PURPOSE: Sport science and medicine are effective tools in improving athletic performance, while both preventing and managing injuries. The following study aimed to explore injury experiences of those who work with amateur female athletes to determine the barriers and facilitators toward these disciplines.

METHODS:  Twenty-five coaches, allied healthcare professionals (AHPs), and general practitioners (GPs) were recruited and interviewed using a convenience snowball sample. Data were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. The study was a qualitative design ,using a semi-structured interview format and utilising a critical analysis framework.

RESULTS:  Female-specific issues, education, and resource capital were key barriers to the implementation of sport science and medicine. This may negatively impact on performance and injury prevention, prevalence, and rehabilitation in female sport. Key facilitators of sports science and medicine were communication and relationships, outsourcing responsibility, and despite the lack of education; desires for such, and exposure to elite sport and national governing bodies protocols.

CONCLUSION: Application of sport science and medicine was limited in amateur female sport, with multiple barriers contributing to this. There was a clear desire for education and communication amongst participants to increase access to sport science and medicine in female athletes.

 

Disclosure(s): The authors have nothing to disclose.