JOSPT Insights Ep 144: Helping female athletes perform at their best, with Dr Rachel Harris
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Aug 14, 2023 Dr. Rachel Harris, a former Olympic swimmer and Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Paralympic team, discusses vital health literacy issues facing female athletes. She underscores the importance of understanding the menstrual cycle and its effects on performance, advocating for personalized tracking over generic apps. Dr. Harris emphasizes the need for open conversations about menstrual health and the impact of hormonal contraception on athletics. Her insights aim to empower female athletes through education and informed decision-making.
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Lack of Menstrual Cycle Knowledge
- A study revealed that only 14% of elite female athletes could identify estrogen and progesterone as key hormones.
- This highlights a significant gap in knowledge about female athlete health, even among athletes themselves.
Normalizing the Conversation
- Normalizing conversations about female athlete health is crucial, not just for athletes but for their entire support system.
- This includes coaches, parents, and clinicians, who need to understand the physiological processes athletes experience.
Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
- Understand the menstrual cycle as a monthly hormonal fluctuation impacting the body in various ways.
- This cycle involves complex interactions between the ovaries and brain, influencing hormone levels like estrogen and progesterone.