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SEPA Women in Sports and Exercise Podiatry: Madeleine Murray

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Madeleine Murray


'SEPA Women in Sports & Exercise Podiatry' is a feature where we highlight the achievements of SEPA women who are excelling in the field.

In this edition, we are proud to pay tribute to SEPA member, Madeleine Murray.

Read on to learn more about Madeleine's career in sports and exercise podiatry.

Qualifications
  • BSc (Hons) Podiatry
  • MSc Theory of Podiatric Surgery

Years in Podiatry
  • 10 years
 

My story

As a former 1500m runner, I have always been curious about injury prevention and performance and podiatry has been the perfect lens to explore that passion. I trained as a podiatrist in Scotland in a very NHS focused program and while I graduated confident in general care and wound management, I knew I wanted to develop my skills in sports and exercise podiatry. 
 
After speaking with a mentor, I enrolled in a Masters in the Theory of Podiatric Surgery. This was a pivotal step in shaping my career and helped me to further develop my knowledge and explore the realms of research. Around that time, I flew to London for my first sports medicine conference with Simon Bartold, and was eager to immerse myself in this field. 
Early in my career, I worked in private practice in Scotland and set up podiatry services in a satellite physiotherapy clinic treating fellow runners. I also spent time shadowing experienced clinicians. After moving back to Australia, I joined the team at Up and Running Podiatry. The directors, Matt and Gary, considered my running background as a real asset and supported me to balance my clinical work, whilst training and competing. Their shared passion for movement and injury prevention made it a key stepping stone in my professional growth. From here, I sought a position in a multidisciplinary sports clinic where I had the privilege of working alongside a team of incredible physios and sports physicians who were very generous with their support and knowledge. Co-managing athletes from the Victorian Institute of Sport with Kevin Craigie was particularly rewarding for me. At this time, I also began teaching as a clinical supervisor at La Trobe University and was working at Melbourne Foot Clinic alongside a team of highly experienced podiatrists where I learnt a lot. 
 
More recently, I have relocated to Tasmania to be closer to family and now work with Narelle Wyndow at Foot Systems Podiatry where we share a passion for sports podiatry. 
 
What do you think are the current roadblocks for women in building a career focusing on sports and exercise?
 

I have always felt very supported throughout my career. I think my background in athletics has helped shape my clinical approach and given me the confidence to navigate high-performance environments. Athletics, as a sport, has a number of strong female role models, and I think this has instilled the belief that women absolutely belong in this space and that has stayed with me in my career as a podiatrist. 

That said, I recognise this isn’t everyone’s experience and sports and exercise podiatry can still feel male-dominated at times—especially in elite sport or surgical spaces. One of the biggest barriers I see is the lack of clear career pathways for students and new graduates. There is often no obvious route from undergraduate study into sports specialisation and that uncertainty can be discouraging. We need clearer pathways, mentorship, and better visibility of women who are successful in this space. It’s a very rewarding and dynamic area of podiatry, and I hope more women feel encouraged to pursue it.

How do you balance the pressures of growing your career with maintaining a personal life?
 

Balance is definitely something I’ve had to work on and I haven’t always got it right. As an athlete, I learnt very early on not to put all my eggs in one basket. Running gave me purpose, but I also wanted fulfillment from other areas of life; my career, friendships and family. At times, I’ve juggled multiple roles: clinic work, teaching, postgraduate study and training at a high level. You can’t do it all and that’s something I’ve come to accept and learn along the way. I have been very lucky to have both a supportive husband and supportive workplaces all along the way. I now focus on doing work that aligns with my values and long-term goals. Building a sustainable career isn’t about constantly pushing; it’s about making intentional choices, protecting your energy, and finding the right people and environments to grow alongside.

We are very fortunate to have Madeleine share her experience and expertise with us at our upcoming Trail-Running Symposium at the ASICS SMA Conference in Hobart. Learn more. 

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