Rate My Professor Robert Waller

Dr. Robert Waller is a Senior Lecturer in the Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, at Curtin University, and serves as Course Coordinator for the Master of Clinical Physiotherapy. He earned his PhD in Physiotherapy from Curtin University in 2019, with a thesis titled 'Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Investigation of Pain Sensitivity in Young Adults' based on data from the Raine Study cohort. His earlier qualifications include a Master's Degree in Manipulative Therapy from Curtin University and initial training from Cumberland College of Health Sciences in 1988 and Curtin University in 2002. As a registered Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Waller has a clinical background in diagnosis and management of complex spinal disorders, cervicogenic headaches, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, posture correction, and spinal rehabilitation.

Waller's research focuses on musculoskeletal pain, pain sensitivity phenotypes, chronic pain management, and clinical practice guidelines in physiotherapy. He leads the Musculoskeletal Special Interest Group for the Raine Study. His highly cited publications include 'What does best practice care for musculoskeletal pain look like? Eleven consistent recommendations from high-quality clinical practice guidelines: systematic review' (Lin et al., 2020, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 1184 citations), 'The relationship between posture and back muscle endurance in industrial workers with flexion-related low back pain' (O’Sullivan et al., 2006, Manual Therapy, 371 citations), 'Reliability of pressure pain threshold testing in healthy pain free young adults' (Waller et al., 2015, Scandinavian Journal of Pain, 113 citations), 'Sensory characteristics of chronic non-specific low back pain: a subgroup investigation' (O'Sullivan et al., 2014, Manual Therapy, 110 citations), and 'Patient-centred care: the cornerstone for high-value musculoskeletal pain management' (Lin et al., 2020, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 96 citations). Recent works encompass health outcomes in young people with chronic pain phenotypes (Waller et al., 2025, The Journal of Pain), clinical practice guidelines for chronic primary pain (Waller et al., 2025, BMJ Open), and pressure and cold pain threshold reference values (Waller et al., 2024). Waller's contributions have influenced evidence-based practices in pain care through systematic reviews and cohort studies.