The time has come for female athletes to have a better understanding of what is healthy for their bodies.
Female athletes and females who are trying to remain active and healthy have much to understand about how to best take care of their bodies, improve their performance, and decrease their chance of injury. Life events, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, uniquely impact females and require a specific approach to overall wellness. For example, did you know that nutrition needs for females can vary based on where they are in their cycle? Or that females may be able to make more strength gains during certain aspects of their cycle?
While the importance of researching the female athlete is starting to ‘heat up,’ there is still a vast amount of missing information on how differing factors can affect training and performance from the teenage years and onward. Hormones and the aspect of the menstrual cycle come into play in the performance for the athlete, and this research is in need. For far too long the research from training to fueling was done only on men. In fact, if women were included, they often threw out the data because hormonal factors skewed the results. (Yes, this is actually true!). So, how have females been historically provided with performance and nutrition advice? As Stacey Sims says, they “treated women like small men.” This has not served us well.
The female athlete has long been underrepresented. We often hear about it in regards to media attention, but there is also a large gap in sports medicine and performance research. This has affected the female athlete’s ability to reach full potential in training. Conversations need to be had in order to know the best way to reduce risk of injury and to understand how the female body functions at its highest level. We are overdue for change.
That is why you are invited to join us February 10th from 6-7:30 pm for our Female Athlete event. This event is designed to empower all female athletes to stay active, healthy, and do it in a way that best serves them. We are bringing in a panel of experts to discuss the latest research and the misconceptions about the female athlete’s performance.
Who Is The Event For?
Active and athletic females of all backgrounds – from elite professionals to weekend warriors.
Why Is This Event For Females Only?
We want to provide a safe and open space for discussion. We will also be answering questions specific to the physical, mental, and hormonal needs of the female athlete.
Who Are The Experts?
- Dr. Stacey Dault, DO, Sports Medicine Physician
- Angela Breitmeyer, PsyD, Sports Psychologist
- Chrissy Barth, MS, RDN, RYT, Integrative and Functional Sports Registered Dietitian
- Sara Gagliano, PT, DPT, CLT-UE, Spooner Physical Therapist, Pelvic Floor
- Carrie Yaeger, PT, DPT, PRPC, Spooner Physical Therapist, Pelvic Floor
Our featured sports medicine professionals will provide a comprehensive approach to treating the female athlete and active individual. As active and athletic women, our speakers know what it’s like to train and compete at all levels and want to share that knowledge with you.
We want to start the conversation for female athletes about how they can stay as active and as healthy as possible by knowing what their body needs at each stage in life.
Ready to join us for The Female Athlete?
Check back in at the Spooner Blog for Part 2 of the Female Athlete: What we learned