We are excited to present this special issue, “The Female Athlete: Elevating Health and Performance," which epitomizes the coupling of sports and pelvic health physical therapy throughout the athlete's lifespan. We begin with a survey by Dr Hamilton and colleagues to identify variables associated with running-related urinary incontinence on running behavior and pregnancy/childbirth. Dr Kane and colleagues report on the prevalence, impact on participation, and treatment of breast injuries in the French feminine professional basketball league. Dr Parr and associates explored relationships between sports characteristics, disordered eating, and stress urinary incontinence in nulliparous collegiate athletes. A group led by Dr Chandran examined lifespan reproductive and pelvic floor dysfunctions in former collegiate female soccer athletes. Dr Steimling and colleagues present a case report of a multiparous runner with stress urinary incontinence who achieved a resolution of symptoms after gait retraining. A case report by Drs Piropato and Deering describes a postpartum multi-sports athlete with shoulder and thoracic pain and underscores the importance of treating the kinetic chain in light of recover from pregnancy and childbirth. The issue culminates in a Clinical Commentary in which Dr Rothchild and Ms Collingwood discuss maximizing running participation and performance through menopause with detailed information on training, nutrition, and recovery for aging female runners.
—Cynthia M. Chiarello, PT, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
—Shefali M. Christopher PT, DPT, PhD
Special Issue Guest Editor
Editor's Note:
The JWPHPT editorial team thanks Dr Shefali Christopher for her terrific job as guest editor for this important special topic issue, The Female Athlete: Elevating Health and Performance. We greatly appreciate her dedication and insight. It has been an honor to work with Shefali.
We have received many wonderful submissions for this issue. However, due only to space constraints, these accepted manuscripts will be published in subsequent issues.
—Cynthia M. Chiarello, PT, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
