HOW WE CAN HELP YOU?
My name is Virginie and I am a chartered physiotherapist at SPEAR with a particular interest in helping female athletes across all stages of life train and perform as best as they can. Let me tell you why physiotherapy has a special place in supporting women.
Physiotherapy plays a vital role in the health and performance of female athletes, helping them achieve their goals while reducing injury risks across all stages of life. Women’s bodies experience distinct physical demands, particularly due to hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy/postpartum, and menopause.
For young athletes, physiotherapists like myself can assist with injury prevention, and rehabilitate conditions like ACL and knee injuries, which are more prevalent in female athletes due to biomechanical factors. Physiotherapists can also guide athletes to understand how different part of their menstrual cycles can impact training and performance and how to work with it.
Pregnancy and postpartum recovery require specialised rehabilitation to maintain pelvic health, core strength, and mobility to return to physical activities. Without proper physiotherapy, women may experience issues such as pelvic floor dysfunction, which can limit their return to physical activity.
Post-menopausal athletes are at higher risk of tendon injuries and joint pain due to decrease in hormones levels and changes in body composition: physiotherapists help manage these changes by offering strength training, flexibility exercises, and tailored recovery plans.
Additionally physiotherapists can help athletes understand and manage conditions like Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) where menstrual cycle might become irregular or stop which can have a huge impact on performance and health. This is quite common in endurance athletes of all ages: in young women increasing their physical activity, but also in peri and postmenopausal athletes which may not be taking on enough energy in order to fight off the changes in body composition they may experience.
By addressing the unique needs of female athletes, physiotherapy ensures they can maintain peak performance and long-term health throughout their sporting careers, from youth to post-menopausal stages.
