Sports medicine physician Emily Kraus knows a lot about the health challenges of female athletes. Women face far more ACL tears and bone stress injuries than men, for instance, and excessive training or poor nutrition can also delay puberty and affect menstruation. These differences are vastly understudied, she says. To close the gap, Kraus initiated the “Female Athlete Voice Project” that asks female Olympic and Paralympic athletes about their health experiences. We need to tailor approaches specific to female athletes, Kraus tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’sThe Future of Everything podcast.
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Host Russ Altman introduces Emily Kraus, a professor of orthopedics at Stanford University and an expert on the issues of women's health.
(00:02:19) Health Challenges for Female Athletes
Prevalent injuries and health issues unique to female athletes.
(00:03:57) Hormonal Health and Puberty
The impact of hormonal health and menstrual cycles on young athletes’ performance.
(00:06:57) Body Composition and Mental Health
The challenges and psychological impact puberty has on young athletes.
(00:08:53) Female Athletes in Adulthood
The lack of research and resources available for female athletes during major life transitions.
(00:12:48) Nutrition, Fueling, and Recovery Science
How science has evolved in understanding nutrition, recovery, and strategic rest.
(00:15:54) Gender Differences in Fueling and Recovering
The differences between male and female athletes in nutrition and recovery.
(00:19:19) Survey of Olympic Athletes
Insights from female Olympians and Paralympians on the key gaps in sports science research.
(00:21:40) The WUSAI Human Performance Alliance
The WUSAI Human Performance Alliance’s focus on uncovering the principles of human performance.
(00:25:35) The Female Athlete Survey
The unexpected findings from the survey, highlighting the sexism and inequity in sports.
(00:27:26) Spreading Knowledge to Athletes and Clinicians
How Emily’s research is being received by the broader athletic and medical communities.
(00:30:00) Conclusion
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