Dr Damien McKay is a paediatrician specialising in paediatric and adolescent rheumatology and sports and exercise medicine. He cares for children and adolescents up to age 18, with a wide range of conditions including rheumatic diseases such as inflammatory arthritis, recreational and elite young athletes with acute or chronic sports injury, concussion, joint hypermobility, fatigue, and young athletes or children with chronic illness requiring assistance with exercise prescription.
Damien completed his medical studies at the University of Sydney in 2000, having previously completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy, and worked in orthopaedic and sports physiotherapy practices in Australia and the United Kingdom, providing a strong clinical base to build his expertise in paediatric rheumatology and sports and exercise medicine.
Damien subsequently developed a unique combination of expertise in paediatric rheumatology, following completion of specialist training at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, and Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, as well as expertise in paediatric sports medicine, following completion of a Masters in Sports Medicine and a Clinical Fellowship in Paediatric Sports Medicine at The Children’s Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine.
Damien currently holds appointments at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, The Children’s Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine and Liverpool Hospital, and is the Medical Officer for the Cronulla Sharks NRL Elite Academy and Junior Development Squads.
Damien also holds an appointment as a Clinical Lecturer with the University of Sydney in the Discipline of Paediatrics and Adolescent Health and has been an invited speaker at professional conferences and for key sporting bodies including the International Olympic Committee. He has authored or co-authored numerous publications in peer reviewed journals with his research interests including fitness assessment and exercise prescription in children with chronic illness, concussive head injury in youth athletes, and factors influencing injury in adolescent athletes, an area for which was appointed as a Scientific Advisor to the International Olympic Committee.
Qualifications
Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (University of Sydney)
Bachelor of Applied Science – Physiotherapy (University of Sydney)
Diploma of Paediatrics (Sydney Children’s Hospital)
Masters of Sports Medicine (University of New South Wales)
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
Fellow - Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Associate Member - Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Physicians
Member - Australian Rheumatology Association
Member - Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group
Key Publications
McKay D, Broderick C, Steinbeck K. The Adolescent Athlete: A Developmental Approach to Injury Risk. Pediatric Exercise Science. 2016 Oct 5:1-33.
de Silva V, Swain M, Broderick C, McKay D. Does high level youth sports participation increase the risk of femoroacetabular impingement? A review of the current literature. Paediatric Rheumatology Online J. 2016 Mar 11;14(1):16
Swain MS, Kamper SJ, Maher CG, Latimer J, Broderick C, McKay D, Henschke N. Short-term Clinical Course of Knee Pain in Children and Adolescents: A Feasibility Study Using Electronic Methods of Data Collection. Physiotherapy Research International. 2016 May 16.
Hulsegge G, Henschke N, McKay D, Chaitow J, West K, Broderick C, et al. Fundamental movement skills, physical fitness and physical activity among Australian children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Journal of Paediatric Child Health. 2015 51(4):425-32.
Henschke, N., Harrison, C., McKay, D., Broderick, C., Latimer, J., Britt, H., & Maher, C. Musculoskeletal conditions in children and adolescents managed in Australian primary care. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2104 15(1), 164
McKay D, Ostring G, Broderick C, Chaitow J and Singh-Grewal D. A feasibility study of the effect of intra-articular steroid injection on isokinetic muscle strength in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pediatric Exercise Science. 2013 May;25(2):221-37.
McKay D, Henschke N. Plyometric training programmes improve motor performance in prepubertal children. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2012 Aug;46(10):727-8.
Engebretsen L, Steffen K, Bahr R, Broderick C, Dvorak J , Janarv PM, Johnson A, Leglise M, Mamisch TC, McKay D, Micheli L, Schamasch P, Singh GD, Stafford DE, Steen H. The International Olympic Committee Consensus statement on age determination in high-level young athletes. Br J Sports Med. 2010 Jun;44(7):476-84.
Broderick C, McKay D. Reducing the risk of injury in young footballers. British Medical Journal. 2009 Mar 18;338:b1050
Key Invited Presentations
Invited Speaker: “Hypermobility, Sport, and Exercise” The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Annual Paediatric Update, November 19 2015.
Damien commenced his training as a pediatrician at St George Hospital in 2002, completing his specialist training as a pediatrician and paediatric rheumatologist at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and The Children’s Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine. He received his fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2010.
Damien has had involvement with sporting teams as a physiotherapist working for UNSW AFL Team in the Sydney AFL League as well as working as a physiotherapist at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Damien’s professional areas of interests include juvenile arthritis and paediatric sports injury.
Damien has research interests in fitness assessment and exercise prescription in children with chronic disease, as well as factors influencing injury in adolescent athletes and was an invited expert member of the International Olympic Committee Consensus Panel on Age Determination in the Elite Adolescent Athlete.
Damien currently holds the position of Chief Resident Medical Officer at Sydney Children’s Hospital Network – Westmead Campus as well as being a Clinical and Research Fellow at The Children’s Hospital Institute of Sports Medicine. Damien also holds an appointment as a Clinical Lecturer in the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health of the University of Sydney.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (University of Sydney)
Bachelor of Applied Science – Physiotherapy (University of Sydney)
Diploma of Paediatrics (Sydney Children’s Hospital)
Masters of Sports Medicine (University of New South Wales)
Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
Fellow - Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Associate Member - Australasian College of Sports Physicians
Member - Sports Medicine Australia
Member - Australian Rheumatology Association
Member - Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group
Publications
McKay D. How To Treat Series: Sports Injuries in Children. Australian Doctor. August 2010
McKay D, Adams L, Ostring G, Singh-Grewal D. In a child presenting with features consistent with a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, what features at presentation are predictive of a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia? Journ Paed Child Health. 2010 Jul; 46(7-8):442-5.
Engebretsen L, Steffen K, Bahr R, Broderick C, Dvorak J , Janarv PM, Johnson A, Leglise M, Mamisch TC, McKay D, Micheli L, Schamasch P, Singh GD, Stafford DE, Steen H. The International Olympic Committee Consensus statement on age determination in high-level young athletes. Br J Sports Med. 2010 Jun;44(7):476-84.
Broderick C, McKay D. Reducing the risk of injury in young footballers. British Medical Journal. 2009 Mar 18;338:b1050
McKay D, Singh-Grewal D,. Chapter 33: Rheumatology. In: Kilham H, Alexander S, Wood N, Isaacs D. eds. The Children's Hospital at Westmead Handbook, 2edn. North Ryde: McGraw-Hill Australia 2009; 349-357.
McKay D, Ostring G, Broderick C, Parker R, Chaitow J and Singh-Grewal D. A pilot study of the effect of intra-articular steroid injection on isokinetic muscle strength in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Submitted to Journal of Rheumatology.
Current research
“The Effect of a Weight and Age Based Junior Rugby League Competition on Injury Incidence.”
"Fitness, Motor Skills and Quality of Life in Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis”.
“Isokinetic and isometric muscle strength assessment following intra−articular steroid injection in children aged 6−16 years with juvenile idiopathic arthritis affecting the knee and elbow.”
Professional Conferences & Appearances
Invited Speaker – “Therapeutics in Paediatric Rheumatology.” The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Paediatric Update; Westmead, NSW, November 18 2010
Invited Keynote Speaker – “Paediatric Sports Medicine for the Paediatric Rheumatologist.” Australian Rheumatology Association Paediatric Rheumatology Satellite Meeting; Melbourne, May 28 2010.
Invited Expert Address – “Changes in Injury Risk with Maturation - The Challenge of Protecting Athlete Safety”. International Olympic Committee Consensus Meeting on Age determination in the elite, adolescent athlete; Lausanne, Switzerland, December 3-4 2009.
Opening Keynote Lecture: “Paediatric Sports Injuries”. Sports Medicine Australia (NSW) Conference of Science and Medicine in Sport; Sydney, NSW, May 30 2009.
Invited Speaker – “Conditions Masquerading as Paediatric Sports Medicine Injuries” RACP Physicians Week 2009; Sydney, NSW, May 20 2009.
