Orthopädie Rosenberg, Gossau, Schweiz, 6. November 2024.
• Benz, T., Niedermann Schneider, K., & Interessensgemeinschaft (IG) GLA:D. (2024, July). The implementation of GLA:D programmes in Switzerland. IFOMPT 2024, Basel, Switzerland, 4-6 July 2024.
• Benz, T. (2022, December 6). Weiterbildung im Spannungsfeld «Fachexpertise und Interprofessionalität». IGPTR-Tagung, Rheinfelden, Schweiz, 6. Dezember 2022.
• Benz, T. (2022, October 5). GLA:D Rücken Programm bei lumbalen Rückenschmerzen. Physioswiss Kantonalverband Aargau, online, 5. Oktober 2022.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• Comparison of short- and mid-term outcomes of Italian- and German-speaking patients after an interdisciplinary pain management programme in Switzerland: A prospective cohort study
• Responsiveness of the cervical Northern American Spine Society questionnaire (NASS) and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) in chronic whiplash
• Effects of inpatient rehabilitation in hip and knee osteoarthritis: a naturalistic prospective cohort study with intraindividual control of effects
• Association of the sense of coherence with physical and psychosocial health in the rehabilitation of osteoarthritis of the hip and knee: a prospective cohort study
• Interdisciplinary rehabilitation after whiplash injury: An observational prospective 5 years outcome study
• Effectiveness of subgroup-specific pain rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial in patients with chronic back pain
• Health and quality of life in patients with medication overuse headache syndrome after standardized inpatient rehabilitation: A cross-sectional pilot study
• Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and reliability of the German version of the migraine disability assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire
• Extended overview of the longitudinal pain-depression association: A comparison of six cohorts treated for specific chronic pain conditions
• Treatment of chronic pain in Switzerland: scientific evidence
• Salutogenic concepts in the rehabilitation of osteoarthritis
• Comparison of patients in three different rehabilitation settings after knee or hip arthroplasty: a natural observational, prospective study
• Multidimensional minimal clinically important differences in knee osteoarthritis after comprehensive rehabilitation: a prospective evaluation from the Bad Zurzach Osteoarthritis Study
• Quadriceps performance under activation of foot dorsal extension in healthy volunteers: an interventional cohort study
• Rehabilitation bei chronischen Kopfschmerzen
• Neurorehabilitation bei Kopfschmerzen

Research data

Karamanlargil, Asli; Maurer, Yael; Güttinger, Adrian; Benz, Thomas; Giannouli, Eleftheria, 2026. Data for project 'First normative data for a novel instrumented cognitive-motor assessment battery in older adults'. Zenodo. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18935991

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