Working as the primary care sports medicine doctor for the New York Liberty basketball team, and with a background as a former Division I athlete, I’ve personally witnessed numerous sports injuries. Preventing injury, treating it, and recovery are integral to any athlete’s journey. However, there’s a significant information gap in sports medicine concerning the treatment of female athletes despite the growing popularity of women’s sports. A substantial investment in women’s sports science is essential. This research isn’t only beneficial for elite athletes; it can significantly improve healthcare for women and girls more broadly.
Historically, medical research has neglected women. It wasn’t until Congress’s mandate in the 1990s that women had to be included in medical trials. Before this, women were often excluded, especially in the 1970s when the FDA recommended excluding women of childbearing potential. Many researchers, predominantly male, treated male bodies as the standard, assuming results from all-male trials would apply to women. But women are not simply ‘tiny men.’ Women have unique anatomies and physiologies, leading to different responses to physical activity, especially with age.
Consider a common athlete’s injury: a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The rate of ACL tears in women significantly exceeds that in men. In basketball, women face over triple the risk compared to men. Most of these tears occur without direct knee contact, often during movements like landing and pivoting. This increased risk relates in part to anatomical differences. Women tend to have wider pelvises and hips, altering biomechanical loading—or the distribution of force and pressure—on the knee, which can increase injury risks. Hormones also play a role in ligament integrity and laxity, and women often use their quad muscles more when landing a jump, increasing knee stress and ACL strain.
The ACL issue is just one example. Women experience significant hormonal and body changes impacting their movement throughout life. For instance, pregnancy affects women’s movement, necessitating tailored approaches for postpartum recovery. Many understand the hormone-driven changes during pregnancy, but as women age, further changes occur. As women enter menopause, their estrogen levels drop, reducing muscle mass and bone density. Women can lose up to 2% of bone mass annually before menopause and at least 3% after, heightening osteoporosis and musculoskeletal injury risks.
With women now competing and exercising at high levels from youth to advanced age, a deeper understanding of their support and injury prevention needs is critical. Presently, only about 6% of sports research concerns women, with most focused on younger athletes. As women continue to compete later in life, doctors in sports medicine need evidence-based care tailored to women’s specific anatomical and physiological needs.
Now is the moment to advocate for more research and funding. Women’s sports enjoy unprecedented popularity, with media coverage hitting a record 15% in 2024. Rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have expanded viewership and highlighted the significance of women’s sports. This momentum should drive further research. Notable figures like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, who competed into their 40s, had no women-specific studies to guide their training or injury prevention.
This research will benefit more than just top-tier athletes. It will equip doctors nationwide to keep women healthy and active throughout their lives. Women’s sports enter a new era, and women’s medicine must progress alongside.
Dr. Ashley Austin serves as a Primary Sports Medicine Physician at the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. The opinions shared in this article are her own.