Gender- and/or sex-specific considerations for sport-related injury: a concept mapping approach for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus

Kay M Crossley; Melissa J Haberfield; Andrew G Ross; Libby J Gracias; Andrea M Bruder; Jackie L Whittaker; Araba Chintoh; Jane S Thornton; Margie H Davenport; Margo Mountjoy; Melanie Hayman; Brooke E Patterson; Cheri A Blauwet; Evert Verhagen; Carla van den Berg; Carole Akinyi Okoth; Caroline Bolling; Dina Christina (Christa) Janse van Rensburg; Ellen Casey; Naama W Constantini; Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye; Rita Tomás; Yuka Tsukahara; Carolyn A Emery; H Paul Dijkstra; Alex Donaldson

doi:10.1136/bjsports-2025-109946

Back

Gender- and/or sex-specific considerations for sport-related injury: a concept mapping approach for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Gender- and/or sex-specific considerations for sport-related injury: a concept mapping approach for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus

Kay M Crossley, Melissa J Haberfield, Andrew G Ross, Libby J Gracias, Andrea M Bruder, Jackie L Whittaker, Araba Chintoh, Jane S Thornton, Margie H Davenport, Margo Mountjoy, …

British journal of sports medicine, Vol.59(22), pp.1560-1574

11/2025

DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-109946

PMCID: PMC12703302

PMID: 40957667

Files and links (1)

url

https://pure.amsterdamumc.nl/files/161293401/Gender--andor-sex-specific-considerations-for-sport-related-injury.pdfView

Open Access

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to gather and represent experts’ perspectives on the gender- and/or sex-specific factors relevant to injury risk for female/woman/girl athletes. Methods Mixed-methods concept mapping study. Sixty-six experts including cisgendered (1) athlete/coach/carers, (2) clinicians, (3) sports science/high-performance professional, (4) administrators and (5) researchers brainstormed statements to a prompt (‘What gender-specific and/or sex-specific factors do you think contribute to injury risk among female, woman and girl athletes?’) before thematically sorting and rating the statements/factors for importance and modifiability (5-point Likert scales). Results Ten clusters were constructed from 101 unique statements/factors. The clusters (number of statements) include: (1) Inequitable organisational funding and support (n=17); (2) Athletes’ lack of, and access to, resources (n=7); (3) Lack of knowledge and expertise among support staff (n=6); (4) Lack of evidence for, and implementation of gender and sex-appropriate injury prevention (n=20); (5) Sex-related factors (n=14); (6) Gendered health (n=8); (7) Gendered expectations to conform to athletic ideals and norms (n=10); (8) Gendered harassment (interpersonal violence) and social biases (n=9); (9) Gendered sport environment (7); (10) Gendered communication (n=3). Lack of knowledge and expertise among support staff was deemed the most important and modifiable cluster to address gender- and/or sex-specific factors relevant to injury prevention for female/woman/girl athletes. Conclusion Ten gender- and/or sex-specific clusters, ranging from organisational to biological considerations and societal influences, were defined that could impact female/woman/girl athlete injury risk factors. Advancing stronger evidence for gender and sex appropriate injury prevention is urgently needed.

Female

Athletic Injuries

Knee injuries

Details

Title: Subtitle: Gender- and/or sex-specific considerations for sport-related injury: a concept mapping approach for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus
Creators: Kay M Crossley - La Trobe University
Melissa J Haberfield - La Trobe University
Andrew G Ross - Victoria University
Libby J Gracias - La Trobe University
Andrea M Bruder - La Trobe University
Jackie L Whittaker - University of British Columbia
Araba Chintoh - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Jane S Thornton - Western University
Margie H Davenport - Women and Children’s Health Research Institute
Margo Mountjoy - McMaster University
Melanie Hayman - Central Queensland University
Brooke E Patterson - La Trobe University
Cheri A Blauwet - Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Evert Verhagen - Amsterdam University Medical Centers
Carla van den Berg - University of Calgary
Carole Akinyi Okoth - Kenyatta National Hospital
Caroline Bolling - Health & Safety in Sports
Dina Christina (Christa) Janse van Rensburg - University of Pretoria
Ellen Casey - Hospital for Special Surgery
Naama W Constantini - Shaare Zedek Medical Center
Nana Akua Achiaa Adom-Aboagye - Stellenbosch University
Rita Tomás - Federação Portuguesa de Futebol
Yuka Tsukahara - University of Iowa
Carolyn A Emery - University of Calgary
H Paul Dijkstra - Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital
Alex Donaldson - La Trobe University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: British journal of sports medicine, Vol.59(22), pp.1560-1574
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-109946
PMID: 40957667
PMCID: PMC12703302
NLM abbreviation: Br J Sports Med
ISSN: 0306-3674
eISSN: 1473-0480
Publisher: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP
Grant note: International Olympic CommitteeLa Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre at La Trobe University (Australia)
We would like to acknowledge the support of staff and trainees at the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary (Canada) and La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre at La Trobe University (Australia) which are 2 of 11 International Olympic Committee Research Centres for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health.
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 09/16/2025
Date published: 11/2025
Academic Unit: Family and Community Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984964236002771

Metrics

14 Record Views

See more details