The Female Athlete Triad
Do you love the feeling of pushing your body through those last few reps, even though your muscles are on fire? Or that last sprint to the finish line, even though you feel like you can barely catch your breath? That passion can drive you through the rest of your workout, race, or game until you collapse when it all finishes. That feeling can be addicting, however, sometimes that little voice telling you to push yourself to the limits can do more harm than good. When you ignore your body’s need for rest, you can end up with what is called The Female Athlete Triad.
Join me to learn of my own experience with the Female Athlete Triad throughout my career as a former Division I volleyball player, how it can impact your overall health (and pelvic health!), and a few ways to encourage healthier exercise habits.
Bone Loss From a Lack of Recovery
During my freshman year, I started developing some low back pain. After discussing my pain with the team physician and athletic trainer, followed by an X-ray, I was diagnosed with a pre-stress fracture found in my lumbar spine. Luckily, it was caught early and with modifications made to my weight training and limitations at practice, I was able to return to play.
This was an early sign that my significant time on the court and in the weight room was taking a toll on my body, causing bone loss and making me more susceptible to a stress fracture. The process of bone loss is known as osteopenia (early onset of bone loss) or osteoporosis (significant bone loss) and is the first segment of the Triad.
Bone loss happens as a result of high demand during your sport/weight lifting sessions paired with malnutrition and low estrogen levels. Estrogen helps to protect bone health, which is why we typically see an increase in osteoporosis around menopause. With lack of a period or irregular cycles as a female athlete, you have a higher breakdown of bone and are more likely to experience stress fractures than a female athlete who gets a regular period.
Disordered Eating Because of a Disordered Mindset
The culture of looking the part of a collegiate athlete didn’t escape my teammates or me. I would skip a meal before a brutal workout, though I desperately needed the fuel to survive it. I had teammates who would take laxatives because they “felt bloated and needed to detox” or would be bedridden on our days off because of a lack of energy. All of this is in the name of fitting the mold of what an athlete is supposed to be.
Reading this, it might seem obvious to you that these are signs of disordered eating. However, I challenge you to take an honest look into your mindset when it comes to food. Do you see it as fuel or as a foe? Many female athletes struggle with their relationship with food, especially those in sports that center around appearance or have revealing uniforms. Gymnasts, dancers, runners, and swimmers are some of the most common sports that lead to disordered eating. This mindset is the second segment of the Triad.
There are many different types of disordered eating, but most result in some form of malnutrition, or the lack of the nutrients that your body needs to function and exercise. A decreased caloric intake in addition to excessive training can lead to impaired ability to build healthy bones, maintain muscle mass, and recover from injuries. It might feel like fatigue/sluggishness or having poor performance during your sport. Disordered eating can also cause mental health issues such as depression and low self-esteem.
It is SO important to provide female athletes with adequate education about how to fuel themselves with protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates to improve performance and body recovery!
A Cycle of Pushing Your Body Can Push Your Cycle Out of Whack
Extreme stress on the body due to excessive exercising, inadequate caloric intake, being in ‘survival mode’ can lead to a disruption in the menstrual cycle. It can stop menstruation entirely or just cause you not to ovulate. Either way, estrogen levels drop and contribute significantly to changes in bone density. Depending on what stage of life you’re in, it can impact your ability to become pregnant and stay pregnant. Having a period of time with no menstrual cycle can also lead to long-term issues with osteoporosis and other health issues as you age.
How to Avoid Female Athlete Triad
Listen to your body during workouts!
Get adequate rest, quality sleep is the key to good recovery.
Fuel your body with a balanced diet of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates.
Use your period health as an indicator of your overall health.
It can be challenging to truly tune in to your body and choose workouts that will support that stress and recovery balance. Choosing balance over that addicting, intense workout will promote better physical and mental health and will ultimately lead to better performance during your workouts or sports!
Conclusion
The Female Athlete Triad doesn’t just happen to teenagers or collegiate athletes. It can occur in postpartum mothers who are training for a marathon to “get their body back”. It can occur in postmenopausal or perimenopausal women who haven’t adapted their workouts to meet the needs of their current body.
You also don’t have to have all three components of the Triad to cause dysfunction. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t remain competitive while continuing to do the things that you love. It just means that guidance and patience is necessary to compete and train safely.
Finding your Wellness team is top priority when it comes to managing the Female Athlete Triad. The team usually includes:
Women’s Health Physical Therapist
Nutritionist/Registered Dietician
Therapist/Mental Health Professional
Primary Care Doctor
Because this issue has many components to it, it is important to have the right team to address the issues within their field. If you’re ready to start taking control of your health as a Female Athlete, schedule your Evaluation with one of our Wellness Experts and Physical Therapists today!