For the love of the game

Dr Jeni Saunders has always been somewhat of a sporting polymath. While pursuing her undergraduate medical degree (from 1970 to 1977) at the University of New South Wales, she served as the Secretary of the UNSW Sports Association; the Secretary, Treasurer and President of the UNSW’s Women’s Basketball Club; a member of the UNSW Water Polo Club; Member of the UNSW Hockey Club; the UNSW Squash Club; and a Foundation member of the Women’s Cricket Club.

What she discovered during this early and intense participation in sport was that, while the treatment of acute injuries was reasonably good, there was a dearth of treatment and advice for non-operative injuries.

As a result, she began a literature search to work out treatments for atraumatic, repetitive microtrauma injuries.

“The answers were there, but not necessarily put together,” she said. “I realised then that there was a gap in provision of medical services to keep people active.”

Thus began her passion for sports medicine. A career choice that has taken her into the locker rooms of the country’s top rugby teams and beyond. From footy fields to snow fields, Dr Saunders has helped Australia’s elite athletes stay at the top of their game.

In the 1970s, sports medicine was still in its infancy. After graduation, Dr Saunders spent three years working in the hospital system before establishing her own sports medicine clinic.

In addition to running her own practice, Dr Saunders became the first woman to set foot in a professional Rugby League dressing room. She served as the team doctor for the St George Rugby League Football Club for almost a decade.

As her reputation grew, so did Dr Saunders list of elite clients. She has since accompanied several National teams, including Women’s hockey, swimming, track and field, volleyball and netball to overseas and world competitions. She has also served as a medical officer at the Olympic Games (Barcelona and Athens), as well as the Commonwealth Games. In addition, Dr Saunders works closely with NSWIS winter sports athletes.

Not only has Dr Saunders broken down barriers in the sporting world, but she has been instrumental in developing formal post-graduate education programs for sports medicine.

“It wasn’t long before I came in contact with a few other similar-minded people,” she said.

Dr Saunders taught the initial post-graduate course run by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and started accepting RACGP registrars for six-month specialty-learning placements.

At the same time, Dr Saunders became a Founding Member of the Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP).

“Shortly after this, I joined UNSW to teach in their Sports Medicine Masters Degree courses. This was very satisfying as I was able to work on the clinical aspects of the teaching as well as assist my colleague with curriculum development.”

The development of the ACSEP College and her subsequent work to gain recognition for ACSEP as a specialty college remains one of the highlights of her career, Dr Saunders said.

“This entailed a very large amount of work over many years but I am proud that we can continue to work to a high standard and maintain and continue to improve all aspects of our college standards.”

In addition to her work with the College, Dr Saunders volunteered with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and served as medical director. Later she became a founding Director of CareFlight – a medical evacuation, rescue and retrieval helicopter service based in Sydney.

Dr Saunders has also been an instrumental member of Sports Medicine Australia, the peak national organisation for the prevention of lifestyle diseases through sports medicine and sports science and injury prevention. She joined as a student and later became active in NSW as a Council Member, Treasurer, Secretary and then became a National Councillor. More recently she re-joined the NSW Council to serve as Vice President.

While she still works with elite athletes, the majority of her patient demographic  now consists of average Australians who wish to remain active, and a small percentage who are re-commencing activity.

Given the importance of physical activity in reducing the obesity crisis in Australia, Dr Saunders has a unique viewpoint on what the country needs to do to combat this epidemic.

“The answer is multifaceted, as not just one thing will change this,” she said, adding there needs to be an easier way to get incidental exercise and access to walking tracks/bike paths.

“This is an urban planning issue and should be a very high priority.”

Dr Saunders also sees an increased emphasis on food education as being an important way to reduce childhood obesity.

“The vegetable gardens and cooking program in schools is one way to do this. More access to community gardens can help those in built up areas (gardening is also an exercise so double points for this one) as well as education into eating a simple balanced diet.”