Dr Brandi Cole
Dr Brandi Cole is a Specialist Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician having gained fellowship of the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians in 2019. Brandi completed her Medical Degree at the University of Sydney in 2008, having also obtained an undergraduate Degree in Physiotherapy from Sydney University in 2003. During her specialist training in Sport and Exercise Medicine, Brandi also completed a PhD on optimising the management of rotator cuff dysfunction through the University of New South Wales in 2018.
Athlete
Brandi has personal experience as an elite athlete, being the former captain of the Australian Women’s Oztag team, of which she was a member from 2001 – 2017. She has also played both touch and hockey for NSW in the past and was an Australian and World gold medalist in beach sprint relay in Surf Life Saving. On retirement from competitive sport after the birth of her second child, Brandi continued her love of physical activity at her local CrossFit box, where she can be found every morning before work.
Team Doctor
Brandi is the current team doctor for the Matildas (Australian Women’s Football (Soccer) team) and tours with them both domestically and internationally to all games and competitions, highlights of which include the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She was also the assistant team doctor for the Sydney Roosters NRL team in 2020 – 2022 until her Matilda’s commitments became too much to keep both positions. She has previously worked as the team doctor for Australian Oztag, Sydney FC Womens and the Junior Matildas as well as numerous rugby union teams, both male and female in 15’s and sevens. She has also provided medical services at many high level sporting events in the past including Athletics at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Netball at the 2015 World Cup and numerous Crossfit Championships.
Special Interests
Brandi is a mother of two children and has a special interest in exercise for health during pregnancy and the post partum period for both recreational and elite athletes. She is passionate about managing conditions related to the female athlete, the young athlete and acute and chronic football injuries.
Brandi currently assists in shoulder surgery on a weekly basis and combined with her PhD in the management of rotator cuff dysfunction, she has a wealth of knowledge in the management of shoulder pain, however she is equally skilled in treating pain and dysfunction in all joints of the body. She also has specific expertise in the management of pelvic and buttock pain including SIJ dysfunction and in the rehabilitation of tendon pain and injuries.
Sport and Exercise Medicine
Brandi consults on all musculoskeletal injuries, acute and chronic, in all ages and levels of sporting participation. She also manages medical conditions related to or produced by participation in physical activity such as exercise induced bronchoconstriction, vocal cord dysfunction, relative energy deficiency syndrome, fatigue, overtraining and burnout. Brandi has interest and experience in managing all aspects of performance during international travel including jetlag management, fatigue, sleep, nutrition, and immunisations.
Brandi performs both corticosteroid and PRP injections under ultrasound guidance if indicated as well as compartment pressure testing but will always perform an initial assessment on your injury prior to performing an injection or diagnostic procedure.
A doctor’s referral is required to see Dr Cole and it is important to bring along any prior imaging or investigations to the appointment. A brief letter from anyone else involved in your care such as a physiotherapist can also be very useful and she will aim to liaise with them regarding management as required.