Never before has women’s sport been so successful on so many levels – participation, media coverage, funding and . Yet when it comes to promoting optimal health and performance for women in sport, there is still much to learn.
New research from the shows that many AFLW athletes are not consuming sufficient energy and carbohydrates throughout the season and on game days, which can negatively affect performance as well as recovery post-match.
Physical activity and nutrition expert, UniSA’s , says understanding the importance of nutrition is vital for women athletes at elite levels.
“Adequate energy and carbohydrates are vital for elite athletes because they increase endurance and support intermittent high-intensity performance,” Dr Hill says.
“But when we assessed dietary intakes of elite AFLW athletes, we found that many women were not regulating their diets to meet changing needs across the pre- and competitive seasons. And they weren’t fuelling their bodies for optimal performance on game days.”
Similarly, knowledge gaps exists when it comes to women’s menstrual cycles and sports. Accredited Exercise Scientist and UniSA alumna, Mikaeli Carmichael, says menstrual cycles are likely to affect sports performance.
“In general, it is not well understood how sports performance may be affected by the menstrual cycle,” Carmichael says.
“Anecdotally and in the literature, many female athletes report experiencing menstrual symptoms that affect their ability to train and believe their performance is affected by the menstrual cycle.
“A preliminary study found that AFLW players could experience decreased sleep quality and heightened fatigue during the luteal phase – the days just before their period starts – so it’s fair to say that this would also affect their performance.”
Now, has assembled the top experts in health, nutrition, and injury to share the latest research and findings about women’s health and sports performance in an upcoming seminar – .
Hosted by UniSA’s , and supported by (ESSA) the seminar will be held on Thursday 1 September between 5:30 – 8:00pm in the .
Event convenor and exercise and sports scientist at UniSA, , says the seminar will provide cutting edge and practical information for athletes and sports bodies.
“It’s a great time to be talking about women’s sport. Not only have we seen greater participation in women’s sports at the elite level – most recently in the – but we’re also seeing participating in sport at grass roots,” Dr Nelson says.
“But while this is great in terms of gender equality, having the latest knowledge to support women’s health and performance in sports is also vital.
“This seminar will provide exactly that. Our experts will talk about injury, nutrition, menstrual cycle considerations, as well as perspectives from leading practitioners in women’s high-performance sports.
“It’s a must for people working to support women’s sport at the highest of levels.”
The seminar will feature:
- Injury prevention, recovery and rehabilitation, and returning to peak pre-injury performance
- Biomechanics and strength and conditioning in female team sport athletes
- menstrual cycle and reproductive factors in high performance sport
- fatigue and performance in elite AFL footballers
- dietary patterns, and foods for athletic performance.
All presenters have worked with elite sports bodies including: AFLW and AFL, Adelaide Football Club, Tennis Australia, and the South Australian Cricket Association.
General admission tickets are $25. To register to attend, please visit:
