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What We DoThe medicine of staying active.
What is a Sport & Exercise Physician?
A Sport & Exercise Physician is a specialist medical doctor trained in diagnosing and managing injury, musculoskeletal pain and exercise-related health. At Cadence, that expertise isn't reserved for elite athletes: it's for anyone who wants to move well, at any age and any level of activity.
vs a GPYour first point of call, then a referral.
Your GP is often the first person you see. A Sport & Exercise Physician is who they refer you to for a specialist diagnosis and management plan when a problem needs more focused expertise.
vs a physiotherapistA physiotherapist is a vital part of your recovery. A Sport & Exercise Physician is a medical doctor working alongside them — with the added tools of diagnostic imaging, including MRI that may be rebatable depending on the indication, and, where appropriate, prescription medication or injection.
Alongside, not instead of.
vs an orthopaedic surgeonAn excellent diagnostician, for when surgery is the answer.
An orthopaedic surgeon is an excellent diagnostician too, and the specialist you need when surgery is genuinely the right path. A Sport & Exercise Physician manages the many conditions that don't need surgery — reducing unnecessary surgical reviews, which benefits patients and surgeons alike — and refers on clearly when one is needed.
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How we workA specialist opinion, not just a scan.
Every consultation is built to get you an answer, not just an appointment.
Accurate diagnosis
A thorough specialist assessment — not a symptom checklist.
Imaging, without the run-around
Where imaging helps, we can order it directly. Many scans may be rebatable, depending on the clinical indication and the radiology provider — we read the images ourselves and draw on the radiology report too, so you get the scan, the specialist opinion and the plan, with both sets of eyes making sure nothing is missed.
A plan you can act on
A clear, practical management plan for you — and a timely, detailed report for whoever referred you.
Five ways we help you stay active.
01Injury Management
Accurate diagnosis and a clear plan when something's not right — from acute sprains and strains to the injuries that won't quite settle.
02Active Ageing
The specialist step between "wait and see" and a surgical referral — for joint pain, bone health and the changes that come with an active life, at any age.
03Exercise Medicine
Using activity itself as part of your treatment and long-term health — including the chronic conditions that improve most with the right kind of movement, and issues like under-fuelling and energy availability in active people.
Return to Activity & Sport
04A considered, staged path back to what you love doing — because coming back too soon costs more time than doing it properly. Because timing matters.
05Concussion
Careful assessment and a safe, staged path back to activity — for everyday athletes and juniors alike.
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How we workPart of your care team, not instead of it.
We work closely with GPs, physiotherapists, podiatrists, osteopaths, exercise physiologists, dietitians, chiropractors, myotherapists, psychologists and the wider health team, because good outcomes come from a coordinated plan, not a single appointment. As a physician-only practice, we don't provide these services ourselves — when we recommend one, it's because it's genuinely right for you.
If you've referred to us, you'll hear back promptly — a detailed report, any imaging we've ordered and interpreted, and a management plan you can act on immediately, not just a discharge summary.
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FAQQuestions about what we do.
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Yes — a referral from your GP or another medical specialist is required before you're seen, and it also gives you a significantly higher Medicare rebate.
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No. Most of the people we see aren't elite athletes — they're runners, cyclists, active retirees, weekend sport players, and people who simply want to move well again. Wanting specialist care for how you move is reason enough to see us.
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Yes. A gradual change in how you move — stiffness, reduced range, things feeling harder than they used to — doesn't need a diagnosis or an injury behind it to be worth assessing. This is exactly the space between "wait and see" and a surgical referral we specialise in, at any age.
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Yes — where imaging helps, we can order it directly. We read the images ourselves and draw on the radiology report too, so you get the scan, the specialist opinion and the plan, with both sets of eyes making sure nothing is missed.
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It depends on the indication for the scan and the radiology provider — an MRI may be fully rebatable, but bulk billing is a decision the imaging provider makes, not us. Your physician will let you know what to expect before you're referred for one.
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Yes — careful assessment and a safe, staged path back to activity, for everyday athletes and juniors alike.
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If surgery is genuinely the right path, we'll say so plainly and refer you on to a surgeon, with everything they need already in hand. Most of what we see doesn't need surgery at all — our job is to manage that properly, rather than leave you choosing between "just rest it" and going under the knife.