Health Update: Cleveland Clinic center to support female athletes health – What Experts Say

CLEVELAND — A first-of-its-kind comprehensive center from the Cleveland Clinic is targeting injury prevention, performance, nutrition, mental health and wellbeing for female athletes. 

The Women’s Integrated Sports, Exercise and Research (WISER) center is the first center to use an integrated care model to address the needs of women and female competitive athletes who want to engage and optimize their performance. 

“Most sports medicine research and guidance have traditionally focused on men, leaving gaps in what we know about women’s training, performance, recovery and long-term wellbeing,” said Tamanna Singh, M.D., co-director of WISER and director of the Sports Cardiology Center at Cleveland Clinic. “Given the rapid growth in female representation in athletes, there is a growing population of women athletes and patients who require multidisciplinary and gender- and biological sex-specific care across all ages.”

Through the center, athletes will receive multidisciplinary care and social support using an athlete-centered model. The center will also conduct high-quality femaile-focused research and enhance access. 

The Athlete Support Team, a group focused on ensuring a confidential, holistic approach to the athlete’s visit, will mediate four clinical care paths. 

“Integrated care is the missing link to performance and health optimization for active women as their relationship with athletics and movement evolve.” said Barb Anthony, MSSA, LISW-S, WISER’s Clinical Lead of Athlete Support. “Health is intersectional: it includes medical, social, emotional, and environmental considerations. Peak performance and ultimately optimal health can be achieved when athletes feel safe, healthy, and supported.”

The team will consist of sports medicine specialists, orthopedists, sport social workers and athletic counselors, sports cardiologists, adolescent medicine specialists, gynecologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists and physchologists, physical therapists and atheletic trainers.

“Women’s and girl’s participation in sports have grown exponentially over the past several decades – 44% of all NCAA athletes are now women,” said Dr. Marie Schaefer, co-director of WISER and a primary care sports medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic. “With that growth comes a responsibility to better understand the unique health needs of female athletes. From injury prevention and performance optimization to long-term health, we must ensure research, resources and clinical care evolve alongside participation so girls and women can compete safely and at their highest potential.”

The work will include assessing access and barriers to care with sport social work; identify personalized performance goals; rebuild strength and endurance after injury; provide risk assessments and testing for heart conditions; reproductive and endocrine health including help with menstrual cycles, fertility, thyroid or metabolic concerns, and other hormone-related issues; as well as diet, nutrition, and mental health support to optimize training and recovery.

Appointments can be made by calling 216-444-9133 or emailing wiser@ccf.org.