Biomechanics & Sports Medicine

Abstract

Problem: Awareness and knowledge of the Female Athlete Triad (Triad) among physicians and allied health professionals is well studied; however, awareness of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) is largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess awareness and comfort in treating patients with Triad and RED-S among providers attending a sports medicine conference.Methods: Cross-sectional study of physicians and allied health professionals attending a sports medicine conference. Conference attendees (n=163, 54% female) completed a survey on awareness of and confidence in treating Triad and RED-S (response rate=42%). Results: Most participants (76%) were aware of Triad compared to fewer with awareness regarding RED-S (29%). More participants (33%) reported feeling comfortable treating athletes with the Triad compared to RED-S (13%) (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between physicians and allied health providers in outcome measures except that physicians trended towards being more likely to have heard of RED-S (p=0.07). Physicians with fellowship training in sports medicine reported greater comfort treating both Triad and RED-S compared with non-fellowship trained physicians (all p<0.05).Discussion: Knowledge in treating athletes with Triad and RED-S is low across professions, training backgrounds, and practice locations. Educational efforts are necessary for both recognition and clinical management skills. KEY WORDS: Treatment, Bone, Energy Availability, Menstrual Function