Education

Increasing awareness among athletes and those around them is the foremost strategy to prevent RED-S. Surveys in athletes, coaches, and healthcare personnel have shown:

• Around 50% of surveyed individuals who identified as women did not know that menstrual dysfunction was related to poor bone health(1).

• Less than 50% of surveyed physicians, coaches, physiotherapists, and athletic trainers were not able to identify the components that make up the Triad(2).

• 1 out of 3 of surveyed individuals who identified as women thought menstrual dysfunction was a normal effect of exercise(3).

By learning more about RED-S and sharing these understandings with others, we can correct misinformation and inform both research and clinical practice that prevents RED-S.