Dr Katherine Rae

Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician

MBBS FACSP

Dr Katherine Rae started working in the field of Sport and Exercise Medicine in 1997. She completed her Sports Medicine Fellowship training with the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians in 2002, after being awarded the College Medal in 2001 for best performance in the Fellowship Examinations. She was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship to Sydney University for her services to Sydney University Sport throughout both her time as a student, involved with the Sydney University Athletics Club, and as a Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician working at the Sports Clinic on campus. Dr Katherine Rae reports the highlights of her Sports Medicine career as being the two lives that she has saved whilst doing on field sports medicine coverage. The first was an older athlete who had a cardiac arrest after finishing a race at an athletics event on her first day ever covering a sports event in 1997, and later in 2015 when she correctly diagnosed and treated a tension pneumothorax in a rugby player when he collapsed on the field after being tackled.

Dr Katherine Rae

Interests

Dr Rae has an interest in multiple sports including rugby, cricket, basketball, netball, track and field, and AFL, through many years of sports coverage in these areas. Through working with the Elite Athlete Program at Sydney Uni she has also treated elite athletes from a very long and varied list of sports separate to those listed above.

She has a particular interest in lower limb injuries and is a part of the foot and ankle research group at Sydney Uni, primarily researching syndesmosis sprains. She is also interested in acute trauma and concussion management, as well as biomechanical and overuse syndromes and women and children in sport.

Her focus is on correct diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions including finding and correcting the reasons for injury to prevent recurrence. As part of a management plan, when appropriate, she is experienced in incorporating the use of shockwave in the management of soft tissue injuries.

Congrats to Dr Katherine Rae!

Dr Katherine Rae is one of the authors in a recently published open access journal article on how soccer heading can alter brain chemistry. It has been featured on:

Team Coverage

  • NSW Waratahs Women, Super W, 2020 – Present
  • NSW Women's Cricket Program, 2021– Present
  • Sydney University Flames Basketball Team NWBL, 2003–2023
  • NSW Swifts, Suncorp Super Netball, 2020 – 2021
  • NSW Country Eagles, National Rugby Championships, 2016–2019
  • GWS Giants, AFL, 2018
  • Sydney University Football Club, NSW Premiership Rugby, 1998–2016
  • Sydney Stars, National Rugby Championships, 2014–2015
  • Central Coast Rays, Premiers, Australian Rugby Championships, 2007
  • Australian Junior Track & Field Team,World Junior Championships, Italy 2004
  • Australian Track and Field Team East Asian Games, Japan, 2003
  • Sydney University Sandpipers, NNL 2000–2001

Dr Rae has also travelled with the Australian Women’s Basketball, Hockey and Waterpolo teams and the Australian Junior Netball team to international competitions.

Sports Event Coverage

  • Perth Sevens and Sydney Sevens Tournament, 2017–2025
  • Commonwealth Games Local Organising Committee, Netball Sports Specific Medical Officer, 2006
  • Olympics and Paralympics 2000, Athlete Care, Olympic Village and Track and Field competition
  • Athletics NSW Medical Officer 2003–2016

Associations & Memberships

Academic Positions

  • Conjoint Lecturer, University NSW, 2013 – Present
  • Research Affiliate Concussion Research Group, School of Physiotherapy, Sydney Uni, 2020 –Present
  • Research Affiliate Foot and Ankle Research Group, Sydney University, 2012 – Present
  • Sydney Uni School of Physiotherapy, Guest Lecturer 2007–2010