WashU Medicine Female Athlete Program

Sports and exercise have many great benefits, including building strength, improving cardiovascular health, boosting mental health, and encouraging camaraderie among teammates. However, research has shown that females have a higher risk of developing certain sports-related injuries. 

The WashU Medicine Female Athlete Program was designed to address the specific challenges faced by female athletes. We assist athletes at all levels in learning how to prevent and recover from injuries. Our patients benefit from a comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment approach. We don’t just treat an injury; we take a deep dive into contributing factors such as exercise mechanics, nutrition, recovery, mental health, and more to ensure optimal outcomes for our patients.

Our program is ideal for active females ages 13+ who: 

• Need evaluation and management of an injury. This may include things like sprains, joint pain, tendon injuries and more. 
• Want recommendations on performance optimization, which may include nutrition education, guidance on rest/recovery, talking with a sports psychologist and more. 
• Have a history of any risk factors of bone health issues or RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) and need a more thorough evaluation. This may include labs, imaging and referrals to a multidisciplinary team of clinicians.
• Are currently pregnant or postpartum and wanting guidance on staying active or returning to activity.
• Have been diagnosed with low bone density and are looking for recommendations on exercise.

Ready to up your game? Call to schedule your consultation today! 

 

What We Treat

• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)
• Amenorrhea or menstrual irregularities related to overtraining
• Mental health support for athletes
• Nutrition concerns
• Pregnant or recent postpartum patients who are interested in remaining active or returning to exercise
• ACL injury and recovery
  
• Stress fractures
• Sports performance concerns
• Guidance on exercise recommendations throughout the lifespan

 

Treatment Approach

Patients will be scheduled for a consultation with one of our providers and be asked to complete a screening questionnaire. During the initial visit, we'll discuss the patient's individual goals and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to their needs. A care plan could include counseling and education, labs, imaging (such as X-rays, DEXA scans or MRI), and referrals to additional specialists.   

 

Meet Our Team

Our team includes experts from orthopedics, including physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine. We also coordinate care as needed with providers from specialties outside of orthopedics, such as pediatric sports medicine, adolescent medicine, bone health, OB/GYN, dietitians, sports psychology and physical therapy.