David Phelan is a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist specialising in sports injuries at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic’s Sports Medicine Department.
Profile: Physiotherapist
David McCrea
David is a Senior Physiotherapist at UPMC SSC Sports Medicine who works primarily across the lower limb rehabilitation streams with a special interest in Foot & Ankle rehabilitation. He enjoys treating complex post-operative and chronic ankle injuries.He is currently completing his PhD in return to sport following Achilles Tendon repair through the University of Roehampton. David also holds a Masters in Sports Injury Rehabilitation from the University of Salford, in addition to his BSc in Physiotherapy from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
David has a history of working in professional sporting environments having spent a number of years living in the UK where he worked with Premier League football clubs: Wolves & Burnley FC. This experienced has allowed David to develop his skills in rehabilitation from the acute injury phase to end stage return to play phase.
Currently outside of the clinic, David works with Hockey Ireland as a physiotherapist across a number of their international squads. He is a keen hockey player himself, currently playing at senior club level and previously having played at underage international level for Ireland. is interested in learning the effect of resistance training or the musculoskeletal system, quality of life of patients with persistent low back pain. Katie has always enjoyed working as part of a team; she has developed strong working relationships with her colleagues in SSC including Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Consultants, which enables clear communication and facilitates easy onward referral if required.
Ciara Dowd
Ciara Dowd is a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist specialising in sports injuries at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic’s Sports Medicine Department.
Claire Whelan
Claire Whelan is a clinical specialist physiotherapist at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinics Sports Medicine Department. She currently leads the spinal rehabilitation team and has over a decade of experience specialising in spinal care across diverse healthcare settings. After completing her BSc in Physiotherapy at University College Dublin, Claire developed her expertise in spinal rehabilitation at Beaumont Hospital and later worked with spinal consultants at the Poynton SpineCare Institute.
Claire’s skills encompass the rehabilitation of complex spinal and post-surgical patients, and, she has served as a first-contact practitioner within multidisciplinary teams. She has a strong interest in movement and motor control and has pursued extensive training in these areas to enhance her patients’ outcome.
Driven by a passion for high-quality, patient-centred care, Claire has deepened her knowledge through a Masters of Science in Neuromusculoskeletal Healthcare from Keele University and a EuroSpine Diploma in Interprofessional Spine Care. Known for her innovative approach, she has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at UCD and a Certificate in Immersive Digital Learning, enhancing her adaptability and leadership in the evolving healthcare landscape.
