Profile: A/Prof Malliaras is a physiotherapist and clinical researcher. He graduated from La Trobe University Physiotherapy School in 1996 and completed his PhD in tendinopathy in 2006. His practice focuses on the management of people with lower limb tendinopathy and he has an international reputation in this area. He has published a substantial amount of related original research (>120 publications). This research has led to changes in practice via guideline development and invited narrative clinical reviews published in high-impact clinical journals.

Research contribution: A/Prof Malliaras has been active in tendinopathy research for over 15 years. His research includes studies that have contributed to understanding of the mechanisms of tendon response to load and adaptation, clinical trials testing exercise and other treatments for tendinopathy, and invited commentaries and narrative reviews bridging the gap between research and practice. Notable examples of research impact are listed here:

• The most highly cited systematic review of exercise interventions for Achilles and patellar tendinopathy (Malliaras et al. Sports Med, 2013) which identified novel clinical evidence challenging the view that eccentric contractions lead to superior clinical benefit than other approaches and identified evidence for exercise intensity-based approaches. Eccentric contractions were recommended in prior reviews and the gold standard for tendinopathy.
• Led an expert narrative review (Malliaras et al, J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2015) outlining a new rehabilitation model for managing patellar tendinopathy. In 2020 a high quality trial (Breda et al Br J Sports Med, 2020), published in top journal in the field) showed this new approach is superior to the more traditional eccentric exercise.
• Recent work in rotator cuff tendinopathy has involved development and successful piloting of an innovative telehealth intervention that is now being tested in a large funded full-scale trial (HCF funded).
• Earlier work focused on the relationship between imaging and pain in tendinopathy and led to novel findings and development of an injection treatment that is now being tested in a full-scale trial (NHMRC funded).
• Co-lead of the international Achilles tendinopathy consensus group tasked with developing core outcomes and agreed upon diagnostic processors
• My work has attracted media interest, invitations to assist implementation into health services and an invitation to develop a tendinopathy training course by the Australian Physiotherapy Association.