Dr Greg Harris

Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician
MB BS(Hons) FACSP
OPSMC Since 2001

Greg Harris is a Sports and Exercise Physician who has worked at OPSMC since 2001. As the head of Sports Medicine and Research for the Suzuki RaceSafe Medical team he works with the National Motocross, Supercross and Australian Superbikes series.

Previous positions include with the Richmond AFL team, the AIS Under 23 Cycling squad and the NT Institute of Sport. He has been an expedition doctor in Australia and overseas, and has a specific interest in wilderness medicine.

He has published research in high altitude acclimatisation and in Exercise-associated hyponatraemia in endurance cycling. He is an IOC Sports Medicine Course Director for the Oceania region.

Professional memberships include Sports Medicine Australia and the International Society for Mountain Medicine.

Personal interests include cycling, family and friends, and being an armchair mountaineer when he cannot get away in person.

His professional interests include foot and ankle injuries, cycling, expedition medicine and motor sports.

Greg is a CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) Accredited Medical Examiner and a member of the International Society for Mountain Medicine.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, (MBBS) Monash University, Melbourne, 1998.
• Fellowship of the Australasian College of Sports Physicians (2008)

Professional Interests:

• General sports, exercise and musculoskeletal medicine
• Altitude and climbing medicine
• Motor sports

Involvement with Teams and Associations:

Current:

• Head of Sports Medicine and Research for the Suzuki RaceSafe Medical Team
• IOC Sports Medicine Course Director for the Oceania region

Past:

• 2008 UCI Cycling World Cup in Melbourne
• Richmond Football Club (AFL) 2002-2007
• Coburg Tigers Football Club (VFL) 2001-2002
• NT Mosquitoes Rugby Union, 2005
• AIS Under 23 cycling squad, 2002
• Medical Coordinator, International Rugby 7’s, Darwin, 2005
• Arafura Games, Darwin, 2005
• Alice Springs Masters Games, 2002, 2004
• World Masters Games, Melbourne, 2002

Professional Memberships & Affiliations:

• Member, Sports Medicine Australia (SMA)
• Member, Medical Expeditions (UK)
• Member, International Society for Mountain Medicine
• Associate Member, British Mountaineering Council
• CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) Accredited Medical Examiner.

Greatest professional sporting moments:

• Climbing to and completing research projects at 5000 m in Nepal.
• Being involved in the development of young athletes, and watching their development into elite performers.

Personal sporting experience:

• Trekking and climbing expeditions in Mexico, Canada, Nepal and Scotland. Summited Pico de Orizaba (Mexico, 5700 m) Dec 1998, Nevado de Toluca (Mexico, 4600 m), Apr 2002.

Publications:

• Temazepam at high altitude reduces periodic breathing without impairing next-day performance: a randomised cross-over double blind study. Nickol A, Leverment J, Seal P, Harris G et al. J Sleep Res (2006) 15, 1-10.
• Cognitive Assessment of a Trekking Expedition to 5100m: A Comparison of Computerized and Written Testing Methods. Harris GA, Cleland J, Collie A, McCrory P. Wilderness Env Med (2009) 20, 261-268
• Hyponatraemia is associated with higher NT-proBNP than normonatraemia after prolonged exercise. Harris G, Reid S, McCrory P, Sikaris K. Clin J Sports Med (in press).