Overview
Submission Instructions
Recent Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
Research Topics
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The Spine Journal (TSJ), the official journal of the North American Spine Society, is an international and multidisciplinary journal that publishes original, peer-reviewed articles on research and treatment related to the spine and spine care, including basic science and clinical investigations. It also publishes major reviews, technical notes, teaching editorials, special features, and letters to the Editor-in-Chief.
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Subject
Clinical Neurology, Orthopedics
Impact Factor
4.7
Quartile
Q1
Open Access Type
Hybrid
ISSN
1529-9430
eISSN
1878-1632
Invitation Only
No
Cost Range
USD 4880 excluding taxes for open access articles; no open access publication fee for subscription publication.
Submission Instructions
The Spine Journal accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.
Controlled Trials
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. Manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in the reference list in the order of first appearance.
Figures & Tables
Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must be cited in the text, numbered in order, and provided with captions.
Observational Studies
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. If generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement must be included in a new section before the references list, and 6 to 10 English keywords must be provided.
References
References must be cited with numbers in square brackets and listed in the reference list in the order they appear in the text.
Figures & Tables
Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must be cited in the text, numbered by order of appearance, and provided with captions.
Diagnostic Test Studies
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured using eight required subheadings. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. Manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited using numbers in square brackets and listed in the reference list in the order of first appearance in the text.
Figures & Tables
Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and figures must be cited in the text, numbered in order, and accompanied by captions.
Reliability And Agreement Studies
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
A concise factual abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. Manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English, and if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement must be added in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited using numbers in square brackets and listed in the order in which they appear in the text.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited in the text, and figures must be cited in the text, numbered by order of appearance, and provided with captions.
Cost-Effectiveness Studies
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. Manuscript should include the recommended elements from the ISPOR RCT-CEA Task Force report, include 6 to 10 keywords in English, and add a generative AI declaration section before the references if such tools were used.
References
References must be cited using numbered citations in square brackets. Reference list entries must be numbered in the order they appear in the text and may use any consistent style or format at submission.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must each be cited, numbered in order, and accompanied by a caption.
Systematic Reviews
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
The manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in the reference list in the order of first appearance.
Figures & Tables
Tables must appear in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must each be submitted as separate files with captions and cited in the text in numerical order.
Meta-Analyses
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
The manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited using numbers in square brackets and listed in numerical order of appearance. Reference entries must include author names, source title, article or chapter title, year, and volume, article number, or pagination where applicable, and web references must also include the full URL and access date.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be editable text with consecutive numbering and captions, and all figures and tables must be cited in the manuscript text with captions provided.
Basic Science Papers
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
A structured abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must use the headings background context, purpose, study design, methods, results, conclusions, and clinical significance.
Manuscript
Manuscript must include a Discussion section with a paragraph describing the potential clinical relevance of the research. Manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English, and if generative AI tools were used a declaration statement must appear in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in numerical order of appearance.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with consecutive numbering and captions, and all figures and tables must be cited in the manuscript text.
Narrative Review Articles
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be unstructured.
Manuscript
Manuscript must include 20 to 30 pages of double-spaced text. If generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement must be included in a new section before the references list.
References
Narrative Review Articles must include a minimum of 50 references. References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in the reference list in the order of appearance.
Figures & Tables
Narrative Review Articles must include 3 to 5 explanatory tables. Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the manuscript text.
Uncontrolled Case Series
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
A structured abstract is required. Abstract must not exceed 250 words. Abstract must be structured using eight subheadings. Abstract must include the headings background context, purpose, design, patient sample, outcome measures, methods, results, and conclusions.
Manuscript
Manuscript should be between 1500 and 4500 words. Manuscript must include 6 to 10 keywords in English and, if generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in numerical order of first appearance.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must be cited in the text, numbered by order of appearance, and accompanied by captions.
Research Letters
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract must not be included.
Manuscript
Manuscript must be no more than 700 words. Manuscript should include a short Introduction and use the headings Methods, Results, and Discussion. If generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement must be included in a new section before the references list.
References
Reference list must contain no more than 10 references. References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in the order of first appearance.
Figures & Tables
Submission may include only 1 or 2 figures and/or tables. Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures must be supplied as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and all figures must have captions and be cited in order in the text.
Letters To The Editor (Correspondence)
Cover Letter
Cover Letter requirements are not specified.
Abstract
Abstract must not exceed 250 words.
Manuscript
Letters to the Editor should be kept to 500 words. Letters to the Editor must be addressed "To the Editor." If generative AI tools were used in manuscript preparation, a declaration statement must be included in a new section before the references list.
References
References must be cited in the text using numbers in square brackets and listed in numerical order of appearance.
Figures & Tables
Tables must be included in the anonymized manuscript, while figures and other artwork must be uploaded as separate files. Tables must be submitted as editable text with captions and cited consecutively in the text, and figures must each have a caption, be cited in the text, and be numbered in order of appearance.
Recent Publications
Reassessing Bladder Recovery in Cauda Equina Syndrome: Long-Term Outcomes After Surgical Decompression – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Elie Najjar, Rodrigo Muscogliati, Charlie Trumble, Weronika Nocun, Negin Nematiniaye Masooleh, Emily Lindridge, Aaron Chitty, Daniel D’aquino, Michael Grevitt, Nasir Quraishi
10.1016/j.spinee.2026.07.005
View Publication
Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Surgery for Spinal Metastases From Lung Cancer: A Six-Center Risk Analysis and External Validation of Three Established Risk Scores
Yuan Yan, Xin Wang, Shuang Li, Jiazheng Zhao, Guochao Zhou, Guoqing Zhong, Jianjun Xun, Yongcheng Hu, Jiatao Zhang, Meng Xu, Yu Zhang
10.1016/j.spinee.2026.07.016
View Publication
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to publish?
7 days from submission to first decision; 63 days from submission to decision after review; 137 days from submission to acceptance; 8 days from acceptance to online publication.
Reformat to The Spine Journal using Livewrite PremiumWhat are the publication costs?
Open access APC: USD 4880 excluding taxes. Subscription publication has no open access publication fee.
Reformat to The Spine Journal using Livewrite PremiumResearch Topics
Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
Spinal Fractures and Fixation Techniques
Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy
Scoliosis diagnosis and treatment
Medical Imaging and Analysis
Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
Pelvic and Acetabular Injuries
Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies
Management of metastatic bone disease
Anesthesia and Pain Management
Orthopaedic implants and arthroplasty
Spinal Hematomas and Complications
Human auditory perception and evaluation
Educational Robotics and Engineering
Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical Outcomes
Hip and Femur Fractures
Spinal Cord Injury Research
Clinical practice guidelines implementation
Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
Big Data and Digital Economy
Bone health and osteoporosis research
Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
Spinal Dysraphism and Malformations
Orthopedic Infections and Treatments