Dr
Sinead
O'Keeffe
Academic biography
Dr Sinéad O’Keeffe holds the position of Assistant Professor in Athletic Therapy in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University. Sinéad graduated with a BSc in Athletic Therapy and Training from Dublin City University in 2016 and completed a PhD examining the psychology of musculoskeletal injury in Gaelic games, graduating as the first PhD graduate of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands-Midwest in 2021. Sinéad is a Certified Athletic Therapist (CAT) and is the Vice-President of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT). Sinéad previously served as Public Relations Officer and Chair of the Certification committee for Athletic and Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland (ARTI).
Research interests
Sinéad is a key member of the Centre for Injury Prevention and Performance. Her main research interests are within the areas of injury and performance-related outcomes within Gaelic games and community sports, with relevance to both physical and mental health. Her research interests are multidisciplinary and collaborative in nature, focusing on mental health, athletic identity, injury psychology and injury prevention. She also has expertise in qualitative research and is keen to implement Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) within sport-related research.
Her work is driven by the desire to listen to the athlete voice and integrate that voice into research and practice. She is also keen to address the current imbalance in female athlete research and prioritise the importance of both physical and mental health for athletes, fostering the development of resilient athletes.