Women’s sports performance research is rare.
These female researchers are working to change that with studies by and for women.
Just how underrepresented, you ask?
Despite the fact that these bodies account for half the population (in sports and elsewhere).
Which means female bodies could suffer due to a lack of knowledge.
In fact, current data suggest that75 to 86 percent of women have regular periods.
injury prevention researcher, sports medicine specialist, and fitness trainer
But the fluctuations can still lead to results that appear skewed on the surface.
Outliers may actually have the information we need to heal and help women, says Dr. Letchford.
But her origins in the lab started in her undergraduate studies.
Ingrainedcultural stereotypesandgender biases, as well asoutright sexism, are commonly known to keep women out of labs.
This absence of women in the labs directly leads to a lack of womens research.
Its a chain reaction.
If people arent asking questions about womens experiences, no one will study those experiences.
Women end up facing issues getting treatment or coverage for these real medical issues that simply havent been studied.
Dr. Liz Letchford
Research backs up her theory.
injury prevention researcher, sports medicine specialist, and fitness trainer
Women are, in some instances,at higher risk for life-threatening health problemsbecause theyre under-diagnosed.
Changing the narrative around womens sports performance research
The good news?
Although they remain in the minority, today there are several female researchers who are making noise for women.
This January, Stanford University launchedStanford FASTR: Female Athlete Science and Translational Research.
To helpclose the gender gapin sports science research.
(Knees, apparently, arethe bane of many female athletes careers.)
Notably, in 2021, she addressedmenstrual dysfunction in an assigned-female-at-birth transgender teen athlete.
And instead of ignoring the female body, today, there are researchers leaning into hormonal research.
Then theres the femtech field.
Fortunately, the curiosity propelling this work forward doesnt seem to be fading anytime soon.
A focus on mental and emotional health.
Dr. Kraus and Dr. Roche have made that acore component of Stanfords FASTR program.
One major cause of ACL injury is often pelvic and hip instability, she says.
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