No description available.

Research indicates that female athletes have a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Hormone fluctuations throughout the different periods of the menstruation cycle impacts the risk of injuries for women. Contraceptive use, most used in the form of an oral contraceptive pill, directly effects hormones and menstrual cycle related symptoms, with evidence of ameliorating some symptoms. Oral contraceptive use is suggested to influence musculoskeletal injuries in female athletes. However, there is little research and data that explores the direct relationship between oral contraceptive use and the injury rates of female athletes. Within this systematic review, five articles investigating this relationship fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Three of the reviewed articles supported a positive and potentially preventative factor, while the other two allude towards no correlation between oral contraceptive use and the rate of injury for female athletes. Findings suggest that more research needs to be conducted on this research topic to determine a concise understanding of the relationship between oral contraceptive use and the injury rates of female athletes.

Background: The number of women participating in sports has increased dramatically, though research in sports are often performed on men. Physical exercise is known to increase physical performance and improve well-being. Although exercise has beneficial health effects for most of the women, it is known that strenuous exercise may also have negative health consequences. Common are menstrual dysfunctions and the medical effects of a long-standing amenorrhea are serious. Moreover, strenuous exercise without adequate recovery may lead to overreaching (OR) /overtraining syndrome (OTS). An improved muscle strength are of great importance in many sports, hence an increased understanding on how to generate optimal strength training programs in women without negative side effects are essential. The aims of this thesis were to investigate the effects on strength and power of high frequency periodised leg resistance training to evaluate a training regime and moreover to investigate if the training was well accepted and without potential exercise-related negative consequences. Moreover, to provide normative data on oxytocin and cortisol to elucidate if these hormones could be one diagnostic marker in combination with others to monitor and diagnose female athletes that may be at risk to develop OR/OTS. Methods: Fifty-nine women, participated in the four month intervention study. Two groups performed high frequency leg resistance training for two weeks of each menstrual/oral contraceptive (OC) cycle. The remaining part of the cycle they performed the leg training once a week. Group 1, trained with high frequency (5 times·w-1) during the first two weeks of each cycle, and group 2, during the last two weeks of each cycle. A control group performed regular (3 times·w-1) leg resistance training. Another 33 women participated in the observational study. The OC users and non-users, were followed over a nine-month period with monthly blood sampling of oxytocin and cortisol, and the Profile of Mood State (POMS) as a subjective measure of OR/OTS. Results: The women who performed high frequency leg resistance training, 5 times·w-1, during the first two weeks of each cycle showed significant increase in jump height, peak torque values in hamstrings, increased lean body mass of the legs, and their experiences of the training were positive. These results were not found when the periodised training was performed during the last two weeks of each cycle. In the control group an increase in jump height, and peak torque (left hamstring) was observed. There were no evident differences in the training effects between women with or without OC use. Moreover, no exercise-related negative consequences were detected in any of the three groups. The women in the observational study showed seasonal variations in oxytocin and cortisol, with different pattern in OC users to non-users. No convincing relationships to POMS were found.  Conclusions: The high frequency periodised leg resistance training during the first two weeks of the cycle is more beneficial to optimize resistance training, than the last two weeks. The high frequency periodised leg resistance training was not associated with exercise-related negative consequences and was well accepted when performed during the first two weeks of each cycle. Due to seasonality and impact of OC use, oxytocin and cortisol are not suggested to be optimal, diagnostic markers alone/in combination with others, to detect OR/OTS in physically active women.

Degree awarded (2003): EdDC, Counseling, Human and Organizational Studies, George Washington University / This study was designed to examine the perception and incidence of sexual harassment and determine the incidence of sexual harassment in relation to girls participating in high school athletics. The similarities and differences of interpretation of various interactions between high school athletes with their male and female athletic coaches were examined. This study also investigated the actual incidence of sexual harassment by male and female high school athletic coaches as reported by female athletes.<p>The study population included male and female athletic coaches currently coaching a female high school athletic team and female college students who participated in high school athletics.</p><p>This researcher, in order to accommodate the study population and research questions, adapted the Sexual Harassment Survey (1995) by Margery J. Holman, Ph.D. Female student athletes and male and female coaches responded to survey questions on demographics and their perceptions and understanding of described behaviors. The student athletes completed an additional section of the survey pertaining to their experience of sexual harassment.</p><p>Descriptive statistics (including frequencies and percentages as well as means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (One-Way Analysis of Variance with a Scheffe test of significance) were used to analyze the data.</p><p>A comparison of the responses of all three groups (female athletes, male coaches and female coaches) to questions pertaining to perceptions of sexual harassment indicated agreement among the groups in the identification of inappropriate behaviors. However, there was a significant difference in the level of agreement for seven described behaviors. In general, male and female coaches agreed with each other more often than with female athletes when identifying the behaviors associated with sexual harassment. The investigation of incidence indicated that female athletes experienced more behaviors associated with sexual harassment from male coaches than from female coaches. Understanding that the same behaviors were identified by female athletes, male coaches and female coaches, it can be concluded that inappropriate behavior was consistently identified, but the identification of sexual harassment does not necessarily diminish the incidence of sexual harassment.</p> / Advisory Committee: Dr. Lori Lefcourt, Dr. Chris Erickson, Dr. Patricia Sullivan, Dr. Janet C. Heddesheimer, Dr. Donald C. Linkowski (Chair)

Adolescentes apresentam rápido crescimento e intensas mudanças corporais que os tornam vulneráveis em termos nutricionais. A prática de restrições alimentares, bastante comum entre adolescentes, pode levar a inadequações nutricionais que parecem ser o primeiro sinal para o início de uma desordem alimentar (DA). A participação feminina no esporte e o número de casos de DA em adolescentes atletas de modalidades que exigem exposição do corpo, agilidade e leveza dos movimentos, como o tênis, têm aumentado nos últimos anos. As DA podem levar a complicações de saúde como irregularidades menstruais (IM) e baixa densidade mineral óssea (DMO), caracterizando a Tríade da Mulher Atleta (TMA). Desta forma, acredita-se que alguns componentes dietéticos podem ter associação com DA e seus agravos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a associação de componentes dietéticos com desordens alimentares, irregularidades menstruais e composição corporal em adolescentes atletas tenistas e não atletas do sexo feminino. Trata-se de estudo do tipo transversal. Foram realizadas avaliações do desenvolvimento puberal pela auto-aplicação dos critérios de Tanner; da composição corporal pela absortometria radiológica de dupla energia (DXA); dos parâmetros dietéticos por registro alimentar de três dias alternados; das DA pela aplicação de três questionários validados (Eating Attitudes Test - EAT-26, Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh- BITE e o Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ); do ciclo menstrual por questionário validado e da DMO também pelo DXA. A Tríade da Mulher Atleta (TMA) foi estabelecida pela presença concomitante de DA e/ou baixa disponibilidade de energia (BDE), IM e baixa DMO. Foram realizadas associações por meio de correlações de Spearman entre as variáveis numéricas de componentes dietéticos com DA e composição corporal. Também foram realizadas associações por meio do teste qui-quadrado, teste exato de Fisher ou prova binomial para as variáveis categóricas de adequação dos componentes dietéticos com DA e seus agravos. Participaram do estudo 75 adolescentes (25 tenistas, 50 não atletas) apresentando desenvolvimento puberal similar. Atletas obtiveram melhor perfil da composição corporal quanto ao tecido adiposo. Quanto à ingestão de macronutrientes, os carboidratos merecem destaque. Em ambos os grupos, a maioria das participantes apresentaram baixa ingestão de carboidratos, sendo este percentual de inadequação significativamente maior para as atletas. Os micronutrientes que obtiveram maior percentual de inadequação foram folato e cálcio em ambos os grupos. Verificou-se que 92%, 32% e 24% das atletas e 72%, 8% e 30% das não atletas preencheram critérios para DA e/ou BDE, IM e baixa massa óssea, respectivamente. Apesar de adolescentes atletas tenistas e não atletas apresentarem prevalência de DA similares, as não atletas apresentaram maior insatisfação com a imagem corporal pelo teste BSQ. No entanto, as atletas parecem estar em situação mais grave uma vez que apresentaram maior prevalência de BDE e de IM. A DMO e a prevalência de TMA foram similares entre os grupos. Foi verificada associação inversa e significativa entre alguns componentes dietéticos (principalmente energia e carboidratos) e os escores do teste BSQ. Foi possível concluir que a baixa ingestão de alguns componentes dietéticos, principalmente energia e carboidratos, podem funcionar como marcadores para desordens alimentares em ambos os grupos a fim de previnir posteriores consequências à saúde / Adolescents have a rapid growth and and intense body changes that make them vulnerable in nutritional terms. The practice of dietary restrictions, quite common among adolescents, can lead to nutritional inadequacies that appear to be the first signal for the start of disordered eating (DE). The female sports participation and the number of DE cases in adolescent athletes from sports that require bodys exposure, agility and soft movements, like tennis, have increased in recent years. DE can lead to serious health complications such as menstrual irregularities (MI) and low bone mineral density (BMD), constituting the female athlete Triad (FAT). Thus, it is believed that certain dietary components may be associated with DE and its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of dietary components with disordered eating, menstrual irregularities and body composition in female adolescent tennis players and controls. This was a cross-sectional study. We carried out assessments of pubertal development by Tanner stage self-assessments; body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA); dietary parameters by three-day food records; DE by the application of three validated questionnaires (Eating Attitudes Test - EAT-26, Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh- BITE and the Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ), menstrual status through a validated questionnaire and BMD also by DXA. The Female athlete Triad (FAT) was established by the concomitant presence of DE and/or low energy availability (LEA), MI and low BMD. Associations were performed using Spearman`s correlations between numerical variables of dietary components with DE and body composition. Also associations were performed using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test or binomial test for categorical variables of dietary components adequacy with DE and its complications. The study enrolled 75 adolescents (25 female tennis players, 50 controls) presenting with similar pubertal development. Athletes had better body composition profile, regarding the adipose tissue. As for the intake of macronutrients, carbohydrates are noteworthy. In both groups, most participants had low intake of carbohydrates, being this frequency of inadequacy significantly higher for athletes. Micronutrients with the greatest percentage of inadequacy were folic acid and calcium in both groups. It was found that 92%, 32% and 24% of the athletes and 72%, 8% and 30% of controls met the criteria for DE and / or LEA, MI, low bone mass, respectively. Although adolescent tennis players and controls present with similar prevalence of DA, the controls showed greater dissatisfaction with body image by BSQ test. However, the athletes seem to be in a more serious situation since they had a higher prevalence of LEA and MI. BMD and the prevalence of FAT were similar between groups. Significant inverse association was found between some dietary components (mainly energy and carbohydrates) and scores of BSQ test. It was concluded that low dietary intakes of some dietary components, mainly energy and carbohydrates, may function as markers for disordered eating in both groups in order to prevent further health consequences

Adolescentes apresentam rápido crescimento e intensas mudanças corporais que os tornam vulneráveis em termos nutricionais. A prática de restrições alimentares, bastante comum entre adolescentes, pode levar a inadequações nutricionais que parecem ser o primeiro sinal para o início de uma desordem alimentar (DA). A participação feminina no esporte e o número de casos de DA em adolescentes atletas de modalidades que exigem exposição do corpo, agilidade e leveza dos movimentos, como o tênis, têm aumentado nos últimos anos. As DA podem levar a complicações de saúde como irregularidades menstruais (IM) e baixa densidade mineral óssea (DMO), caracterizando a Tríade da Mulher Atleta (TMA). Desta forma, acredita-se que alguns componentes dietéticos podem ter associação com DA e seus agravos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a associação de componentes dietéticos com desordens alimentares, irregularidades menstruais e composição corporal em adolescentes atletas tenistas e não atletas do sexo feminino. Trata-se de estudo do tipo transversal. Foram realizadas avaliações do desenvolvimento puberal pela auto-aplicação dos critérios de Tanner; da composição corporal pela absortometria radiológica de dupla energia (DXA); dos parâmetros dietéticos por registro alimentar de três dias alternados; das DA pela aplicação de três questionários validados (Eating Attitudes Test - EAT-26, Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh- BITE e o Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ); do ciclo menstrual por questionário validado e da DMO também pelo DXA. A Tríade da Mulher Atleta (TMA) foi estabelecida pela presença concomitante de DA e/ou baixa disponibilidade de energia (BDE), IM e baixa DMO. Foram realizadas associações por meio de correlações de Spearman entre as variáveis numéricas de componentes dietéticos com DA e composição corporal. Também foram realizadas associações por meio do teste qui-quadrado, teste exato de Fisher ou prova binomial para as variáveis categóricas de adequação dos componentes dietéticos com DA e seus agravos. Participaram do estudo 75 adolescentes (25 tenistas, 50 não atletas) apresentando desenvolvimento puberal similar. Atletas obtiveram melhor perfil da composição corporal quanto ao tecido adiposo. Quanto à ingestão de macronutrientes, os carboidratos merecem destaque. Em ambos os grupos, a maioria das participantes apresentaram baixa ingestão de carboidratos, sendo este percentual de inadequação significativamente maior para as atletas. Os micronutrientes que obtiveram maior percentual de inadequação foram folato e cálcio em ambos os grupos. Verificou-se que 92%, 32% e 24% das atletas e 72%, 8% e 30% das não atletas preencheram critérios para DA e/ou BDE, IM e baixa massa óssea, respectivamente. Apesar de adolescentes atletas tenistas e não atletas apresentarem prevalência de DA similares, as não atletas apresentaram maior insatisfação com a imagem corporal pelo teste BSQ. No entanto, as atletas parecem estar em situação mais grave uma vez que apresentaram maior prevalência de BDE e de IM. A DMO e a prevalência de TMA foram similares entre os grupos. Foi verificada associação inversa e significativa entre alguns componentes dietéticos (principalmente energia e carboidratos) e os escores do teste BSQ. Foi possível concluir que a baixa ingestão de alguns componentes dietéticos, principalmente energia e carboidratos, podem funcionar como marcadores para desordens alimentares em ambos os grupos a fim de previnir posteriores consequências à saúde / Adolescents have a rapid growth and and intense body changes that make them vulnerable in nutritional terms. The practice of dietary restrictions, quite common among adolescents, can lead to nutritional inadequacies that appear to be the first signal for the start of disordered eating (DE). The female sports participation and the number of DE cases in adolescent athletes from sports that require bodys exposure, agility and soft movements, like tennis, have increased in recent years. DE can lead to serious health complications such as menstrual irregularities (MI) and low bone mineral density (BMD), constituting the female athlete Triad (FAT). Thus, it is believed that certain dietary components may be associated with DE and its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of dietary components with disordered eating, menstrual irregularities and body composition in female adolescent tennis players and controls. This was a cross-sectional study. We carried out assessments of pubertal development by Tanner stage self-assessments; body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA); dietary parameters by three-day food records; DE by the application of three validated questionnaires (Eating Attitudes Test - EAT-26, Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh- BITE and the Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ), menstrual status through a validated questionnaire and BMD also by DXA. The Female athlete Triad (FAT) was established by the concomitant presence of DE and/or low energy availability (LEA), MI and low BMD. Associations were performed using Spearman`s correlations between numerical variables of dietary components with DE and body composition. Also associations were performed using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test or binomial test for categorical variables of dietary components adequacy with DE and its complications. The study enrolled 75 adolescents (25 female tennis players, 50 controls) presenting with similar pubertal development. Athletes had better body composition profile, regarding the adipose tissue. As for the intake of macronutrients, carbohydrates are noteworthy. In both groups, most participants had low intake of carbohydrates, being this frequency of inadequacy significantly higher for athletes. Micronutrients with the greatest percentage of inadequacy were folic acid and calcium in both groups. It was found that 92%, 32% and 24% of the athletes and 72%, 8% and 30% of controls met the criteria for DE and / or LEA, MI, low bone mass, respectively. Although adolescent tennis players and controls present with similar prevalence of DA, the controls showed greater dissatisfaction with body image by BSQ test. However, the athletes seem to be in a more serious situation since they had a higher prevalence of LEA and MI. BMD and the prevalence of FAT were similar between groups. Significant inverse association was found between some dietary components (mainly energy and carbohydrates) and scores of BSQ test. It was concluded that low dietary intakes of some dietary components, mainly energy and carbohydrates, may function as markers for disordered eating in both groups in order to prevent further health consequences

No description available.

No description available.

Bakgrund: Relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S) är ett syndrom som förekommer inom många idrotter och olika idrottsliga nivåer. Konsekvenserna av detta syndrom är mångfacetterad, det kan påverka prestationen långsiktigt och kan orsaka skador och avslut på idrottskarriären. I forskningen är idrotter såsom löpning, estetiska idrotter och friidrottare de som är överrepresenterade i förhållande till RED-S. Kvinnor är generellt en underrepresenterad grupp inom idrottsmedicinsk forskning och detta motiverar till att studera just denna grupp.  Syfte: Syftet med denna undersökning var att undersöka i vilken utsträckning respondenterna hört talats om RED-S, samt att identifiera riskgrupper utifrån träningsmängd och idrottsutförande hos idrottande kvinnor inom fotboll, innebandy, friidrott och ridning, oavsett idrottslig nivå. Metod: Data insamlades med hjälp av en digitalbaserad enkät som besvarades av 44 deltagare. Enkäten bestod av 35 frågor och distribuerades i en sluten grupp som bestod av 16 000 + medlemmar samt en öppen grupp med 3 000 medlemmar och även via egna sociala medier. Resultat: Av totalt 44 deltagare fick 24 deltagare en poäng ≥8 utifrån frågeformuläret Low Energy availability in females questionnaire (LEAF-Q), enligt enkätens poängssystem indikerar detta en förhöjd risk att utveckla RED-S. Den överrepresenterade idrotten var ridsporten med 22 deltagare. Den ojämna fördelningen gjorde det svårt att generalisera några resultat för träningsmängd och idrottskategori. Av totalt 44 deltagare var det endast sex deltagare som tidigare hade hört talats om RED-S i utbildningssyfte.  Diskussion: Mer än 50% av deltagarna hade en LEAF-Q poäng högre ≥8 och majoriteten var användare av någon form av preventivmedel vilket påverkade det slutgiltiga resultatet.  Konklusion: Av cirka 19 000 potentiella deltagare var det 44 svaranden, bortfallet var högt vilket innebär att resultatet blev missvisande. Det tenderar att finnas ett kunskapsglapp bland kvinnliga idrottare vad gäller kännedom om syndromet RED-S. Trots att resultatet av denna undersökning inte går att generalisera på en större population så finns det andra studier som indikerar liknande resultat. / Background: Relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S) is a syndrome that occurs in many sports and different sports levels. The consequences of this syndrome are multifaceted, it can affect performance in the long term and can cause injuries and the end of the sports career. In the research, sports such as running, aesthetic sports and track and field athletes are those that are overrepresented in relation to RED-S. Women are generally an underrepresented group in sports medicine research and this motivates to study this particular group. Purpose: The purpose of this survey was to investigate the extent to which the respondents had heard about RED-S, and to identify risk groups based on the amount of training and sports performance of female athletes in football, floorball, athletics and horse riding, regardless of the level of sport. Method: Data were collected using a digital-based questionnaire that was answered by 44 participants. The survey consisted of 35 questions and was distributed in a closed group consisting of 16,000+ members as well as an open group with 3,000 members and via own social media. Results: Out of a total of 44 participants, 24 participants received a score ≥8 based on the Low Energy availability in females questionnaire (LEAF-Q), according to the questionnaire's scoring system, this indicates an increased risk of developing RED-S. The over-represented sport was equestrian with 22 participants. The uneven distribution made it difficult to generalize any results for training amount and sport category. Out of a total of 44 participants, only six participants had previously heard of RED-S for educational purposes. Discussion: More than 50% of the participants had a LEAF-Q score higher than ≥8 and the majority were users of some form of contraception, which affected the result. Conclusion: Out of approximately 19,000 potential participants, there were 44 respondents, the dropout rate was high, which means that the results were misleading. There tends to be a knowledge gap among female athletes in terms of awareness of RED-S syndrome. Although the results of this study cannot be generalized to a larger population, there are other studies that indicate similar results.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to summarize the topic of the anterior cruciate ligament (LCA) injury dependency on the menstrual cycle phase of young women with regular sport activity. The general part describes basic knowledge about connective tissue, LCA, issues of LCA injury and related risk situations. Large chapter is dedicated to sex hormones and menstrual and ovarian cycle, which is crucial for understanding the whole topic. The main part is focused on impact of sex hormones and hormonal contraception on connective tissue, but also on muscle and nervous tissues, which might be as well important for LCA injury incidence. Next part of the thesis consists of a questionnaire survey. 52 respondents aged 15-35 with rupture or partial rupture of LCA answered the non-standardized questionnaire compiled specially for this thesis and the results were statistically processed. 14 respondents were using hormonal contraception, remaining 38 had physiological menstrual cycle. Based on the theoretical findings we expected highest incidence of LCA injuries among women without contraception in phases of menstrual cycle with highest levels of oestrogen (10th -15th day). That was confirmed (P-value: 0,0218) as well as overall lower incidence among women using contraception (P-value: 0,0006). Expected higher...