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Introduction Despite the high number of operations and surgical advancement, rehabilitation after rotator cuff repair has not progressed for over 20 years. The traditional cautious approach might be contributing to suboptimal outcomes. Our aim is to assess whether individualised (early) patient-directed rehabilitation results in less shoulder pain and disability at 12 weeks after surgical repair of full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff compared with current standard (delayed) rehabilitation.Methods and analysis The rehabilitation after rotator cuff repair (RaCeR 2) study is a pragmatic multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial with internal pilot phase. It has a parallel group design with 1:1 allocation ratio, full health economic evaluation and quintet recruitment intervention. Adults awaiting arthroscopic surgical repair of a full-thickness tear are eligible to participate. On completion of surgery, 638 participants will be randomised. The intervention (individualised early patient-directed rehabilitation) includes advice to the patient to remove their sling as soon as they feel able, gradually begin using their arm as they feel able and a specific exercise programme. Sling removal and movement is progressed by the patient over time according to agreed goals and within their own pain and tolerance. The comparator (standard rehabilitation) includes advice to the patient to wear the sling for at least 4 weeks and only to remove while eating, washing, dressing or performing specific exercises. Progression is according to specific timeframes rather than as the patient feels able. The primary outcome measure is the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index total score at 12-week postrandomisation. The trial timeline is 56 months in total, from September 2022.Trial registration number ISRCTN11499185.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the agreement in tear size obtained through preoperative imaging and intraoperative measurement, and to determine the accuracy of preoper-ative imaging in the classification of tear size and identification of tears in each rotator cuff tendon. Methods Data from 44 patients recruited to a randomized controlled trial were reviewed retrospectively. Size and location of the rotator cuff tears were confirmed by either ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging scans preoperatively and evaluated during surgery. A t-test and Bland and Altman plot were used to determine the agreement between the preoperative and intraoperative measurements. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for tear size and involvement of the rotator cuff tendon. Results There was good agreement in terms of the measurements (91%) and classification (89%) of the tear size preoperatively and during surgery. When classifying tear size, the sensitivity and PPV were high for medium-sized tears (100%) and lower for large tears (75%), reflecting that all medium-sized tears but not all large tears were identified preoperatively. For the preoperative identification of the tears, the sensitivity and PPV were highest for the supraspinatus (84%), with progressively lower sensitivities and PPV for the infraspinatus (57%), subscapularis (17%) and teres minor (0%). Conclusions Through preoperative imaging, the measurement or classification of the tear size can be accurately performed. Where there is disagreement, it is unclear whether the tear size is either underestimated on the scan or overestimated during surgery. The high sensitivity demonstrates that a supraspinatus tear is usually detected by scan. The lower sensitivities for the infraspinatus and subscapularis indicate that the identification of tears in these tendons is less accurate.

Objectives To explore the acceptability of an optimised physiotherapy (OPTimisE) intervention for people with lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) and feasibility of comparing it to usual care in a randomised controlled trial.Design Semistructured interviews, analysed using thematic analysis and mapped onto the COM-B model of behaviour change.Setting Conducted as part of the OPTimisE Pilot & Feasibility randomised controlled trial within physiotherapy departments in the United Kingdom National Health Service.Participants 17 patients with LET (purposively sampled to provide representativeness based on age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation index and treatment allocation) and all 8 physiotherapists involved as treating clinicians or site principal investigators.Results Four themes were identified. First, participants reported the OPTimisE intervention as acceptable. Second, differences between the OPTimisE intervention and usual care were identified, including the use of an orthosis, holistic advice/education including modifiable risk factors, forearm stretches, general upper body strengthening and a more prescriptive exercise-dosing regimen. Third, participants provided feedback related to the trial resources, which were viewed positively, but identified language translation as a need. Fourth, feedback related to trial processes identified the need for changes to outcome collection and reduction of administrative burden. From the perspective of adopting the OPTimisE intervention, we found evidence that participants were able to change their behaviour. Considering the findings through the lens of the COM-B model, the intervention is likely to be deliverable in practice and the trial can be delivered at scale with some additional support for physiotherapists.Conclusions Overall, the OPTimisE intervention was found to be different to usual care and acceptable to patients and physiotherapists. The study highlighted the need to refine trial processes and resources prior to a full-scale trial, to reduce administrative burden, increase support for physiotherapists, improve return rate of outcome questionnaires and provide language translation.Trial registration number ISRCTN database 19 July 2021. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN64444585.

Background Shoulder arthroplasty incidence is projected to continue its exponential growth and the resultant burden of monitoring patients with shoulder arthroplasty implants creates significant pressure on orthopaedic services. Surveillance offers the opportunity to study implant longevity, detect failing implants and potentially perform revision at lower morbidity and cost. There is a paucity of evidence to support recommendations on long-term follow-up in shoulder arthroplasty. Prospective studies comparing long-term follow-up and structure are impractical from time, resource and cost perspectives. A real-time Delphi technique represents a mechanism by which experts involved in long-term follow-up of primary shoulder arthroplasty can formulate recommendations via a transparent, reproducible and efficient process. We outline the protocol for a real-time Delphi study seeking consensus on long-term follow-up and surveillance of primary shoulder arthroplasty .Methods A real-time Delphi technique will be used. A planning committee will design the Delphi statements. A steering committee will supervise and monitor the real-time Delphi process. Participants will be asked to rate their agreement with statements using a 5-point Likert scale. The Delphi statements will be derived from review of published literature, and the strength of evidence available for each statement will be provided. We will offer participation to all surgeons and extended-scope practitioners who are current members of the British Elbow & Shoulder Society (BESS) and have clinical practice involving shoulder arthroplasty follow-up. The questionnaire will be active for 4 weeks and requires a minimum of 20 participants. Consensus agreement is defined as 70% of participants selecting at least a 4-point on a 5-point Likert scale.Discussion We anticipate the outlined study will achieve consensus on long-term follow-up and surveillance of primary shoulder arthroplasty. We intend to use the expert consensus recommendations achieved, in addition to the limited applicable published evidence available, to produce BESS-affiliated guidelines on long-term follow-up and surveillance of primary shoulder arthroplasty.EthicsEthical approval is not required for the real-time Delphi study.We expect the results of this initiative will be published in a peer-reviewed, high-impact journal.

Objectives To explore the lived experience of people with lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) and its impact on everyday life.Design Qualitative semi-structured interviews, analysed using thematic analysis.Setting Conducted as part of the mixed-methods OPTimisE pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial of outpatient physiotherapy patients in the UK.Participants 17 participants with LET, purposively sampled from the trial to provide representativeness based on age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation index and treatment allocation.Results Four themes were identified from the participants’ responses: (1) cause of onset—typically symptoms were attributed to: sudden changes in activity, repetitive work or compensating for other musculoskeletal conditions; (2) impact on everyday life—which included substantial impacts on quality-of-life, particularly due to pain disturbing sleep and difficulties performing daily tasks (related to work and hobbies) due to pain, although most reported being able to persevere with work; (3) self-help and understanding of the condition—with uncertainty about the appropriateness and potential harm of online advice and confusion from the diagnostic term ‘Tennis Elbow’ that non-sporting individuals struggled to relate to; (4) healthcare experiences—the treatments received were highly variable and often perceived as ineffectual.Conclusions For the first time, the lived experience of people from a range of backgrounds suffering from LET has been explored. Findings suggest that people frequently related the cause to a specific activity. They reported substantial impacts on daily tasks, sleep, work and hobbies. People also reported hesitancy to trust online information without formal healthcare advice, were confused by the common label of ‘Tennis Elbow’, and perceived the wide array of healthcare treatment options they had received to offer false hope and be largely ineffective. This study provides stimulus for clinicians to consider the advice and treatment provided, and whether the messages conveyed reflect the favourable natural history of the condition.Trial registration number ISRCTN64444585

Objective To undertake a UK-based James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership for elbow conditions and be representative of the views of patients, carers and healthcare professionals (HCPs).Setting This was a national collaborative study organised through the British Elbow and Shoulder Society.Participants Adult patients, carers and HCPs who have managed or experienced elbow conditions, their carers and HCPs in the UK involved in managing of elbow conditions.Methods The rigorous JLA priority setting methodology was followed. Electronic and paper scoping surveys were distributed to identify potential research priority questions (RPQs). Initial responses were reviewed and a literature search was performed to cross-check categorised questions. Those questions already sufficiently answered were excluded and the remaining questions were ranked in a second survey according to priority for future elbow conditions research. Using the JLA methodology, responses from HCP and patients were combined to create a list of the top 18 questions. These were further reviewed in a dedicated multistakeholder workshop where the top 10 RPQs were agreed by consensus.Results The process was completed over 24 months. The initial survey resulted in 467 questions from 165 respondents (73% HCPs and 27% patients/carers). These questions were reviewed and combined into 46 summary topics comprising: tendinopathy, distal biceps pathology, arthritis, stiffness, trauma, arthroplasty and cubital tunnel syndrome. The second (interim prioritisation) survey had 250 respondents (72% HCP and 28% patients/carers). The top 18 ranked questions from this survey were taken to the final workshop where a consensus was reached on the top 10 RPQs.Conclusions The top 10 RPQs highlight areas of importance that currently lack sufficient evidence to guide diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of elbow conditions. This collaborative process will guide researchers and funders regarding the topics that should receive most future attention and benefit patients and HCPs.

Objectives There are a wide range of physiotherapy treatment options for people with lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET); however, previous studies have reported inconsistent approaches to treatment and a lack of evidence demonstrating clinical effectiveness. This study aimed to combine the best available research evidence with stakeholder perspectives to develop key components of an optimised physiotherapist-led treatment protocol for testing in a future randomised controlled trial (RCT).Design Online consensus groups using nominal group technique (NGT), a systematic approach to building consensus using structured multistage meetings.Setting UK National Health Service (NHS).Participants 10 physiotherapists with special interest in LET, 2 physiotherapy service managers and 3 patients who had experienced LET.Interventions Two consensus groups were conducted; the first meeting focused on agreeing the types of interventions to be included in the optimised treatment protocol; the second meeting focused on specific details of intervention delivery. Participants were sent an evidence summary of available treatments for LET prior to the first meeting. All treatment options were discussed before anonymous voting and ranking of priority. Consensus for inclusion of each treatment option was set at ≥70% based on OMERACT guidelines. Options with 30%–69% agreement were discussed again, and a second vote was held, allowing for a change of opinion.Results The optimised physiotherapist-led treatment package included: advice and education, exercise therapy and orthotics. Specific components for each of these interventions were also agreed such as: condition-specific advice, health-promotion advice, exercise types, exercise into ‘acceptable’ levels of pain, exercise dosage and type of orthoses. Other treatment options including electrotherapy, acupuncture and manual therapy were excluded.Conclusion An optimised physiotherapist-led treatment protocol for people with LET was successfully developed using an online NGT consensus approach. This intervention is now ready for testing in a future pilot/feasibility RCT to contribute much needed evidence about the treatment of LET.Trial registration number This is the pre-cursor to the OPTimisE Pilot and Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial. Registration: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN64444585