Currently, female athletes make up nearly half of participants in high school and college sports. Great news, right? The catch is that most of the research behind training programs, injury-prevention routines, and recovery strategies was designed for male athletes. Female and male bodies are inherently different — so why are we treating them the same? A recent review in the Premier Journal of Sports Science drives this home: Female athletes face different risks and needs, yet many programs still rely on “one-size-fits-all” models.
It may be easy to dismiss this as a research issue, but it’s actually a safety issue, a performance issue, and an equity issue. And it affects your program. Luckily, by teaming up with your athletic trainers (ATs) and coaches, you can develop an actionable strategy and start making changes that protect all your athletes and help them perform their best.
Why Female Athletes Face Different Risks
Research shows female athletes are more likely than their male counterparts to experience certain injuries. ACL tears, stress fractures, and energy-related health problems are all more common. One big factor is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) — when athletes don’t eat enough to keep up with their training. REDs can lead to bone loss, delayed recovery, and even long-term health problems.
On top of that, the menstrual cycle can influence things like endurance, strength, and joint stability. Some athletes notice big changes in how they perform across different phases of their cycle, while others feel very little. Either way, ignoring these factors means we miss chances to prevent injuries and improve performance.
What This Means for Athletic Directors
You don’t need to be an expert in hormones or nutrition — that’s what athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals are for. But as an athletic director, you have the power to make positive change in your athletic department.
In this case, policies, resources, and culture are what ignite change:
- Policy: Make sure your athletic handbook clearly covers injury-prevention protocols, REDs education, and nutrition support for female athletes.
- Resources: Simple, small changes, like budgeting for post-practice snacks or giving ATs more time with athletes, can go a long way.
- Culture: When athletes see that their unique needs are acknowledged, it builds trust and makes them more likely to speak up about problems before they become injuries.
How to Work With Your Athletic Trainers
Athletic trainers are the hidden superheroes of any athletic department, and they can be your biggest allies in this work. Here are a few ways to make the partnership count:
- Daily prevention: ATs can train coaches and athletes to lead standardized ACL-prevention warm-ups before every practice and game. These routines only take 10–15 minutes but have been shown to reduce injury rates.
- REDs and nutrition: Give ATs the space to privately check in with athletes about fueling and recovery, and create a clear path to refer athletes to a sports dietitian or physician if needed.
- Cycle-aware adjustments: If athletes want to track their menstrual cycle and adjust their training accordingly, ATs can help them do that safely and confidentially. The aim is to offer flexibility when it helps, not single anyone out.
- Data and communication: Encourage ATs to share regular updates on injury trends, compliance with warm-up programs, and referrals made. A monthly “safety snapshot” can give you a clear picture of how your athletes are doing.
The science is catching up, and it tells us that female athletes need more than a copy-and-paste version of male-centered training and recovery plans. As an athletic director, you can lead the way towards healthier athletes, stronger teams, and a program that shows it truly values all of its student-athletes.
