Sports medicine not keeping up with female athletes, Calgary research says

Research suggests there are fewer supports for female athletes when they get injured while playing sports. (Pexels/Pixabay)

As the number of women and girls getting involved in sports increases, so does the possibility of injuries and officials say prevention measures aren’t keeping up with those offered for males.

The University of Calgary is leading an international consensus to address the issues in women’s sports and make sure that women and girls continue to play after they are treated for injuries.

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Researchers at the school, including Dr. Carolyn Emery, a professor with the faculty of kinesiology, attended a meeting at the International Olympic Committee in March 2025.

At that gathering, the top experts in their field shared research, ideas and recommendations about their top concerns.

“The rates of sport participation and injuries in girls sport are increasing, and many girls that get injured from sport don’t return,” said Emery, co-lead of the Female/Woman/Girl Athlete Injury pRevention consensus meeting.

These injuries come with long-term consequences including mental health challenges, osteoarthritis, obesity, and poor academic performance.

The recommendations that came from the meeting consisted of spaces where female athletes could enjoy safety to sport-specific advice such as mouthguards in all collision sports.

Officials say the statement is a commitment for more education and policy change across all levels.

Emery addressed the role Calgary plays in terms of research about sports injury prevention in an emailed reply to a question.

1. What is the significance of the U of C participating in this research and report? Is Calgary positioned as a leader in professional and elite sport, to weigh in?

“The Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre (in the Faculty of Kinesiology, UCalgary) is the Canadian International Olympic Committee Research Centre, one of 11 international Olympic Committee Research Centres for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health.

“The focus areas of our work are reducing injuries in youth through elite sport, female woman and girl athlete health and safety, and concussion. I was well positioned to co-lead this consensus over the past two years with my colleague and Chair of the Australian IOC Centre at LaTrobe University. Professor Kay Crossley. to engage experts in this space globally (109 authors in total over seven papers and the final Consensus statement itself) and highlight Canadian experts in the field.

“As we move towards knowledge translation efforts, we are well positioned with international and national sport federation partners, clinical partners, and FAIR youth and expert advisory boards to ensure efficient translation to real world impact specific to female, woman, and girl athletes.

“Together, we will ensure that the female, woman, and girl athlete voice continues to be central to all efforts in injury prevention.

“A call to action is critical to ensure that research funding and community engagement informing evidence-based prevention solutions for female, woman, and girl athletes who are historically under-represented in the research in this field is a priority.”

Ph.D student Emily Heming addressed her experiences as a female varsity athlete.

1. In your experience as a female varsity athlete, what are some of the impacts of sports injuries that may be overlooked?

“One thing that tends to get overlooked is the ripple effect an injury can have. For a lot of girls and women, sport is tied to identity, confidence, social connection, even scholarships or school involvement.

“When you get injured, you don’t just lose playing time. You lose that sense of belonging. Many girls end up stepping away from sport entirely because it stops feeling safe or enjoyable, and that loss can follow them for years.

2. How could better prevention improve female participation in sport?

“Prevention is one of the strongest tools we have to keep girls and women playing. When injuries happen less often and perhaps are less severe, athletes stay active, stay connected, and stay confident.

“Girls are more likely to keep playing if they feel supported and protected, and that has benefits well beyond the field or rink. Better prevention also means fewer long-term consequences like chronic pain or mental health challenges that can push athletes out of sport earlier than they want.

3. Can you expand on ‘safety’? What does that mean? Does that include physical and sexual abuse disproportionately targeting female athletes?

“When we talk about safety in this context, we’re usually referring to physical safety related to injuries and the environments that increase or decrease risk.

“That said, safety in sport is much broader. Abuse and harassment, including sexual abuse, are very real issues that affect far too many female athletes.

“Those experiences can drive athletes out of sport just as quickly as physical injuries, not to mention the lasting impacts.

“The consensus focuses on injury prevention, but it also emphasizes creating environments where girls and women feel safe, supported, and heard. That includes respecting and protecting athletes in every sense.

4. What is another implementable recommendation, other than mouthguards?

“A simple and effective example is neuromuscular training warm-ups, which improve strength, balance, and movement quality. These programs have been shown to be effective reduce injuries across a lot of sports and can be done in ten to fifteen minutes with no equipment.

“Another example is ensuring equipment fits properly. Many girls still use gear that was designed around male body shapes.

“Small changes -- like better-fitting helmets or shoulder pads -- can make a meaningful difference.