The surge of ACL injuries among women footballers, exemplified by England’s Beth Mead and Leah Williamson, who missed the recent World Cup due to such injuries, has underscored the pressing need for comprehensive research and resources in women’s sports. However, this issue is just the tip of the iceberg concerning the challenges faced by sportswomen.
Numerous topics, including menstruation, menopause, breast support, and pelvic floor health, require open discussion and focused attention to enable athletes to optimize their physical capabilities fully.
Eminent sportswomen such as Beth Mead, Dina Asher-Smith, and Eilish McColgan are among the growing chorus of athletes advocating for increased research into how menstrual cycles impact athletic performance.
Dina Asher-Smith’s experience during the 2022 European Championships exemplifies the importance of this research. After pulling up during the 100m final due to calf cramps, she emphasized the necessity for a more profound understanding of menstrual cycles in sports science. She remarked, “It is something which I think more people need to actually research from a sports science perspective because it is absolutely huge.”
Some pioneering efforts to monitor menstrual cycles have been initiated by clubs and teams. Chelsea, a Women’s Super League club, has adopted menstrual cycle apps to tailor training regimens to enhance performance and reduce injuries. The 2019 Women’s World Cup champions, USWNT, also tracked players’ menstrual cycles during the tournament. Wales’ rugby team utilized menstrual cycle tracking technology during the recent Six Nations, while the Ladies European Tour collaborated with Jessica Ennis-Hill’s menstrual cycle app.
Why the Research Gap Persists
The research gap in women’s sports stems from various factors, as explained by Baz Moffat, co-founder of female athlete health experts The Well HQ. Moffat, a trainer, coach, and former GB rower, highlights the challenges faced in studying female athletes due to their unique physiology. Unlike men, women undergo not only a daily but also a monthly hormonal cycle. Additionally, a significant portion of the female population relies on hormonal contraception, making it challenging to assemble suitable research cohorts. Consequently, the expense and complexity associated with studying women have deterred comprehensive research efforts.
Moreover, women’s reluctance to volunteer for research plays a role, possibly stemming from a historical lack of solicitation and cultural factors. Fundamentally, the monthly hormonal cycle, which affects half of women differently, has posed a formidable obstacle to conducting research.
Bridging the Research Gap and Applying Knowledge
As women’s sports continue to ascend, setting records for attendance and viewership, producing more prominent athletes, and securing greater funding and visibility, the imperative to bridge the research gap becomes increasingly vital.
Moffat asserts that this gap can be narrowed by conducting more research focused on females and translating existing knowledge into practical applications. She emphasizes the need for practical guidance on applying research findings, especially for coaches and trainers who must navigate real-world scenarios with athletes.
The book titled ‘The Female Body Bible’ introduces the concept of the ‘doing gap,’ encouraging the immediate application of existing knowledge about women’s health in sports, from the elite level to grassroots and gym floors.
Moffat emphasizes a two-pronged approach: educating the masses and influencing policymakers. She insists that mandating female-specific research and education from global governing bodies down to grassroots levels is essential to fostering a culture of understanding and support for female athletes.
Breaking the Communication Gap
Topics such as menstrual cycles, birth control, menopause, pelvic floor health, and breast support remain taboo and are seldom openly discussed. Initiatives like The Well HQ’s #SayPeriod campaign and partnerships with organizations like England Netball NetballHER aim to dismantle stigmas and normalize conversations about female health to enhance overall experiences.
The “communication gap” often means that women lack a comprehensive understanding of their bodies, hindering their ability to optimize performance.
Ultimately, the goal is to empower female athletes to embrace their unique physiology and experiences without seeing them as weaknesses. Breaking the silence surrounding these issues and openly sharing experiences can help validate women’s experiences and contribute to a more supportive and inclusive environment in sports.
Notably, proper sports bras can improve performance by up to four percent, emphasizing the significance of addressing these often-overlooked aspects of women’s health in sports.
In conclusion, addressing the research gap in women’s health in sports is crucial for the continued growth and success of female athletes. Bridging this gap requires concerted efforts from researchers, coaches, policymakers, and athletes themselves to ensure that knowledge is translated into practical applications, making a positive impact on the experiences and performance of sportswomen.
