Do you think the paradigm is changing for management after rotator cuff repair in Australia? 

There is accruing international evidence that questions the traditional time-based periods of six to eight weeks of immobilisation and conservative waiting before commencing active movement.

This evidence points to the need to change the way we approach post-op care for rotator cuff repair patients. 

How does Australia’s outlook compare to the rest of the world—are we progressive or conservative? 

Nadine Foster will provide an update on rotator cuff rehab at APASC2025.

While many are conservative, it seems there is appetite among physiotherapists in Australia to be more progressive and to contribute to growing the evidence base for Australia. 

If Australian clinicians can be involved in their own evidence generation then the future is bright. 

Do you think technology, technique or surgeon’s confidence is the main driver for active protocols after rotator cuff repair? 

Several intraoperative and patient factors increase surgeons’ concerns about the risk of re-tear, leading them to favour extended periods of immobilisation and slow resumption of active movement and rehabilitation. 

Addressing surgeons’ confidence and equipoise will be crucial for generating new Australian-based evidence to reduce the clinical uncertainty about optimal approaches to rotator cuff repair rehabilitation. 

>>Professor Nadine Foster is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Fellow, a physiotherapist, Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and previous National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) senior investigator and research professor. She is currently working for the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service’s (STARS) Education and Research Alliance between the University of Queensland and Metro North Health in Queensland. Nadine is also the director of the University of Queensland’s clinical trial centre. Her research focuses on musculoskeletal conditions, including low back pain, osteoarthritis and shoulder pain, and on developing and testing treatments and models of care. 

>>Nadine is giving the invited presentation ‘Progressing the evidence base for rotator cuff rehabilitation’ on Thursday 23 October at 11:05am.

Click here for more information about APASC2025.