Duke Female Athlete Program

Our primary care sports medicine providers not only have experience treating musculoskeletal conditions but can also provide comprehensive care for the female athlete. We identify risk factors for decreased performance and injury and treat new or ongoing sport-related medical conditions, ranging from iron deficiency to concussion. Our doctors coordinate care with specialists as needed. These include women’s health providers (ob-gyn specialists) and endocrinologists.

Our orthopaedic specialists address the full range of conditions including ACL tears; stress fractures; knee, shoulder, and hip pain and injury; and more. Nonsurgical approaches are typically our first recommendation, but if these treatments are not effective, our orthopaedic surgeons use the latest techniques to treat your injury and ensure you experience a fast and safe recovery.

Sports physical therapy can help you recover from injury and maximize your performance. We create personalized rehabilitation plans and strength and conditioning programs to address muscle imbalances, improve range of motion, and optimize movement. We also help you prevent future injuries by addressing known risk factors specific to female athletes and educating you about proper body mechanics relevant to your sport or activity. 

Pregnancy can change your posture and movement patterns. It can also weaken your pelvic floor muscles and cause urinary incontinence and other issues before and after you give birth. Our physical therapists perform movement screenings and strength, gait, and range-of-motion assessments to ensure you are performing your activities optimally to minimize risk of injury. We create training programs that strengthen your pelvic floor and allow you to return to your sport safely after pregnancy. If needed, you may also work with a nutritionist to ensure you are eating right during pregnancy. 

Frequent stress fractures may be a sign of low bone density, a signal of early osteoporosis that can increase your risk for fractures. Our providers coordinate your care with endocrinologists who are experts in diagnosing and treating osteoporosis. We recommend tailored treatment plans to meet your needs. 

Fueling and eating well are important for maximizing your athletic potential. If you need help with your food and nutrition habits or are at risk for underfueling, our nutrition team can help. Our personalized fueling and nutrition plans – including vegetarian and vegan plans – give you the energy you need during workouts and competition and help you recover. We address iron and nutrient deficiencies, sport-related GI distress, low energy, and more. We also perform body composition assessments and offer nutritional supplement and omega-3 fatty acid evaluations. 

We offer concussion testing for female athletes, who are twice as likely to experience concussions as men.