The Department is led by Consultants in Sports and Exercise Medicine, and a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, and a team of Registrars, who work collaboratively to treat simple and complex conditions that impact sports participation and performance.
The team is made of
- Dr Noel McCaffrey
- Dr Pat O’Neill
- Dr James O’Donovan
- Ms. Tina Traynor, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist
Dr Noel McCaffrey
Dr McCaffrey is a former Dublin GAA football player and GAA All-Star (1988), who combines a passion for sport, medical expertise and empirical knowledge to benefit patients. Dr McCaffrey studied Medicine at University College Dublin (UCD) and Sports Medicine in London, and his interests include obesity, musculoskeletal injury in athletes and exercise for special populations.
Professional career highlights include:
- Developed and directed an MSc Programme in Sports Medicine for UCD (1990-1996)
- Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and the Royal College of Physicians Ireland (RCPI)
- Medical Consultant for Riverdance
- Steering Committee Member for the HSE National Exercise Referral Template
- Collaborated with the Irish Cancer Society to develop Move On and Living
- Life with Cancer Rehabilitation Programmes
Current activity includes:
- Chair of BSc Athletic Therapy and Training degree programme
- Lecturer at the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University (DCU)
- Medical Director of ExWell Medical Sports Injury Clinic at DCU
- Medical Director MedEx Programme which offers supervised exercise programmes for patients with chronic medical conditions.
- Principal Investigator of HSE funded MedEx Programme
- Project collaborator, examining the delivery and effectiveness of presurgical exercise programmes for cancer patients in collaboration with surgical and anaesthesiology colleagues from the Mater Hospital and Beaumont Hospital.
- Sports & Exercise Medicine Consultant at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh
Dr Pat O’Neill
In his youth, Dr O’Neill enjoyed a highly successful sporting career as a player, selector and manager for the Dublin GAA football team. During this time he lifted the Sam Maguire Cup on two occasions in 1976 and again in 1977. Dr O’Neill is a founder member of the Gaelic Games Doctors Association, established to advise the GAA in general and medical welfare matters and drive policy to protect players. Inspired by his own sporting experiences, and empowered by specialist knowledge and medical expertise, Dr O’Neill provides an accurate diagnosis, comprehensive treatment and excellent advisory services for patients of the Hospital’s Sports and Exercise Medicine Department.
Career highlights include:
- Dean of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine at Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) and Royal College Ireland of Physicians Ireland (RCPI) 2006-2008.
- Chairman of the Overtraining Committee
- Founder Member of the Gaelic Games Doctors Association
- Medical Member of the Medical Scientific Welfare Committee and Anitdoping Disciplinary Panel of the GAA
- Chairman of the IRFU Medical Advisory Committee
- Medical Member of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee of the Irish Sports Council
Current activity:
- Sports & Exercise Medicine Consultant at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh
Dr James O’Donovan
Dr O’Donovan is a keen sports enthusiast and accomplished rugby and Gaelic football player. He previously held a professional development contract with Leinster Rugby and played for the Limerick GAA Senior Football Team, proudly representing the club in two Munster Championship matches and an All-Ireland Quarter Final. Dr O’Donovan studied Medicine at UCD, Medical Practice at the University of Limerick (UL) and undertook a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). His interests include foot and ankle issues, tendons and stress fractures, promoting physical activity for all age groups, and treating musculoskeletal conditions in adolescent and elderly patients. Dr O’Donovan completed his fellowship at the University of British Columbia, where he was responsible for athletes across 25 sporting disciplines. As Sports Physician for the Irish Institue of Sport, Dr O’Donovan continues to assess, diagnose, treat and advise athletes from disparate sporting backgrounds, as they prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo in 2020.
Career highlights to date include:
- Team Doctor Irish International U-15 and U19 male and female soccer teams 2015
- Team Doctor IRFU U20 World Cup Team 2015
- Team Doctor European Games Azerbaijan 2015
- Head of Medical Services for Munster Rugby Team 2015-2016
- Lead Doctor Leinster Rubgy Team 2016-2017
- Team Doctor Paralympic Games Rio 2016
- Team Doctor Olympic Games Rio 2016
- Publications: Contributed chapters to Brukner & Khan’s 2019 Sports Medicine
- Published in Triathlon Medicine 2019
- Secretary of FAI Committee
- Member of Medical Committee for PRO14 Rugby
- Doctor of University Team Sports at the University of British Columbia
Current Activity
- In his capacity as a member of the GAA medical & Scientific Committee and Gaelic Players Association Medical Advisor, Mr O’Donovan is drawing up guidelines for concussion and player welfare
- As Sports Physician for the Irish Institute of Sport, Mr O’Donovan is helping athletes to prepare for Tokyo 2020
- Co-author of an International Consensus Statement on the Management of Patellofemoral Pain
- Sports & Exercise Medicine Consultant at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh
Ms. Tina Traynor, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist
As a highly skilled Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist of 30 years, Tina has extensive knowledge and expertise in musculoskeletal (MSK), orthopaedic, sports and exercise medicine, working in the public and private sector. She holds a Master of Medical Science (Sports Physiotherapy) and is qualified to administer Joint and Soft Tissue Injections.
Tina works collaboratively with Sports & Exercise Medicine Consultants, inputting into the assessment and treatment of patients and providing expert advice for optimal and expedited recovery, enhanced performance and injury prevention. Tina is also an active member of the Musculoskeletal Triage Clinic team and physiotherapy-led Injection Clinic team.
Her professional clinical interests include the assessment and rehabilitation of non-surgical MSK conditions and sports injuries, and maximum restoration of physical function in postoperative patients. She is particularly interested in shoulder and upper limb rehabilitation.
The Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine provides timely access to services for patients, of all ages and fitness levels, across a variety of sporting disciplines, who wish to overcome a physical challenge so that they return to their desired level of activity.
Assessment
Comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessments are undertaken by a Medical Consultant and Physiotherapy Clinical Specialist to ascertain the origins and extent of the injury and gain an understanding of the patient’s expectations. We examine aerobic fitness, strength and endurance, flexibility and form, to determine tests to aid diagnosis. Patients may be asked to attend Orthopaedic Sports Imaging Cappagh (OSIC) at the Radiology Department for scans, and the Phlebotomy Department for blood tests.
Diagnosis
Orthopaedic Sports Imaging Cappagh (OSIC) has advanced diagnostic capability and exceptional expertise. The Department is led by Prof Stephen Eustace and Prof Eoin Kavanagh, who have unrivalled expertise in high-resolution imaging, scan interpretation and interventional radiology. OSIC assists the Department of Sports & Exercise Medicine, providing imaging services and reporting findings to aid patient diagnosis and formulation of treatment pathways. OSIC also provide international radiological treatments for patients, using minimally invasive image-guided to administer anti-inflammatory and painblocking medications.
Click here to access radiology, interventional medicine
Treatment
Where possible, we use non-surgical approaches to treat sports-injuries and related conditions.
These include:
Lower Limb |
Upper Limb |
Illness and injury can negatively impact employees and the businesses they work for. Health challenges affect job performance, give rise to absenteeism, and contribute to financial and emotional stresses for the individual. Whilst excessive absenteeism can compromise a company’s service, quality, finances and culture.
The Department of Sport and Exercise Medicine offers comprehensive occupational health services for individuals, employees and businesses, that include:
- Pre-employment and periodic health examinations
- Assessment, diagnosis and clinical validaton of an illness or injury
- Treatment, monitoring and management of an illness or injury
- Rehabilitation medicine and performance optimisation
- Return to work examination and advisory service
- Strategic advice to enable employees experiencing health challenges to remain in the workplace
- Absentee certification
- Health promotion advisory
Patients are advised to check with their local sports club to ascertain if the club policy provides insurance for treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh.
Designated Sports & Exercise Medicine Centre
As the designated Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre for the Sports Ireland Institute, the Hospital’s Rapid Access Referral system provides timely and comprehensive medical care for elite athletes.