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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Ask The Doc
Raleigh Durham, NC
By: Mark A. Burt, M.D., F.A.A.O.S., Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A. of Raleigh
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Photo(s) By: Kyle Danztler/MyActionPortraits.com
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The Female Athlete Triad
Dear Dr. Burt:
I enjoy playing sports because it helps me keep my weight down and I look cuter in my swimsuit at the beach. But lately, I have been tired, and I don’t feel good. My parents are always trying to make me eat more, and limit my exercise to my regular sports practices, but I am afraid that if I do this, I’ll gain weight. What do you think?
The Female Athletic Triad
Sports and exercise are healthy activities for girls and women of all ages. But a female athlete who focuses on being thin or lightweight may eat too little and/or exercise too much. Doing this can cause long-term damage to health, or even death. It can also hurt athletic performance and/or make it necessary to limit or stop exercise.
Three interrelated illnesses may develop when a girl or young woman goes to extremes in dieting or exercise. Together, these conditions are known as the "female athletic triad."
The three conditions are:
1. Disordered eating
Abnormal eating habits (i.e., crash diets, binge eating) or excessive exercise keeps the body from getting enough nutrition.
2. Menstrual dysfunction
Poor nutrition, low calorie intake, high-energy demands, physical and emotional stress, or low percentage of body fat can lead to hormonal changes that stop menstrual periods (amenorrhea).
3. Osteoporosis
Lack of periods disrupts the body's bone-building processes and weakens the skeleton, making bones more likely to break.
Females at Risk
Females in any sport can develop one or more parts of the triad. At greatest risk are those in sports that reward being thin for appearance (i.e., figure skating, gymnastics) or improved performance (i.e., distance running, rowing).
Fashion trends and advertising often encourage women to try to reach unhealthy weight levels. Some female athletes suffer low self-esteem or depression, and may focus on weight loss because they think they are heavier than they actually are. Others feel pressure to lose weight from athletic coaches or parents.
Female athletes should consider these questions:
• Are you dissatisfied with your body?
• Do you strive to be thin?
• Do you continuously focus on your weight?
If the answers are yes, you may be at risk for developing abnormal patterns of eating food (disordered eating), which can lead to menstrual dysfunction and early osteoporosis.
Recognizing the female athletic triad is the first step toward treating it. See your doctor right away if you think you might have disordered eating, miss several menstrual periods or get a stress fracture in sports.
Credit: American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons www.aaos.org
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