UHDB part of ‘ground-breaking’ research study on rehabilitation following shoulder surgery
Colleagues from University Hospitals of Derby and Burton’s (UHDB) are taking part in a ground-breaking national research study into post-operative shoulder rehabilitation following the award of a £1.7million grant by the NIHR.
The ‘RaCeR2’ study will involve clinical colleagues and members of Derby Clinical Trials Support Unit, based at Royal Derby Hospital, who will join a research team led by Chief Investigator, Chris Littlewood, a Professor of Musculoskeletal Research, at Edge Hill University, to investigate an innovative approach to rehabilitation following shoulder surgery.
Tears of the muscles and tendons of the shoulder are a common cause of pain, disability and work absence, and over the years the number of operations to repair these injuries has increased. However, rehabilitation methods, which currently include wearing a sling for up to six weeks after the procedure, have not changed in more than 20 years. The study will aim to discover if removing the patient’s sling earlier will aid recovery.
Dr Teresa Grieve, Co-Director of Derby Clinical Trials Support Unit and Assistant Director of Research and Development at UHDB, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Professor Chris Littlewood on this study. This patient-centred study has the ultimate aim of enabling patients to resume their daily activities sooner and improving patients’ quality of life. Approximately 9,000 shoulder surgical repairs are undertaken in the NHS each year, therefore, this trial has the potential to improve the lives of very many patients, both in the UK and globally.”
The research team conducted a pilot study which suggested this would result in less shoulder pain and disability, less time off from driving and work, and fewer tendon re-tears. The new, larger study will recruit more patients to fully test this new approach. Find out more about the initial pilot study here (opens in new window) >
Professor Chris Littlewood, who is being supported by Maria Moffatt, Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University, said: “This is the largest study in the world in this clinical area to date.
“Our investigations will address a research question that is important to patients and clinicians, and will help advance clinical practice nationally and internationally. This funded study is the product of a significant collaborative effort across multiple institutions.”
The study began in September 2022 and will take almost five years to complete, analysing the rehabilitation of more than 600 patients undergoing surgery at 24 hospitals across the country.
The research team includes collaborators from across the UK including Derby, Manchester, Ormskirk, Bristol, York, London, Warwick and Oxford, as well as Brisbane, Australia.
Clinicians involved in working with patients undergoing rotator cuff repair surgery who are interested in being involved in the study can email: uhdb.racer2@nhs.net.
Clinicians can also get in touch via the RaCeR2 study Twitter page (opens in new window) >
About the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR)
The mission of the NIHR is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
- Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
- Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
- Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
- Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
- Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
- Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
About Edge Hill University
The award-winning Edge Hill University was founded in 1885 and is based on an attractive 160-acre campus in Lancashire, close to Liverpool and Manchester. A friendly, diverse community, offering high quality teaching, support, and transformational opportunities, it’s a place where students discover ideas, subject knowledge, and achieve their full potential.
Our significant success in achieving our mission is recognised by a range of awards and high rankings for teaching, student experience, accommodation and more. Edge Hill is ranked as Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), the government’s evaluation of excellence, and is one of a select few to have held the coveted UK University of the Year title (2014/15), awarded by Times Higher Education and Modern University of the Year (2021/22) awarded by the Times and Sunday Times