Dr Heesterbeek is a senior researcher in orthopaedic innovations at Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on the clinical and technical aspects of total knee replacement, particularly fixation as monitored by RSA, implant function and kinematics as well as PJIs of knee, hip and shoulder implants. She is a long-term member of the Dutch Orthopaedic Association and is a Board member of the International Radiostereometric Society.

Dr Heesterbeek is active in the education of young orthopaedic surgeons, particularly in research methodology and statistics. Her current research projects include work on understanding the phenomenon of poor responders after TKA, improving outcome through more personalized alignment and the clinical evaluation of a polycarbonate anatomical meniscus prosthesis system.