TRIA Orthopedics Center and the Tucker Research Center on Girls and Women hosted the event at Huntington Bank Stadium.
MINNEAPOLIS — International Women's Day is a moment of celebration and a time to talk about the truth about women playing sports.
For many years, women have been largely ignored in sports medicine research. In fact, there is very little women-specific data to inform people about training, rehabilitation, and protocols. The guidelines that exist are primarily based on male athletes.
“Sports as a social institution was built by men, for men, and continues to be run by men,” said Dr. Nicole Lavoie, director of the Tucker Center for the Study of Girls and Women. “They're trying to apply that model to women because it works for men, but it doesn't work.”
Dr. Lavoie was one of the organizers of the first event called the Women's Athletes Summit. Dozens of health care workers were in attendance Friday at Huntington Bank Stadium.
“What I love is that the athletes are really good, authentic, capable, and great role models,” said Dr. Lavoie, a former athlete who has dedicated his life to researching what's missing. .
She says large research gaps can affect performance, and narrowing them can help athletes stay fit and prevent injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament tears. Experts at Friday's event said injuries are up to eight times more likely to occur in female athletes than in male athletes.
In fact, research has shown that 20 elite soccer players suffered injuries last year, and more than half of them withdrew from the game with no prospect of recovery.
“Women are different. Care for female athletes is different because their injury patterns and anatomy are different,” said sports medicine physician Dr. Heather Bergeson. “We have a lot to learn because the same way we treat injuries in men may not be the same way we need to treat or prevent injuries in women.”
Dr Bergeson says women are even left out of research. From 2014 to 2020, only 34% of participants were women, and only 9% were perimenopausal and postmenopausal.
“I think the tide is turning and we're starting to see a tipping point right now,” Dr. Bergeson said. “All we need to do is make sure we continue our messaging and research and support methods for women.”
The goal now is to keep women involved in the sport. And ultimately, we will be able to better protect them on and off the court and field.
“Just keep moving and find movements that are fun,” Dr. Lavoie said.
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