I need to talk about this slide:
1️⃣ Assuming that a “healthy man” is the epitome of success in sport or athletics is reeeee-donc-uuuuu-lusss!!!!! ENOUGH 👏👏👏
2️⃣The assumption/correlation that hormones play a role in ANY injury or painful experience kills me. I cannot grasp how hormones play a role until we start comparing women to other women in that regard and I am not currently familiar with a study that does so…
3️⃣”Neuromuscular weakness” – I have a few choice words I want to say about this, but I’ll use an emoji to demonstrate how I feel instead ** 🖕**
4️⃣The 3 proposed causes on the right hand side of this slide are ALL bio-mechanical/biological in nature when we KNOW that injury is way more complex in sport and higher level sport. It completely baffles me that this is not a part of this slide, particularly when we know the social, psychological and cultural challenges experienced by women and for sure…at higher level sport!!! #showmethemoney
5️⃣This slide comes from a very well respected sports conference and I was not in attendance, as such, I cannot speak to the context of this slide (I can only speak to my frustration about it at face value). This slide speaks volumes to me about how far we have to go in science, sports medicine, and care for the female athlete.
😤
In conclusion:
I am sooooo over this type of comparison. I’m over the assumption that neuromuscular deficits play a role unless we’re comparing women to women. I am over assuming that my hormones are a problem in sport, I am over the fact that my anatomy has ANYTHING to do with why I get injured more than men. Women are not born as faulty beings and I refuse to get on board with this messaging that persists for women in sport.
So there…I said it.
Cheers,
Dr. Ellie Somers
“Physio on a Mission”
Sisu Sports Performance & PT is accepting new clients!! Feel free to send me an email or schedule an appointment today!
Author: Dr. Ellie Somers
Dr. Ellie is Sisu’s Creator, Owner, Ferocious Leader, Director of the Vision, Physical Therapist and High Performance Coach. Dr. Ellie hopes to create a world where women and girls have access to the resources they need to recover from injury and get back to performance. Dr. Ellie was the Director of Sports Medicine and Team Physical Therapist for the NWSL Team OL Reign and has also been the Team Physical tTherapist for the Women’s United States Australian Rules Football Team. She works as a consultant for many professional and recreational athletes in their injury and recovery journeys back to performance.
