We are Courageous: Speaking Out Boldly and Acting for Change: Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network Conference, 20–22 June, 2023 (2024)

Introduction to the 2023 WiSEAN Conference

The 4th Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN) Conference was hosted by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) from June 20th to 22nd, 2023. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this was the first in-person conference for WiSEAN since 2019. LJMU were proudly celebrating their bicentenary year, so the organising committee consciously selected a conference theme that aligned with their university core values: Being courageous, boldly speaking out and acting for change. The conference aimed to provide a platform to bring together students, academics, and practitioners from fields including psychology, physiology, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, coaching and performance, sociology, cultural studies, and leadership and management, to connect and share knowledge to create, promote, and lead change for women and girls across all facets of sport.

Conference Review

Symposia

The Score on Women’s football: Expert Perspectives and Personal Stories

Kevin de Keije¹, Jenny Coe², Naomi Datson³

¹London Lionesses, UK

²West Ham Women FC, UK

³University of Chichester, UK

This symposium took a multi-disciplinary perspective, exploring efforts to support and develop research within the female football game. We brought together practitioners and a researchers to consider the key considerations within the support of female footballers and discuss considerations for the future of the game.

The Inclusion of Trans Women in Sport: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Natalie Washington¹ and Blair Hamilton²

¹Pride Sports, UK

²University of Brighton

The inclusion of trans women has received much attention recently in the world of sport. However, the discussion and debate seem to have centred around opinions, rather than science, facts, human rights or participant voices. We wanted to therefore shine a light on this important issue. This session aims to draw on both empirical research and personal experiences to discuss the inclusion of trans women in sport.

Exercising Awareness of the Menopause

Paula Briggs¹, Chris Hartley², Kirsty Roberts³, and Dave Low³

¹Liverpool Women’s Hospital

²Birmingham City University, UK

³Liverpool John Moores University, UK

The menopause is a significant event of the female lifespan that has many implications for the individual. There are myriad physical and psychological changes that occur leading up to, during and after the cessation of reproductive hormones that can profoundly affect a woman’s quality of life within personal and professional settings and have negative consequences for their health and well-being. A range of interventions have been proposed and utilised to try to alleviate the effects of the menopause transition, including pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, all with varying rates of efficacy. The aim of this symposium is to further understand key clinical and physiological outcomes of the menopause and consider the role of exercise in mitigating these effects.

Fuelling the Female Athlete

Sam Moss^1,2, Kathryn Brown³, Carl Langan-Evans⁴, James Morton⁴, Molly McCann⁵

¹University of Chester, UK

²Gatorade Sports Science Institute, UK

³Sport Wales, UK

⁴Liverpool John Moores University, UK

⁵MMA Fighter (UFC), UK

The recent European Journal of Sport Science special edition on Nutrition for Female Athletes, highlighted the need for a much larger scope of female-specific sport nutrition research, given the existing body of evidence does not presently support nutritional recommendations that are sex specific. Furthermore, the uniquely individual contexts that women may experience throughout the menstrual cycle or via use of hormonal contraception has also been demonstrated to influence this area. The aim of this symposium will be to highlight the current research evidence base and practical strategies when supporting nutritional practices in female athletes across team, endurance and weight restricted sport disciplines.

Oral Presentation Abstracts

Understanding How Match Status and Possession Status Influences the Match-Play Characteristics of Youth Female Football Players

Alice Harkness-Armstrong¹, Kevin Till², Naomi Datson³, and Stacey Emmonds²

¹University of Essex, UK

²Leeds Beckett University, UK

³University of Chichester, UK

Understanding how technical and physical match-play characteristics may differ within and between matches is important for informing applied practices. Within youth football, understanding how situation-specific contextual factors, such as match status (drawing, losing, or winning) or possession status (in-possession (IP), out-of-possession (OOP), or ball-out-of-play (BOP)), may influence the match-play characteristics could have important implications for talent identification and development practices (e.g.,long-term athletic development, preparation for transition across the talent pathway). Therefore, the aims of this study were to: 1) quantify the physical characteristics of U14 and U16 female footballers according to match status (drawing, losing or winning) and possession status (IP, OOP, or BOP), 2) quantify the technical characteristics of U14 and U16 female soccer players according to match status, and 3) compare the physical and technical characteristics between and within age-groups when considering match status and possession status. Methods: Data were collected from 189 players representing 6 clubs in The Football Association’s Girl’s England Talent Pathway League, during 45 competitive matches. Linear mixed models estimated relative; total distance, high-speed running (≥3.00m·s⁻¹), very high-speed running (≥4.83m·s⁻¹), and sprinting (≥5.76m·s⁻¹) distance according to match status and possession status, and 21 technical variables according to match status. Results: Differences in physical and technical characteristics were observed within and between age-groups, dependent upon match status and possession status. Both age-groups covered greater distances when the ball was in-play compared to BOP (107–130 vs 58–68m·min⁻¹). U16s covered greater distances when OOP than IP, regardless of match status. Whilst U14s covered greater distances OOP, when drawing and losing only. Conclusions: Differences in physical and technical characteristics when drawing, losing, or winning, suggest a change in playing style according to match status. These findings have implications for coaching, talent identification and development practices within youth female soccer.

We’re the Future of Women’s Football; We Just Don’t Know It Yet!

Laura Wallace¹

¹University of the West of Scotland, UK

Women’s football is steadily increasing in popularity and reputation, however a transition to coaching is less common for female players than their male counterparts. For this reason, the coaching intentions of elite female Scottish players were investigated to find how their hitherto experiences had influenced their future career intentions. Aims: Investigate the journeys of elite female Scottish footballers, exploring influences throughout their career. Suggest reasons for poor transition rate from playing to coaching. Offer recommendations to increase the number of female players transitioning to coaching in the future. Methods: Lived experiences of players (n=8) involved in the top Scottish league and/or national team were explored through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Experiences from early introductions, to their current status as semi-professional or professional players, were discussed in detail. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, before Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to create themes for discussion. Results: Early playing experiences were largely similar, with predominately male influences. Most players had studied, and/or had another job to subsidise their earnings and have something to ‘fall back on’. The players all discussed their love of the game, and desire to remain involved; however, few saw themselves becoming full-time coaches. Reasons posited included limited role models and opportunities, self-confidence, juggling of dual-careers, the uncertain nature of the job, and lack of earning potential. Conclusion: Female players remain underrepresented in coaching roles, especially at higher levels. There is evidence to suggest high-level players could be assets to the coaching workforce, and that the role appeals to the current sample. With support from governing bodies and clubs, allowing women to focus more exclusively on football earlier, and access more tangible role models, the likelihood of them becoming high-level coaches in future is likely to be increased.

Women Researchers in a ‘Man’s World’: Advancing a New Theoretical Tool Through the Gendered Challenges of Undertaking Research in Men’s Football

Stacey Pope¹ and Jess Richards²

¹Durham University, UK

²Western Sydney University, Australia

Much literature on football fandom has been written by men and focused upon a particular subculture of hyper-masculine football supporters. Being a white “working-class”, heterosexual, non-disabled man is often used, valiantly in some ways, as a means of gaining access to such spaces as an “insider”. Reflexive accounts from men do not tend to consider the complexities of gaining access to such spaces for women. This, combined with the scarcity of women scholars in this field has meant that there is a lack of research considering how women must manage such gender-related research ‘problems’. This paper aims to critically reflect on the fieldwork experiences of two women academics of undertaking data collection in the male-dominated space of men’s professional football. In doing so, we develop a new theoretical tool as a call to action to ensure women’s safety in this space. Our methods include: 100 interviews with women fans of men’s football and a three-year ethnography of one men’s Premier League football club. Our results show how gendered obstacles were managed at all stages of the research process. As women, we continuously managed encounters where our sexuality and gender placed us in uncomfortable or unsafe situations. Gendered expectations around our behaviour were measured by the fan subcultures we were interacting with i.e.,those who could prevent our ability to undertake the research. We develop the ‘feminist gaze’ as a theoretical tool which shows how gender does not hinder women’s ability to gather and interpret rich data in this field. This can generate data that men researchers have typically overlooked through uncritically accepting access to such spaces. In conclusion, we argue there is a need for more recognition from the Academy about the challenges women researchers are confronted with in this space to encourage more women to enter this field.

Exploration of Elite Japanese Female Footballers’ Acute Cultural Transition Experiences in Europe

Kotone Hirose¹ and Carla Meije¹

¹St Mary’s University, UK

The globalisation of women’s football reflects the increasing number of female football players moving abroad for their professional careers. Previous research explored the acculturation process of foreign athletes in the host country, informed by the cultural transition model (Ryba etal., 2016), and its psychological effect (Schinke etal., 2017). The latter includes the impact on athletes’ well-being outside of their sporting life. Yet, a limited amount of studies focusing on the cultural transition of Asian female athletes into western country exists nowadays. Aim: This study explored the experiences of elite Japanese female football players competing in a semi-professional league in southwestern Europe immediately after moving from Japan. Method: Nine participants (20–28years old) took part in a semi-structured interview where they shared their experiences of their sporting and non-sporting lives abroad and the impact of transition on their self and well-being. By using thematic analysis three themes were identified illustrating the changes the Japanese athletes experienced during the first years of their cultural transition. Results and discussion: Three identified themes were: opening up to people’s kindness, redefining family, and learning a new mentality. Based on the findings, the critical discussion was developed around the two concepts of happiness (interdependent and independent), and the influence of culture on life satisfaction and athletic performance. Implication for practice: Practical implications include insights for sport professionals on how cultural change can affect transnational athletes’ sporting and non-sporting lives. For a “healthier transition”. Showing interest in the home culture of relocating athletes, and asking non-sport-related questions is suggested to provide holistic support from the start of the cultural transition. This culturally sensitive research also brings a deeper insight into the cultural transition model by stressing the importance of the social support system outside of the sporting environment on athletes’ well-being and personal growth.

Sociocultural Predictors of Compulsive Exercise Behaviours in Adolescent Girls

Kalli A. Reynolds¹, Emma Haycraft¹, and Carolyn R. Plateau¹

¹Loughborough University, UK

Compulsive exercise is a maladaptive behaviour commonly associated with the onset and development of disordered eating in young people. It is characterised by an intense and severe drive to exercise, despite illness or injury, and as a way to manage negative emotions. Compulsive exercise and disordered eating in adolescence have been linked to three sociocultural influences: peers, family and traditional media. While disordered eating has also been associated with newer forms of media (e.g.,social media) in adolescents, the research to date is limited for compulsive exercise. Given that compulsive exercise can be an important precursor to, and potentially prolong treatment for eating disorders, and eating disorders are more common in females, it is crucial to understand the full extent of sociocultural predictors of compulsive exercise in female adolescents. Aims: To assess the relationship between sociocultural influences and compulsive exercise in adolescent girls. Methods: Female adolescents (n = 338), aged 12–15-years (mean age 13.65years [SD = 0.96]), were recruited from five secondary schools in the East Midlands, UK, and completed measures assessing sociocultural influences on exercise behaviours, mental wellbeing, restrained eating and compulsive exercise. Results: Correlation analysis indicated small to medium, significant, positive associations between sociocultural influences, restrained eating and compulsive exercise. Subsequent regression analyses identified that sociocultural influences significantly predicted compulsive exercise outcomes after controlling for restrained eating, physical activity levels and mental wellbeing. Specifically, social media use significantly predicted higher levels of compulsive exercise. Furthermore, higher levels of parent and sibling influence around exercise attitudes and behaviours, significantly predicted greater compulsive exercise. Conclusion: This study is the first to identify the impact of social media on compulsive exercise in female adolescents. Further prospective research is warranted to explore how sociocultural influences impact maladaptive health behaviours throughout adolescent development, prior to consolidation of these behaviours in adulthood.

Determinants and Barriers to Help-Seeking in Rugby Players Who Identify as Women

Shakiba Moghadam,¹ Neil Weston,² and Paul Gorczynski³

¹Solent University, UK

²University of Portsmouth, UK

³University of Greenwich, UK

Rugby players face hours of gruelling training, competitive stress and are at high risk of physical and brain injuries, which at times can lead to forced retirement. The accumulation of these factors can lead to players experiencing mental health symptoms and disorders. However, research on women rugby players’ mental health, mental health literacy (MHL) and help-seeking has been scarce. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore and understand the determinants of, and barriers to, help-seeking and mental health support in UK semi-elite rugby players who identify as women. Methods: Semi-structured interviewers were conducted with ten semi-elite women rugby players. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed two general dimensions: strategies and determinants of help-seeking, and barriers to help-seeking and mental health support. The strategies and determinants of help-seeking referred to factors which encouraged players to engage in help-seeking behaviours, and included several aspects such as increasing MHL awareness via educational strategies, designating official mental health roles, and building trust and rapport. In terms of barriers, the players noted that mental health resources were limited within women’s rugby and that a cultural shift was required to improve the organisational structure that currently limits mental health support within women’s rugby. Conclusion: Governing bodies should refocus their attention, resources and funding on increasing MHL and providing mental health support services for women rugby players. More specifically, increased resources and funding to support the implementation and evaluation of athlete MHL programmes are needed in women’s rugby. Additionally, methodologically rigorous intervention research is required to provide empirical evidence of effective interventions to increase MHL and reduce stigmatising attitudes towards help-seeking in women rugby players.

Developing Bioscience-Informed Technology to Integrate and Optimise Health and Performance in Female Athletes: Insights From a Pilot Study on Mood and Behaviour Change

Claire Stewart,¹ Sandra Ortega-Martorell,² and Joly Zou¹

¹Prorizon, UK

²Liverpool John Moores University, UK

Approximately one third of elite athletes suffer mental health issues, with female athletes more vulnerable than male athletes (Pascoe etal., 2022). Vast investments are made in improving physical performance in sport, but mental health lags behind. Rationale: Women’s sports are growing rapidly and becoming professionalised, but research, already under-represented in female athletes, is urgently needed to reduce current and future risk for physical and mental ill-health in female athletes. We aim to reduce these risks and ensure the growth and health of women’s sports by developing bioscience-informed technology to optimise health and performance. Methods: Research surveys of 62 athletes, (average age: 25; 51% female) examining competition level, emotions and wellbeing priorities were undertaken. A 2-week pilot study (n=22 athletes) focussing on mood and behaviour change was performed. Collected mood data were subjected to generative topographic mapping (GTM). Co-creation workshops underpinned the pilot study and app development. Results: More female athletes felt anxious, nervous or on edge often or all the time compared with male athletes (44% vs. 13%, respectively). The pilot study achieved a 95% retention rate and generated ∼16,000 mood entries. Evidence of behaviour change relating to physical vs. mental health value was obtained. GTM produced individualised mood maps, which confirmed increased incidence of negative mood in female athletes. Athletes who reported poor well-being scores also displayed negative mood clusters. Conclusions: Better understanding of mental and physical health and their joint impact on performance is valued by athletes and in preliminary data, culminates in positive behaviour change. In alignment with the IOC recommendations (Reardon etal., 2019), the strategies employed address key bio-psycho-social contributors to mental health symptoms. Collection of larger data sets are required, potentially enabling consensus-based guidelines for diagnosis and management of mental health symptoms in athletes.

“A Mental Health Game-Changer”: Embodied Experiences of the Psychosocial, Body Image and Wellbeing Outcomes From Strength and Resistance Training During Perimenopause

Nova Deighton-Smith¹

¹Leeds Beckett University, UK

Resistance exercise facilitates healthy aging in women and engaging in resistance training can substantially improve physiological health outcomes in midlife. However, the psychosocial outcomes of strength training are often overlooked in the research and there is a significant gender gap addressing the optimal exercises for women to consider through perimenopause and beyond. Furthermore, research has not accounted for women’s perceptions and experiences of strength training during perimenopause. Aims: Given the pervasive messages that exist in fitness culture around exercise and appearance, the aim was to understand embodied experiences of strength and/or resistance training during the perimenopausal transition, in the context of body functionality and vasomotor symptoms. Furthermore, to discuss the societal stigma that exists around muscularity in women. Methods: An online, qualitative survey was distributed via university webpages and social media. Participants self-identified as individuals experiencing menopausal symptoms (inclusive of non-binary or trans) who engaged in regular strength training. Participants’ ages ranged from 35 to 60years (n = 58, M = 48.03) with 98.3% identifying as a (cis-) woman, 82.8% as White British, and 46.6% strength training for three years or more. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to interpret patterns of shared understandings. Results: Three themes were developed: 1) Empowerment in “feeling strong” and building muscle, 2) “A mental health game-changer”, and 3) Invisibility of the perimenopausal body. Strength training was understood as beneficial for improved mobility, yet many reported more subtle changes (e.g.,improved mood) through the transition and welcomed a sense of focus and control. Evidence-based awareness of strength training in midlife was perceived to be lacking within medical guidance and fitness environments. Conclusion: Findings offer nuanced insight into perimenopausal experiences that emphasise enhanced body image and wellbeing outcomes of strength training; useful for clinical practice and those working with clients in physical activity spaces.

Autistic Women’s Experiences With Physical Activity

Patrick Jachyra¹

¹Durham University, UK

Despite the many benefits of physical activity (PA), autistic people are less likely to be active. While there is increasing research examining why they are less likely to be active, there is no previous research that has solely included the perspectives of autistic women. Conducting research with autistic women however is of central importance as they are more likely to experience health inequalities, experience unique wellness needs and have been identified as a key group in need of further support by England’s Strategy for Women’s Health. Methods: This study was conducted in partnership with SEDS Connective, a charity based in the United Kingdom. Two interviews and photo-elicitation were employed with 30 autistic women across the UK. Participants ranged in age from 19–60years. The study was situated within a critical social science approach and analysis was guided by Norbert Elias’ Figurational Sociology. Results: The findings highlight that PA participation was mediated beyond challenges with motor skills and or a lack of motivation as has been reported in the literature. Rather, our findings highlight that PA was shaped by broader forces such as feeling misunderstood and misdiagnosed, experiencing an illusion of inclusion and psycho-emotional disablism. Across the findings, gendered dimensions of society tacitly and explicitly shaped the lives of autistic women, and their PA participation. Conclusion: Findings of this study challenge dominant understandings which position PA to be merely the result of biological and psychological dimensions among autistic people. As the first study to solely include the perspectives of autistic women about physical activity, findings demonstrate how PA is shaped by broader social, cultural, medical and political forces. We conclude the presentation by outlining outline how to potentially support the PA participation and well-being of autistic women.

Possibilities and Challenges of Shaping Co-Produced Physical Activity Research Through An Intersectional Lens

Toni Williams¹ and Rebecca Edwards¹

¹Durham University, UK

The impact of physical inactivity is exacerbated by the inequalities experienced by disabled people, especially those with multiple intersecting marginalised identities (e.g.,from BAME and LGBTQIA+ communities). To tailor physical activity participation to be as inclusive and equitable as possible for disabled people, research is continually calling for work on intersectionality. Intersectionality examines the relationship between numerous interlocking systems of oppression (e.g.,disablism, sexism, racism, heterosexism, classism etc.) and can reveal how multiple axes of oppression combine to prevent disabled people from being physically active and further exacerbate inequalities. At the intersection of disability and gender, this includes the ableist and masculine notions that shape experiences of disability sport and physical activity which serve to alienate many disabled people – especially women – who do not fit this ideal. One way to advance our knowledge and understanding of the needs and priorities of disabled people from multiple intersecting marginalised identities in relation to physical activity inequalities is through the participatory method of co-production. Co-production positions people with lived experience as essential to the research process to ensure research is being done with and not on them. The aim of this presentation is to examine the possibilities and challenges of using an intersectional lens to shape co-produced research with disabled people. Our methods draw on reflexive accounts from our on-going research project supporting social workers – a profession dominated by women – as promotors of physical activity to disabled people. Concluding recommendations will include critical analysis on how co-production can offer opportunities for sharing multiple marginalised experiences and address lived experience of inequality in sport and physical activity spaces.

LGBTQ+ Young People’s Experiences of Physical Activity Insecurity: A Qualitative Study Highlighting Intersectional Disadvantage Linked to Gender and Sexuality

Caroline Dodd-Reynolds¹, Naomi Griffin¹, Phillippa Kyle¹, Steph Scott², Hannah Fairbrother³, Nicholas Woodrow⁴, Mary Crowder⁴, Eleanor Holding⁴, Vanessa Er⁵, Matt Egan⁵, Karen Lock⁵, Elizabeth Goyder³, and Carolyn Summerbell¹

¹Durham University, UK

²Newcastle University, UK

³University of Sheffield, UK

⁴University of Sheffield, UK

⁵London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Our ongoing research (Fairbrother etal., 2022) has shown that LGBTQ+ young people living in the context of deprivation, consider feelings of being unsafe or insecure as central to their lived experiences of physical activity (PA). We have defined ‘PA insecurity’ as a ‘limited or restricted ability to be active, reinforced by worries and experiences of feeling uncomfortable, insecure, or of feeling psychologically, emotionally or physically unsafe’ (Dodd-Reynolds etal., 2022). Aim: Phase 2 of this research aims to build a model of physical activity insecurity, as experienced by LGBTQ+ young people in deprived areas, across various spaces including open, institutional, and leisure. Methods: In phase 1, 55 participants (12–21years) from seven youth groups (South Yorkshire (SY) n=2; North East (NE) n=3; and London (L) n=2) took part in a series of qualitative focus groups. All were based in areas of deprivation and sampling was purposeful to include young people of different sexualities and gender. In phase 2, co-production workshops with LGBTQ+ young people and ‘trusted adults’ will explore what is needed to make potential PA spaces feel safe and secure, which spaces might be prioritised, and who might facilitate this within local communities. Results: Thus far, the research has yielded four central themes (1) PA experiences across spaces; (2) Lack of inclusivity and ‘belonging’; (3) Safety first; (4) Complexities in access and accessibility. Themes naturally interrelated and the overarching concept of ‘PA insecurity’ emerged as a significant concern. Recruitment is underway for phase 2. Conclusion: This ongoing research has identified intersectional challenges for LGBTQ+ young people in terms of their ability to be active. Phase 2 of this work will provide a model for what and who is needed, along with key priorities at local community levels to make PA spaces secure for LGBTQ+ young people specifically.

Assessing the Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity Amongst Women in Southeast England

Hannah Hersant¹, Katherine Paice², Shannah Anico², and Elizabeth Smith³

¹University of Kent, UK

²Middlesex University, UK

³Hartpury University, UK

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in long-term closure of exercise facilities, potentially restricting daily physical activity (PA). It is suggested that women’s PA levels have been disproportionately negatively affected by the pandemic, compared to men. It is important to determine how women’s PA has changed over the pandemic, and if new barriers to PA participation exist since the release of restrictions. Aims: To assess how women in southeast England changed their activity during- and post-pandemic, including how barriers and facilitators to activity have changed. Methods: 330 females completed the first online questionnaire (during lockdown), and 139 completed the post-lockdown questionnaire. Questionnaires were designed from the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants reported PA, and barriers and facilitators to exercise (Farah etal., 2021). Eighteen females then participated in online semi-structured focus groups. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was used for questionnaire data, and focus group transcriptions were thematically analysed. Results: Most females maintained PA levels throughout the pandemic, with chi-square analysis revealing no significant associations (p<0.05) during- and post-lockdown for PA levels. For barriers, significant associations (p<0.05) were revealed between the during- and post-lockdown responses for lack of access to equipment/space, time to exercise, social groups, finances, legal restrictions, safety concerns, gender, and child-care. Similarly, significant associations (p<0.05) for facilitators were identified during- and post-lockdown for access to equipment, finances, more time to exercise, and exercising with a social group. Focus group themes supported this, with participants expressing desires to return to pre-lockdown PA habits, but also maintain new ones created, such as continuing to exercise at home. Conclusion: It is evident that the pandemic affected and changed the barriers and facilitators to female PA participation. Governments and industries in the sector should focus on providing services that address these changing habits to improve activity levels in women.

Power, Privilege and Advocacy: Transforming Sports Business Management

Hanya Pielichaty¹

¹University of Lincoln, UK

The sports business ecosystem is a gendered space, sustaining a patriarchal hegemonic structure. Educational networks and scholarly circles that feed into this ecosystem uphold these male-dominated process and practices. The aim of this presentation is to raise awareness of the interconnectivity between privilege, power, and advocacy as a permeable feature of sports business management degree programmes and the associated industry. This presentation will draw upon my own lived experiences of teaching a male-dominated degree programme interlaced with findings from primary research focusing on students’ sense of belonging. The findings from these combined explorations highlight the need for transformational pedagogical approaches to support students as advocates, to facilitate belonging, and for practical intervention. The sports industry and the higher education sector are interconnected; reliant on one another to address inequities faced across the landscape. We have a duty of care as educators to ensure our sports business management classrooms are inclusive and transformational spaces, equipping students with the attributes to tackle wider social issues.

An Exploration of Power Relations in Competitive, Non-Elite Artistic Gymnastics: Exploring Gender Disparities in Artistic Gymnastics in England

Karen Broughton¹

¹University of Worcester, UK

Gymnastics continues to be a highly popular sport particularly with children and those participating at a non-elite level. However, little is known about this cohort’s experience. The culture of the sport indicates that there are various control mechanisms to ensure compliant gymnasts, from closed training sessions, what the gymnasts wear, and high levels of discipline expected as the norm, with the coach controlling the decisions that are made within this context. The gymnast’s bodies and behaviours are therefore highly visible to the observing coaches. Foucault’s (1977) theory of power, specifically the concept of disciplinary power in its creation of ‘docile’ bodies, alongside the notion of the panopticon in the surveillance of gymnasts will be applied as a theorical framework. This study will explore non-elite, competitive gymnasts’ experiences of power relations within the gym, comparing the experiences of male and female gymnasts using a variety of methods, from story completion to observations and group and individual interviews. Furthermore, there will be an examination of potential power relations that the gymnasts are exposed to within the training and competition environment. Questioning and potentially identifying power relations, alongside exploring if these relations are gender specific, may allow a greater awareness of the issues within gymnastics in England and encourage future discussions on the culture of grassroot gymnastics clubs. Alongside providing evidence to support British Gymnastics to continue to enhance and develop their training and safeguarding for a volunteer workforce, benefiting the junior participants by providing positive experiences within a beneficial environment. Furthermore, this research could contribute towards practice through the greater understanding of current competitive, non-elite gymnasts’ experiences.

You Got Chicked; Representations and Identities of Women in Ultra Running

Bethan Taylor-Swaine¹

¹Birkbeck University, UK

A term that appears to be unique to the world of endurance sports, to be ‘chicked’ refers to being beaten by a woman. It suggests women athletes are inferior to their male counterparts, and that for a woman to beat a man disrupts some kind of natural order. This idea is particularly interesting in relation to ultra running, a sport where men and women compete side by side, and which presents as being welcoming to and supportive of women. This work takes a gendered and post-structural feminist perspective to understand the experiences of women in ultra running and has been influenced predominantly by Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, as well as Jennifer Hargreaves’ critique of post-feminist discourse. Stebbins’ Serious Leisure Perspective and Lyng’s concept of edgework as employed as part of the theoretical framework to explore the contradictions experienced by women in ultra running as they navigate changing social conditions and how gender and power relations are intertwined in the sport’s distinct subculture. It does this through close analysis of in depth interviews with 38 women and men who participate in ultra running. The findings of this research suggest that ultra running has the potential to offer women a more equitable space where women and men can compete side by side. However, traditional gender differentiations still appear to be significant and it is suggested that women in ultra running are seen as the exception to gender-based expectations. As such the extent to which their participation in ultra running challenges these expectations in the wider socio-cultural context may be limited. This research highlights the need for reflection within the ultra running community and the need for proactive steps to be taken to improve inclusion.

Female Recreational Runners: Are Active Partners a Help or a Hindrance?

Ann Holmes¹

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

The study investigated the experiences of female recreational runners being supported by their active partners. The objectives were to determine whether this support is experienced as facilitative or debilitative and to examine how social support from a partner shapes the engagement, self-belief and general exercise experience of the athlete. Method: Ten female recreational athletes with active partners were interviewed about their experiences of being supported by them. A hybrid approach of thematic analysis was used by applying both deductive and inductive coding to the data. Results: Five themes were constructed: support that is directed or rejected, transformative, facilitative, shared and drawing comparisons. The central organising theme was ‘valued’, as athletes both appreciated and evaluated the appropriateness and level of support they were offered, and how this support affected their self-concept. Conclusion: Support from active partners is almost always more of a help than a hindrance. The study proposed an intervention focused around offering support that affirms the identity of the athlete as ‘a runner’.

Explaining “The Enjoyment Gap”: Sociocultural Predictors of Undergraduate Women’s Affective Experiences of Exercise

Megan Hurst¹

¹University of Sussex, UK

Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign has recently highlighted ‘the enjoyment gap’ between men and women in physical activity. Identifying and addressing the reasons for this gap is important as affective experiences during physical activity predict later engagement in activity. I propose that sociocultural factors relating to women’s physical activity may influence affective experiences during it, contributing to this gap: in this analysis I focus on the environments women are encouraged to exercise in (i.e.,‘safe’ urban areas), the goals women are encouraged to pursue (i.e.,weight loss and appearance), and the thoughts they are encouraged to have during activity (i.e.checking their appearance, or burning calories). Method: Women undergraduate students (N = 177) completed a questionnaire including measures of their regular physical activity and where it takes places (via an adapted form of the IPAQ-SF), their goals for physical activity, and their typical thoughts during physical activity. Women also completed a measure assessing their affective responses to exercise: pleasure/displeasure, energy/tiredness, and calmness/tension. Results: Women who reported more appearance-related thoughts during exercise were less likely to experience exercise as energising and calming. Women who spent more time exercising in natural spaces (vs. indoors, outdoor manmade, or maintained green spaces) were more likely to experience exercise as energising and calming. None of our predictive variables (time in different exercise environments, appearance goals, appearance-related thoughts) were associated with women’s experiences of pleasure/displeasure during exercise. Conclusion: The implications of these findings for addressing ‘the enjoyment gap’ in physical activity are discussed, with reference to future research and potential interventions.

Diet Culture and Generational Conflict in the #almondmom Trend on TikTok

Hester Hockin-Boyers¹

¹Durham University, UK

This paper explores the cultural significance of the #almondmom trend on TikTok. Using the #almondmom hashtag, TikTok users share content relating to their experiences with mothers who engage with and promote diet culture and its associated food and exercise practices. Much of this content involves daughters doing skits and impressions depicting interactions with mothers who comment on their weight or food consumption. This trend is a contemporary cultural representation of generational conflict around food/exercise values and practices, which can provide rich insights into women’s various generational understandings of what it means to live a healthy life. The #almondmom trend, while frequently humorous and light-hearted, also often conveys experiences of disordered eating and dysfunctional exercise (both on the part of the mother and the daughter). The intergenerational transmission of disordered eating from parents to their children (particularly from mothers to daughters) has been noted by previous research, however there is little research considering the lived experience of individuals who report to be effected by their parents disordered approach to exercise/nutrition. This project therefore fills and important gap in research. Moreover, as these TikTok’s are produced by users as part of a wider trend, it is important to consider how these experiences are represented and which cultural scripts and digital templates are used in their depiction. To explore the #almondmom trend on TikTok, Multimodal discourse analysis was used to analyse a sample of n=80 ‘top’ videos in this trend. Key findings from the analysis will be discussed during the paper presentation including: 1) understanding disordered eating through a generational lens, 2) mother-daughter consumptive conflict in the home, and 3) TikTok as a collective therapeutic medium.

Experiences and Communication Relating to the Menstrual Cycle and Hormonal Contraceptive Use in Junior Versus Senior Middle-Distance Runners

Natalie Brown¹, O.E. Weslien², M Höök², and K McGawley K²

¹Swansea University, UK

²Mid Sweden University, Sweden

Senior female athletes are affected by menstrual symptoms, disturbances and dysfunction, and perceive the menstrual cycle (MC) and/or hormonal contraceptive (HC) use to negatively affect training or performance. Despite implications for performance and health, conversations about the MC/HC use between female athletes and their coaches are limited, with sex and age of athletes and coaches possibly acting as barriers to communication (Brown etal., 2020). Senior athletes have also expressed a need for greater knowledge and support earlier in their development (Höök etal., 2021), yet there is a lack of research on junior athletes. Aim: This study aimed to describe experiences and communication relating to the MC and HC use in elite junior middle-distance runners, and to compare this group with senior counterparts. Methods: A questionnaire focusing on the MC, HC use, associated symptoms, training characteristics and athlete-coach communication was completed by 11 junior and 12 senior female middle-distance runners ranked top 20 in Sweden. Results: More senior athletes experienced cessation of menstruation due to a high training volume compared to juniors (p=0.045). Zero juniors compared to 8 seniors had previously discussed the MC or HC use in relation to training/performance with their coaches. Furthermore, 6 juniors found it challenging to talk about the MC with their male coach compared to 3 seniors (X2(2) = 7.07, p=0.029). In total, 10 juniors and 10 seniors wanted to learn more about the MC and HC in relation to training and performance. Conclusions: Experiences and communication varied between junior and senior athletes influencing support and interventions provided in the future. All athletes would benefit from increased education and support, specifically for junior athletes, education on management of symptoms and communication with coaches is important, while for senior athletes, support around maintaining a regular menstrual cycle would be a priority.

Improving Menstrual Health Literacy in Sport

K. McGawley¹, D. Sargent², D. Noordhof³, C. E. Badenhorst⁴, R. Julian⁵, and A. D. Govus⁶

¹Mid Sweden University, Sweden

²University of Gloucestershire, UK

³Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

⁴Massey University, New Zealand

⁵University of Münster, Germany

⁶La Trobe University, Australia

Menstrual health represents a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in relation to a woman’s menstrual cycle (Hennegan etal., 2021). From a health literacy perspective, knowledge acquisition and expertise are dependent upon the degree to which an individual can find, access, understand, critically analyse and apply health information (Nutbeam & Lloyd, 2021). Therefore, menstrual health literacy (MHL) can be used to describe the state of knowledge acquisition and expertise specific to menstrual health-related issues. Menstrual health literacy is low among female athletes, their coaches and practitioners, and few evidence-informed education or implementation strategies exist to improve MHL in sport. Many female athletes experience menstrual symptoms, and they perceive their menstrual cycle to affect their performance, yet they seldom discuss their menstrual cycles with their coaches. Barriers to communication about menstrual cycle-related topics include a perceived lack of knowledge among athletes, coaches, and practitioners, concerns about how such conversations will affect interpersonal relationships, and a lack of formal and informal discussion forums. While evidence relating to the effects of menstrual cycle phase and hormonal contraceptive use on training and performance is currently limited, with existing studies often lacking methodological rigour, impactful steps can still be made to support female athletes. This paper highlights the current state of MHL among athletes, coaches, and practitioners, and provides recommendations for improving MHL in sport.

Using the COM-B Model to Identify Barriers and Facilitators Towards Adoption of a Menstrual Cycle Aligned Training Approach (MCATA)

Amy Vivien Wells¹, Suzanne Richards¹, Amy Lindsy¹

¹University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire

Women are significantly underrepresented in Sport and Exercise Science research due to exclusion from studies related to the impact of the menstrual cycle. However, increasing research recognises stages of the menstrual cycle may influence adaptation to training and could be linked with injury risk. Consequently, more research is needed to determine why most athletes and coaches do not adopt a menstrual cycle aligned training approach (MCATA). Aims: This study aimed to investigate the barriers and facilitators to adoption a MCATA in endurance athletes and coaches. Methods: Nineteen competitive female endurance athletes and fifteen experienced endurance coaches (men and women) participated in the study. Participants were recruited via email, social media and face-to-face and partook in an online interview. Data analysis followed the framework approach, drawing on the TDF and the capability, opportunity, motivation and behaviour (COM-B) model. Results: Initial content analysis revealed some of the recurring perceived barriers to the adoption of MCATA in athletes were: knowledge (own and coaches), social influences and a belief that the menstrual cycle did not impact training. Some of the facilitators were: support from social networks and utilising period track apps. In coaches, some perceived barriers to adapting training were: knowledge, social barriers and lack of research on the menstrual cycle and training adaptation. Conversely, some of the facilitators were: attending training courses and using period tracking software themselves. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the physical, psychological and social factors that endurance athletes and coaches report as barriers and facilitators to the adoption of a MCATA. Many more barriers than facilitators were reported in athletes and coaches. Therefore, future interventions that increase capability, opportunity and motivation may be beneficial. Results from this study will be used inform a behaviour change intervention using the subsequent steps from the Behaviour Change Wheel.

Presentation of Self, Impression Management and the Period: A Qualitative Investigation of Physically Active Women’s Experiences in Sport and Exercise

Petra Kolić¹, Laura Thomas², Christopher I. Morse¹, and Kirsty M. Hicks³

¹Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

²Liverpool John Moores University, UK

³Northumbria University, UK

Women’s experiences of the menstrual cycle can affect how women feel and think about themselves and can have implications for women’s participation in activities of daily life. Beyond activities of daily life, women’s sport and exercise participation throughout the menstrual cycle has so far received limited attention, with research in this field largely focusing on physical performance and injury. A small number of studies that have investigated women’s narratives of sport and exercise throughout the menstrual cycle described the period as highly individual and indicated a predominantly negative impact on sport performance and physical activity. Aim: The aim of this qualitative study was to understand women’s experiences, interactions, and perceptions of sport and exercise participation throughout the menstrual cycle. Methods: Five focus groups with 25 physically active women were conducted to investigate women’s perceptions of their menstrual cycle, their thoughts, feelings, and actions in sport and exercise environments throughout the menstrual cycle. The dramaturgical writings of Goffman were used to understand women’s self-presentation and experiences of interactional dynamics in sport and exercise environments. Results: The findings highlight that the period was the most impactful aspect of the menstrual cycle on physically active women’s experiences of sport and exercise participation. The results explore strategies that the women adopted to manage their appearance, concerns that informed women’s decision-making processes, and the women’s purposeful impression management when undertaking sport and exercise during their period, particularly in interactions with male sport coaches. Conclusion: The study emphasises the importance of unpacking the often-implicit norms and expectations associated with the period in order to normalise dialogues with practitioners (e.g.,coaches) and support women’s continued participation in sport and exercise throughout the menstrual cycle.

“Invisible Sportswomen 2.0” - Digging Deeper Into Gender Bias in Sport and Exercise Science Research: Author and Editorial Board Gender, and Research Quality

Emma. S. Cowley¹, Sam Moore¹, Alyssa. A. Olenick², and Kelly. M. McNulty³

¹University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

²University of Colorado, USA

³Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland

Females remain underrepresented in sport and exercise science¹ and much of the research involving females is of low quality. To reduce the literature gap, and better serve female health and performance, it is imperative to understand where this gender bias stems. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate: (i) the frequency of author and editorial board (EB) gender; and (ii) any association between author and EB gender and the quality of female-specific research methods. Methods: Studies with female-only participants were extracted from a larger dataset and updated through 2022. First author, last author, and EB member gender were determined via a previously reported process² from publications. Where feasible and applicable, methods were assessed by giving each study a quality score (QS) based on; reported reproductive status of participants, controlled for menstrual cycle phase, tracked menstrual cycle, sex hormone assessment (via blood and/or saliva), and reported hormonal contraceptive use. Descriptive statistics were used to describe author gender frequencies. ANOVA analyses were used to investigate the associations between author and EB gender and female-specific methodological quality. Results: Within female-only studies, preliminary analyses revealed a greater proportion of female first authors (55%) and a greater proportion of male last authors (63%). An association was found between female authors (first, last, and both) and higher QS for female-specific methods across all journals (P = 0.00 - 0.04). Additionally, the two lowest ranked journals for QS demonstrated worse gender parity within their EB (0–12% women). Conclusion: This study aimed to unpick where gender bias in sport and exercise science research originates. These findings revealed that the majority of female-only studies were senior authored by men. However, interestingly, studies led by women had higher quality female-specific methods. Future research is needed to explore gender distribution of senior academics, and barriers preventing women progressing to such positions.

Evaluating Learning from the Gender Equality Toolkit for Generation Z (GETZ) MOOC

Gillian Renfree¹

¹University of Worcester, UK

This study aimed to discover to what extent participants of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) developed knowledge and understanding of gender inequity in sports leadership resulting in a motivation to extend their studies further, and/or a desire to be involved in sport governance or leadership roles. The study objectives were to 1) explore the degree to which the MOOC may enhance understanding of gender imbalance; 2) evaluate any perceived behaviour change in relation to gender equity; and 3) examine in what way the MOOC may have motivated students to become involved in leadership and governance in sport. Thirteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Higher Education Institutions in Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. All participants had to have completed the MOOC. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted following a deductive approach in congruence with the research objectives, followed by a further review related to self-determination theory and the themes of relatedness, competence, and autonomy. The resulting themes which shape the discussion relate to empowerment, awareness, and influence. Initial findings suggest that participants reflected on their past experiences of sport and considered their family and educational background to have significant impact on their view of gender equity in sport. The MOOC created a platform for participants to challenge and debate on topics related to power dynamics and growing their awareness of gender (in)equity. Practical implications are that utilising an online educational resource such as a MOOC can be utilised within a blended approach to teaching in Higher Education and, can enable students to speak out boldly and act for change on the challenges of gender equity in sport.

‘We Are All Delicate Teacups’: The Struggle for Recognition of Female Ski Jumpers

Aleksandra Konkel¹ and Arts Matej Christiaens²

¹Lucerne University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

²Liverpool John Moores University, UK

As there is a dearth of literature discussing the experiences of female ski jumpers after their long-awaited inclusion at the Winter Olympics in 2014, the authors of this paper explore the subject, being the first ones to capture empirical data by undertaking conversations with individuals who played a significant role in pushing women’s ski jumping forward and can share their first-hand experience. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of gender discrimination in sports and call for greater attention to the promotion of gender equality in ski jumping and other sports. Aims: The study aims to challenge societal beliefs and promote social change in sports by exploring moral conflicts female athletes face in pursuing recognition in a hyper-masculine sport. Methods: Through semi-structured interviews with female ski jumpers and a representative of the FIS, the study identifies the past and ongoing instances of misrecognition. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, resulting in three overarching themes: perceived anatomical (dis)similarities, media, and sports landscape. This was followed by a Honnethian analysis to explore the experiences of female ski jumpers and highlights the ways in which gender inequalities are embedded in sport. Results: The study suggests that the burden of responsibility for addressing these inequalities is placed on individual women rather than governing bodies, limiting their autonomy and choices. Furthermore, this research underscores the need to recognize the worth of women in sports, facilitate social change, and provide women with the agency to make decisions based on their personal values, needs, and rights. Conclusion: The extreme nature of ski jumping reinforces the practices of gender discrimination preventing women from gaining full acceptance and recognition of their athletic abilities. This reality impedes women’s participation and has a direct impact on identity development.

Racing Disrupted By Gender: The Life of a Female Jockey

Emma Hamilton¹, Graeme Close¹, Kirsty Elliot-Sale², George Wilson¹, and Dan Martin¹

^ILiverpool John Moores University, UK

²Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Despite over a decade of growth in research into the jockey athlete, female jockeys have been somewhat neglected, with current advice often being based around male studies, something that has also been identified in most other sports (Johnston, Wattie etal. 2018). It is now essential that this gap in the literature and practice is filled with specific research into the unique demands of female jockey athletes. This current study provides a mixed methods study exploring the key attributes to success for a professional female jockey in Great Britain, as reported by current and retired professional/semi-professional GB licensed female jockeys. A questionnaire was conducted with 14 completed responses from subgroups including, current apprentice/ conditional (n = 4), currently riding as a professional (n = 6), retired post 10-year career (n = 3) and retired within first 5years of racing (n = 1). Following the analysis of the questionnaire, a 1-hour semi-structured interview was designed and conducted with four female jockeys, one from each sub-group. Via thematic analysis of the qualitative data, the data provided an insight into the perceived industry-specific factors that can be a barrier or attributes to the success to a female jockey. Themes including, “overlooked based on gender”, “the horse doesn’t discriminate”, “falling and injuries”, “opportunity- is it really available to women”, “female strength and weight making”, and “the stress of racing with a menstrual cycle”. An overall perceived view that the horse racing industry is still chauvinistic towards female jockeys, combined with believing that they are still weaker than their male counterparts act as a barrier towards female jockeys to be successful. This study will deliver a comprehensive understanding of a female jockey’s life to the horse racing industry, to help provide informed choices on reducing the barriers to success for female jockeys to advance within the sport.

Evaluation of the Impact of the ‘Positive Pause’, A Short Intervention to Support Menopausal Women With Physical Activity and Lifestyle Advice in Leicestershire

Natalie Shur^1,2, L. Whelband³, K. Wragg³, J. Spokes³, and E. Orton^2,4

¹University Hospitals of Leicester, UK

²Leicestershire County Council, County Hall

³Active together, UK

⁴University of Nottingham, UK

The number of menopausal women achieving Chief Medical Officer physical activity (PA) guidelines in the United Kingdom is low, despite them having an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Simple, cost-effective interventions are required to deliver specific evidence-based information around nutrition and PA and provide support to menopausal women to enable them to make positive behaviour change. Aims: A mixed methods evaluation of the impact of the “Positive Pause” intervention, a 2-hour information session covering physical activity, nutrition and well-being related to menopause delivered to groups of menopausal women (n = 235 total) between 2020 and 2022 in Leicestershire was undertaken. Methods: A questionnaire (n=26) was completed by attendees of the ‘Positive Pause’ session to determine the impact on their knowledge and behaviour and descriptive statistics presented. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=7) were also conducted via Microsoft. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive approach consisting of thematic analysis. Results: Average age was 50 ± 7years. Over 85% reported improved knowledge on the menopause and why PA is important during the menopause. Main themes identified by thematic analysis were improved knowledge, increased confidence and behaviour change. Women reported valuing the shared experience, improved knowledge relating to PA and nutrition, and increased confidence, self-efficacy and improved self-esteem. Behavioural changes included dietary changes, increased engagement with menopause support resources and increased communication with others about the menopause. Women reported a need for more specific physical activity information related to the menopause, and a preference to be shown suggested exercises. Conclusion: A short 2-hour group intervention was successful in improving knowledge related to PA and nutrition, increasing confidence in managing menopausal symptoms, and making positive behaviour change. Future sessions should deliver specific PA information and incorporate a demonstration of exercises in order to model PA behaviour.

Menopausal Women’s Embodied Experiences of Physical Activity

Jo Ann Long¹, Cassandra Phoenix¹, and Jane Macnaughton¹

¹Durham University, UK

This research reviews the impact of regular physical activity and sport in helping to manage symptoms brought about by the menopause. Regular physical activity and sport are both considered to be good for health and are commonly cited as a means to mitigate the impact of the menopause on women (Bondarev, 2020). This research adopts a feminist perspective to explore women’s thoughts, feelings, and embodied experiences of recreational sport during menopause. To date, the majority of research in relation to movement and menopause is under-theorised, typically focusing on the effect of different forms of physical activity on menopausal “symptoms”, with less known about women’s lived experiences, perspectives, and embodied sensations. Aim: The aim of this research was to explore women’s embodied experiences of physical activity during the menopause (including early and peri-menopause). Methods: With the assistance of gate keepers, 35 people identifying as women, regularly physically active and menopausal, were recruited from the North East of England. Methods included semi-structured interviews (21 participants) and go-along interviews (9 participants). Creative workshops using island mapping techniques were held with a sub-sample (5 participants) to elicit women’s experiences in a creative way. Findings: Narrative analysis was used to explore their experiences. Key themes were identified in relation to (i) menopause as a sign of ageing, (ii) preparing for movement, (iii) sensual experiences of moving and menopause, (iv) connections with active environments. These findings have implications for how women might be supported to initiate or sustain participation in recreational sport during menopause and will be discussed during this presentation. Conclusion: Starting and/or maintaining physical activity throughout the menopause can be bring significant challenges alongside feelings of empowerment. Greater awareness of how movement through menopause is experienced and can best be supported in needed.

A Comparison of Issued Sports Bras and Determination of Sports Bra Characteristics Required to Undertake British Army Basic Training

Emily Paines¹, J. Burbage¹, G. S. Milligan¹, M. J. Tipton¹, A. J. Rawcliffe², and A. J. Roberts²

¹University of Portsmouth, UK

²Ministry of Defence, UK

Despite the introduction of a professional sports bra fitting and issue service for British Army female recruits entering Basic Training (BT), 61% still report breast and bra issues. It is currently unknown whether the sports bras provided to female recruits are suitable for the demands of BT. Aims: This study investigated a variety of sports bra characteristics during short duration simulated BT tasks. Methods: Twenty-five females completed laboratory simulations of military tasks, previously identified to be demanding on the breast (burpee, foot drill, drop landings, running and loaded marching), in four styles of sports bra (compression, combination (padded, unpadded) and encapsulation). Objective and subjective data were collected and compared between the four sports bras. The four sports bras were ranked and key characteristics identified. Results: Combination and encapsulation style sports bras reduced breast movement significantly more than compression style sports bras during running (by 15% - 18%, p<0.001). The compression style sports bra was rated as worst performing for running tasks by 64% of participants, despite compression bras being the most popular choice worn by female recruits. Shoulder straps with high positioned top clasps were associated with greater rubbing and chafing which was exacerbated by load carriage equipment. The compression style sports bra received the least comments about rubbing and chafing across tasks and was rated 2nd for overall comfort, despite providing poor support. The combination (unpadded) style was rated highest as “very supportive” during foot drill, drop landing and burpees. Across all tasks, participants ranked the combination (padded) sports bra as best performing and the compression sports bra as worst performing. Conclusion: A combination padded, or unpadded style sports bra could be recommended for running and military movements (e.g.foot drill, drop landings and burpees), with encapsulation or compression style sports bra for loaded march.

Exploring Body Composition Monitoring Practices in Sport as an Antecedents to REDs – An International Survey

Lindsay Macnaughton¹ and Nanna Meyer²

^IUniversity of Durham, UK

²University of Colorado Springs, USA

Body composition manipulation and monitoring are commonplace in competitive sport. Extended, unplanned periods of low energy availability can lead to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), a clinical syndrome which has significant physical and psychological health implications affecting anyone participating in exercise that fails to meet their energy requirements. Body composition/weight management is an influential component of REDs. Sport coaches and support staff are in an influential position regarding body composition and understanding current practice and changing poor practice would help safeguard individuals to reduce the risk REDs risk. Aims: To assess current practice in BC monitoring in competitive sports. Methods: An electronic questionnaire was developed and circulated to practitioners working in competitive sport. The survey included demographic related questions pertaining to the respondent and the athletes they work with and questions that sought to establish current practices in BC assessment. Questions were developed by the authors and content validity was conducted through review from a group of experts in the field of BC research and practice (n=10). Once finalised the questions were prepared for electronic distribution using Survey Monkey. The questionnaire was shared via social media, email lists of relevant professional membership groups, professional contacts of the author group. The study was approved by the University of Colorado, Institutional Review Board and all respondents provided informed consent by completing the survey. Results: The results from the survey are in the process of being fully analysed but preliminary results indicate that poor practice exists in sport regarding body composition monitoring and that practitioners are not able to follow best practice due to situational restrictions. Conclusion: There is a need to address the challenges faced by practitioners on a wider scale and this issue has to be addressed across the sporting system not only practitioners conducting the measurements.

Validity of Three Predictive VO₂max Protocols in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Kate Rattley¹, Rebecca Neal¹, Susan Dewhurst¹, and Malika Felton¹

¹Bournemouth University, UK

In menopause, declines in exercise participation and changes in physiology can reduce cardiorespiratory fitness. Maintenance of cardiorespiratory fitness in mid-life is crucial for maintaining functional capacity and is a key component in healthy ageing. Assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness provides an indication of current health status and can be completed using direct measurement of maximal aerobic capacity (VO₂max) or using predictive protocols and formulae that provide an estimate. This study aimed to establish the applicability and accuracy of these estimates for women in and after menopause. 44 women (52 ± 4yrs), who were defined as perimenopausal or postmenopausal based on self-reported changes in menstrual cycle, completed four sessions including three predictive protocols (YMCA, Astrand-Rhyming and Ekblom-Bak) in a randomised order followed by a VO₂max test on a cycle ergometer. Predicted VO2 max scores were compared for agreement with measured VO2 max. All protocols evidenced moderate to strong correlations with VO₂max (r = 0.58; r = 0.77; r = 0.62, respectively). Astrand-Rhyming (37.97 ± 9.17mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, p<0.01, bias 3.5mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) and Ekblom-Bak (37.29 ± 6.40mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, p<0.01, bias 2.8mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) significantly overpredicted VO₂max (34.51 ± 7.15mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). Predictions using YMCA evidenced the greatest variation in scores (35.59 ± 9.68mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, bias 1.1mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, 95% limits of agreement −14.7 and 16.9mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). In conclusion. YMCA is not an appropriate test for individual exercise prescription in menopausal women. Astrand-Rhyming and Ekblom-Bak may be suitable for use in menopausal individuals, after using calculated regression estimates accounting for covariates as shown in this work. When prescribing exercise using these predictive protocols, results should be interpreted with caution with tendency towards overprediction considered. Where possible, completion of VO₂max testing is superior to establish accurate and applicable exercise intensity prescription.

Virtual Reality Application for the Analysis of Side-Cutting Manoeuvres: Female Case Study Identifying Effects of Virtual Stimulus on Knee Frontal Plane Angles

Hannah Tang¹, Frederic Bezombes¹, Mark Lake¹

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

Quick directional change in sport (cutting) is common and required to move around an opponent. Due to demands on the body, cutting often results in injury, and females in football are particularly susceptible to anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACLI). ACLI is associated with greater knee abduction (movement of knee to medial line) (Bates etal. 2020). Emulating ecologically valid cutting in laboratory and clinical environments is complex, but virtual reality (VR) offers the potential to manage environmental visualisation. However, VR applications have yet to provide highly realistic visuals with manipulable visual cues and spatiotemporal demands key to evading an opposing player. Aim: The aim was to investigate the effect of VR and a VR opponent on knee abduction-adduction during 90° unanticipated cutting manoeuvres (using one non-VR and two VR scenarios). Methods: One female performed 25 maximal speed, unanticipated, 90° left-cut trials (amidst right and stops). VR conditions were presented via headset in an emulation of the data collection area. Different visual stimuli directed movement in each condition: 1) A monitor with ‘Non-VR Arrows’ and a cross; 2) ‘VR-Arrows’ and cross (as a VR control); 3) ‘VR-Avatar’ opponent to manoeuvre around (9/9/7 trials respectively). Kinematic data was collected. Means, standard deviation, and 95% confidence intervals were reported. Results: Distinct difference in abduction (-)/adduction (+) mean knee angle existed between each condition. The mean knee angle in the ‘Non-VR Arrow’ and ‘VR Arrow’ control conditions presented abduction values (−8.82°±1.44 [−9.46 −8.19]; −2.66°±0.90 [−3.16 −2.17] respectively). However, the mean knee angle during the ‘VR Avatar’ condition presented adduction values (9.78°±0.44 [9.20 10.36]). The ‘Non-VR Arrow’ condition was most in-keeping with a female population in comparable conditions (Thomas etal. 2020). Conclusion: Knee adduction seen when responding to a VR Avatar, indicated movement patterns which may be less likely to result in ACLI. Future work could analyse corresponding ankle/hip angles and kinetic values.

Female Athlete Health Disorders in Combat Sport Athletes: Relationship Between Bone Mineral Density, Vitamin Levels and Resting Metabolic Rate

Ragini Adhikari¹, Bhanu Bawari¹, Marcos Herguedas¹, and Samuel Andrew Pullinger¹

¹Inspire Institute of Sport, India

Low energy availability (LEA) in female athletes is associated to menstrual disorders and low BMD. The main factor compromising health status in female athletes is LEA which has the potential of having a long-term irreversible negative impact on athlete health/well-being. Combat sports are weight “sensitive sports” with high training loads and physiological demands, increasing the risk of LEA. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of the female athlete triad using LEAF-Q in Indian combat sport athletes and assess relationships between BMD, blood markers and RMR. Methods: Fifty-two Indian female combat sport athletes aged 18.7±2.9 yrs, stature 161.1±7.2cm, body mass 59.2±8.2kg and 27.6±3.3% total body fat. DXA scans, RMR, LEAF-Q, and blood screening was conducted on all athletes. Data were processed with the IBM SPSS statistical software for Windows. Results: Thirteen athletes (25%) were at risk of developing the female athlete triad, as observed through LEAF-Q (≥8). Significant correlation between LEAF-Q and Vit-D3 (r=0.63, p=0.096) were noted. No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed for LEAF-Q scores between female judokas, wrestlers or boxers. However, the eight athletes (15%) that reported a menses cycle longer than 35 days were found to have a very high positive correlation between BMD and Vit-D3 levels (r=0.76, p=0.027) while BMD and Vit-B12 displayed only moderate positive correlation (r=0.34, p=0.415). All other athletes with normal menses (85%) displayed no significant correlation (p&gt;0.05) between BMD, Vit-D3 or vit-B12. Values for RMR, BMD, and levels of Vit-D and Vit-B12 were no different between any of the combat sports (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: A quarter of female combat sport athletes were considered at risk of developing the female athlete triad, with Vit-D3 levels showing positive correlation with LEAF-Q scores. Low levels of Vit-D3 are closely associated with risk of stress fractures, illnesses, inflammation, and impaired muscle function. Therefore, regular athlete screening, monitoring of training and a balanced diet will further help prevent the development of components of the Triad.

“I Know What I Need To Do, It’s Just Doing It”: A Socio-Ecological Analysis of Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity After Gestational Diabetes

Elysa Ioannou¹, Helen Humphreys¹, Catherine Homer¹, and Alison Purvis¹

¹Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Gestational Diabetes is associated with a ten-times increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Physical activity could effectively reduce risk of progression to Type 2 Diabetes. However, women after Gestational Diabetes may not initiate or sustain activity due to unique barriers faced at this life stage. Given the paucity of qualitative research investigating barriers and facilitators to physical activity after Gestational Diabetes, there is a need to explore these. An understanding of wider level constraints and facilitators could aid the development of multi-level, hence more effective, strategies for increasing physical activity within this population. Aims: The present study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators to physical activity after Gestational Diabetes, using a socio-ecological approach. Methods: Participants were eligible if they had Gestational Diabetes after January 2017. A semi-structured interview guide was developed with a Patient and Public Involvement group. One-to-one interviews were conducted over the phone, online or face-to-face. A reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. Themes were organised according to the Socio-Ecological Model, to make sense of barriers and facilitators across intrapersonal, social, organisational, community and policy levels. (Preliminary) Results: Women felt constrained by wider-level barriers e.g.,a lack of support from partners and families and childcare availability respectively. Other barriers included fatigue or health issues (intrapersonal), weather or environment not conducive to activity and work commitments (organisational). Whereas facilitators to activity included being in group settings (community), workplace-based opportunities, flexible access to resources and childcare (organisational), socialising while exercising and being a role model for children (social) and enjoying or being aware of the mental and physical benefits (intrapersonal). Conclusion: Encouraging individual motivation is not sufficient can be limited by higher-level barriers present. Future interventions aiming to increase physical activity in women after Gestational Diabetes should consider the multi-level barriers to activity and aim to target these together.

Mindset: Performing Under Pressure – A Novel Intervention to Enhance Wellbeing and Performance in Women’s Football

Paul Mansell¹ and Shane Carrington²

¹Staffordshire University

²Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland

Athletes experience a range of additional stressors, such as injury, de-selection and the need to perform under pressure – all of which can exacerbate poor mental health. It has been shown that female athletes may be more susceptible to mental ill-health. In football specifically, there is little research that has focused specifically on the mental health of females, although one recent study concluded that around 11% of elite female footballers reported moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression (Perry etal., 2021). One such approach that has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing athletes’ mental health is Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). Indeed, the ABC model of thinking proffered within the REBT framework encourages more rational ways of thinking, which in turn underpins psychological wellbeing (Turner etal., 2019) and can facilitate athletic performance. Given the lack of this type of research in women’s football, the present study aimed to investigate whether an integrated REBT-informed intervention would be able to enhance the mental health and performance of elite female footballers. The present study adopted an experimental approach and consisted of 6 x 1 hour REBT-informed sessions conducted with an elite female football team in Ireland. The study measured symptoms of anxiety and depression, stress mindset, irrational beliefs, stress appraisals and perceived performance at baseline, post-intervention and at a 2-week follow-up period. Any changes were also compared with a control group. Results will be revealed in April 2023. It is hypothesised that for the footballers in the experimental group, there will be significant increases in stress mindset, stress appraisals and perceived performance and significant decreases in anxiety and depressive symptoms and irrational beliefs as a result of the intervention. It is hoped that the present study will offer a novel REBT-informed intervention that applied practitioners can use to enhance the mental health and performance of female footballers.

Poster Presentations Abstracts

Evaluating the Sports Bra Fitting and Issue Service Within British Army Basic Training

Jenny Burbage¹, E. Paines¹, G. S. Milligan¹, M. J. Tipton¹, A. J. Rawcliffe², and A. J. Roberts²

¹University of Portsmouth, UK

²Ministry of Defence, UK

A sports bra fitting and issue service for British Army female recruits undertaking Basic Training (BT) was introduced in 2019. It is unknown whether the sports bras provided are suitable for female recruits. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the current sports bra fitting and issue service and investigate the prevalence of breast and bra issues of female recruits during BT. Methods: Following ethical approval, 229 recruits completed questionnaires at the end of BT to collect information on sports bra use and preferences. Questionnaire data were descriptively analysed and Chi-squared goodness-of-fit tests were used to determine associations between breast size groups (small-breasted (<500g, n=170) and large-breasted (>500g, n=51)), and between BT sites. Seven recruit interviews were subsequently recorded, and an inductive content analysis conducted. Results: Sixty percent of all recruits (57% small-breasted; 72% large-breasted) wore the sports bras provided by the sports bra fitting and issue service. Seventy-six percent of recruits wore a sports bra for >8hrs a day and 59% did not change their bra during the day. A total of 134 breast or bra issues were reported; 61% of recruits reported one or more problems with the issued sports bras, which was 18% less than that reported prior to the introduction of sports bra provision. The most common issues reported included: comfort (24%); quantity (21%); size (17%); fit (17%); and style (11%). Conclusion: The current sports bra fitting and issue service has reduced breast and bra-related issues by 18%. No significant associations were found between breast size or BT site and the amount of breast and bra issues experienced. However, problems relating to the issued sports bras and current service provision suggests further improvements to provision could be made and research is required to determine the most suitable sports bra provision relative to the demands of BT.

Knee Flexion Angle at Landing in Various Dynamic Tasks: A Potential Screening Tool for ACL Injury in Females

Raihana Sharir¹, Muhammad Hidayat Jamaludin¹, Ezhan Iqbal Zulkiflie¹, Radin Rafeeuddin¹, and Radin Dzulfakar¹

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in knee flexion angle during landing between three dynamic tasks. Ten participants between the ages of 19–27 were recruited to perform the Bilateral Drop Vertical Jump (BDVJ), Single-Leg Drop Vertical Jump (SLDVJ), and Single-Leg Hop (SLHOP) for three successful trials. The performance was recorded using handphone cameras, and the knee flexion angle was determined during the initial contact at landing phase using the Kinovea Software version 0.9.5. Statistical analysis was conducted using the One-way ANOVA to compare the knee flexion angle across all tasks. Results showed a significant difference in knee flexion angle across all tasks for both the right (p = 0.000) and left leg (p = 0.000). Furthermore, multiple comparison analyses revealed that there was a significant difference in BDVJ when compared to both SLDVJ and SLHOP for both the right and left leg, respectively (p value < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in knee flexion angle between SLHOP and SLDVJ for both the right (p = 0.989) and left leg (p = 0.971). The study also observed differences and similarities in movement patterns between bilateral and unilateral movements, highlighting the need to consider multiple tasks to better understand an individual’s neuromuscular strategies.

A Job Task Analysis to Identify Basic Training Activities That Place the Highest Demands on the Breasts of Female Recruits

Emily Paines¹, J. Burbage¹, G. S. Milligan¹, M. J. Tipton¹, A. J. Rawcliffe², and A. J. Roberts²

¹University of Portsmouth, UK

²Ministry of Defence, UK

Sports bras are necessary items of equipment for female recruits in Basic Training (BT). Sports bras are designed for short duration, high intensity activities, such as running. To provide suitable sports bras for recruits we first need to understand the functional requirements relative to the demands of BT. Aims: This study aimed to determine the components of BT regarded as the most demanding on the breast and therefore in most need of suitable breast support. Methods: Following ethical approval, a task analysis of BT was undertaken using a multi-levelled approach, including: semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs, n=8 members of training teams); a review of BT manuals; questionnaires (n=221) and interviews (n=7) completed by recruits. Audio interview recordings were transcribed and subsequently reviewed by the same research team member. Responses to the questionnaire were collected and coded in Lime Survey. Results: The most frequently identified physically demanding tasks, by both SME and recruits, were: loaded march, fire and movement and physical training (PT) sessions, which included strength and conditioning and outdoor PT (i.e.obstacle courses). There was an overlap between the activities perceived as the most physically demanding and those that most needed breast support. Loaded march, gym cardio, outdoor PT and fire and movement were perceived as both physically demanding and requiring the most breast support. Tasks that were considered to have lower physical demands, such as foot drill and range activities, were still perceived to need a sports bra. Therefore, we cannot assume that only the most physically demanding tasks of BT require sports bras. Conclusion: It is important to determine suitable sports bras to reduce breast related issues and that meet both the physical and breast demands of BT. Findings from this study have supported further research on sports bras for military specific tasks.

Consumers Are Unable to Perceive Changes in Sports Bra Support Levels

Nichola Renwick¹, Brogan Jones¹, Chris Mills¹, and Joanna Wakefield¹

¹University of Portsmouth, UK

Breast movement reduction is used as a surrogate measure of the support provided by a sports bra. Measured as a percentage, during exercise it compares three-dimensional breast range of motion (ROM) in a bra compared to bare-breasted. During running, high support sports bras are reported to reduce breast motion by >63%, compared to <54% for low-support sports bras. This measure provides consumers with an objective measure of bra support, however, how this relates to perceptions of support in sports bras is unknown, but may influence purchasing behaviour. It was hypothesised that there would be a strong correlation between perceived breast support and breast movement reduction. 120 female participants with bra size 34D tested 55 sports bras. Each bra was tested during treadmill running on average 12 times providing a sample of n=658. Participants rated perceived breast support from 0 (no support) to 10 (maximum support) in each bra. Motion sensors were used to collect data on the relative movement between the trunk and breasts. Breast movement reduction was calculated as the percentage reduction in 3D range of motion when bare-breasted and in a bra over a gait cycle. Spearman’s correlation determined the strength of the relationship between perceived support and breast movement reduction. Anteroposterior (M=52%(22%)), mediolateral (M=75%(10%)), and resultant (M=59%(12%)) breast movement reduction showed a weak relationship (r=0.218, r=0.267, r=0.453, respectively, p<0.001) to perceived breast support (M=6(2)). While superior-inferior breast movement reduction (M56%(15%)) showed a moderate relationship (r=0.507, p<0.001) with perceived breast support. Key findings have shown that females are unable to perceive the support that a sports bra will provide, rejecting the hypothesis. This suggests that objective measures of breast support, plus clear product signposting are important to ensure the consumer does not purchase the wrong level of support for their activity.

Pitch Surface Does Not Impact Markers of Fatigue, Recovery and Readiness to Play Following Elite Soccer Matches

Faye Bennett¹, Andisheh Bakhshi², Jordan Milsom³, Viswanath Unnithan⁴, and Barry Drust¹

¹University of Birmingham, UK

²Phastar, UK

³Rangers Football Club, UK

⁴University of the West of Scotland, UK

Three out of the 11 teams in the Scottish Premiership in the 2019/2020 played on artificial pitches, creating an opportunity to examine differences in fatigue, recovery and readiness to play in an ecologically valid way. The aim was to evaluate whether playing on Natural Grass (NG) and Artificial Turf (AT) results in differences in both acute and residual decrements in internal and external load markers in an elite men’s Scottish Premier League team. Data were collected from 21 male first team players. Data were collected from weeks in which players played 3 games. These weeks were grouped into patterns dependent on surface (e.g.NG-NG-NG, NG-NG-AT, AT-NG-NG, AT-AT-NG). Participants completed 3 countermovement jumps (CMJ) to assess jump height (flight time), eccentric duration, eccentric deceleration rate of force development (RFD), and flight time: contraction time), on the day before each match and 2 days after to analyse the impact of pitch surface on fatigue. Subjective wellness questionnaires (fatigue, sleep quality, muscle soreness, stress and mood) were also collected. Microelectromechanical devices were used to compare PlayerLoad, distance covered, high-speed running, maximum effort distance, accelerations and decelerations and heart rate) of the players on AT and NG. Only distance covered (expressed as metres/ min) was significantly (p=0.044) higher on AT (222.59 ± 18.93) compared to NG (215.89 ± 17.80). CMJ parameters and subjective wellness questionnaires were not affected by pitch surface. This study indicates that pitch surface has no influence on changes in markers of neuromuscular and perceptual fatigue though AT pitches may illicit different styles of play, leading to some small differences in activity pattern. As such, it can be suggested that artificial turf pitches do not illicit more fatigue, impede recovery, or impact readiness to play.

Contributions of Low Carbohydrate Availability (LCA) to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in Female Distance Runners

Melissa Lodge¹, Christie Ward-Ritacco¹, and Kathleen Melanson¹

¹University of Rhode Island, USA

Carbohydrates (CHO) are a necessary fuel source for exercise, especially at higher intensities and longer duration. Low energy availability (LEA)-related condition, Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), illustrates 10 health and 10 performance consequences due to LEA. However, independent effects of low CHO availability (LCA) have been under-researched, despite CHO intake being commonly insufficient. It is proposed that LCA may have independent health and performance consequences. Aims: The purpose of this review is to assess the health and performance consequences associated with LCA, independent or dependent of LEA, in female endurance athletes. Methods: A literature review was performed using relevant search terms (e.g.,“low carbohydrate availability”, “RED-S”, “female distance runners”). Searches were performed in two major databases: PubMed and Google Scholar. Nineteen articles were identified, and 10 met inclusion criteria (e.g.,athlete participants, within the past 20years, primary articles). Results: A review of 10 primary sources illustrated 6 articles found LCA had direct negative health and/or performance implications in athletes. Several studies assessed male athletes only, and no studies included female-only study designs. Six major themes emerged in CHO availability in female athletes: i) CHO metabolism, ii) menstrual cycle (MC) considerations, iii) current CHO recommendations, iv) prevalence and current CHO intake, v) LCA health consequences, and vi) LCA performance consequences. LCA is independently associated with menstrual function, bone health, immunological. LCA, in conditions of LEA, have compounding effects on metabolic systems, endocrine function, and hematological markers. LCA is associated with the following performance consequences: decreased glycogen stores, increased injury risk, decreased muscle strength, decreased endurance performance, decreased training response, impaired judgement, decreased concentration. Conclusions: CHO intake recommendations fail to appropriately consider female-specific adaptations and fluctuating hormones due to MC or hormonal birth control. Future research should audit current guidelines for CHO intake for female athletes’ health and performance.

How Are How Periods Cramping Our Style: A Systematic Literature Review?

Mabli Wyn Davies,¹ and Karl New²

¹Health Education England, UK

²University of South Wales, UK

As a female who menstruates and participates in expeditions to remote environments, I have first-hand experience of the struggles we face when managing our periods in these conditions. This led me to conduct a systematic literature review as my MSc dissertation on menstrual management in austere environments. Firstly, I examined the physical, psychological and environmental challenges females face on expeditions, including endurance events, regarding their menstrual cycle. I then evaluated the evidence on management methods with considerations for various climates and sporting environments. With only 35% of participants in outdoor activities, and 20% in mountain sports being female, we must consider how and why there is a gender gap. By presenting my findings, I hope to give females the opportunity to take control of their cycles. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in expeditions to educate themselves on menstruation, and together we can encourage more females to participate in adventurous activities.

An Investigation Into the Effect of Biological Maturation on Performance Metrics in Academy Female Footballers

Mairead Slevin,¹ Stephanie Valentin,² Michael King,¹ Chris Easton,¹ Andrew D White,³ Laura J Forrest (nee Whyte)¹

¹University of the West of Scotland, UK

²Edinburgh Napier University, UK

³Athlete Focused, UK

Male adolescents with advanced biological maturation (BM) relative to their chronological age often perform better than their late maturing peers in strength, power, and endurance. However, less is known about the effect of BM on performance measurements in female adolescent athletes, specifically female adolescent footballers. Aim: Investigate the effect BM has on metrics of aerobic fitness, power and sprint time in youth female football players. Methods: Scottish female academy football players (n = 76; age,14.2 ± 2.34years) completed a countermovement jump height (CMJ), 30m sprint and 1.4km maximal aerobic speed (MAS) alongside two estimates of BM: the Mirwald equation to determine years before/after peak height velocity (Y-PHV) and a self-assessed 5-stage Pubertal Development Scale (PDS, n = 33) to estimate Tanner stage of pubertal development (P1-P5). Two PDS groups were established; pre-menarche (P2-P3) and having started menstruation (P4-P5). Independent t-tests and correlation coefficients were conducted to identify significance and relationship between performance markers and Y-PHV and pubertal development. Results: There was a weak significant inverse relationship between Y-PHV and 30m sprint time (r = −0.321, p = 0.005) but no significant relationship between Y-PHV and CMJ (r = 0.151, p = 0.230) or Y-PHV and 1.4km MAS (r = 0.090, p = 0.545). Thirty metre sprint time was significantly lower in P4-P5 compared to P2-P3 (P2-P3: 5.34 ± 0.526; P4-P5: 4.79 ± 0.238, p < 0.001), whereas no significant difference was reported in the CMJ (P2-3: 26.913 ± 6.726; P4-P5: 25.488 ± 5.001, p = 0.554). Conclusion: Biologically more mature players reported a reduced 30m sprint time, however BM had no effect on jump height or aerobic fitness. Maturation should be considered when assessing athletic performance in adolescents with longitudinal data required to fully understand the effects of female pubertal development on performance.

Moving Through Motherhood: Supporting Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy

Malika Felton¹, E. co*ckcroft², R. Davies³, C. Foster⁴, K. Morgan⁵, L. R. Rodgers², P. Rouse⁶, V. E. Salmon², O. Williams⁷, and R. M. Pulsford⁸

¹Bournemouth University, UK

²University of Exeter, UK

³University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, UK

⁴University of Bristol, UK

⁵Cardiff University, UK

⁶University of Bath, UK

⁷King’s College London, UK

⁸University of Exeter, UK

Pregnancy can be a key period in a women’s life to initiate change to a more active lifestyle and there is strong evidence of the health benefits of physical activity during and after pregnancy. The Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) guidance recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week both during and after pregnancy. The CMO physical activity guidelines are often shared in their infographic format, however, the infographics were designed to be used by healthcare professionals and not to be shared directly with pregnant women/new mothers. It is therefore important to translate physical activity guidelines and related information into relevant and useable resources and services. A co-design methodology is a participatory approach that ensures collaboration with community members who equally contribute to the design process. Co-design methodology is frequently used within healthcare and is growing in popularity in areas such as physical activity intervention design and in sharing physical activity guidance with the target population. Two co-design workshops were undertaken with 17 pregnant women/new mothers, alongside representatives from 13 community groups, NHS Trusts, and local and national organisations including midwives, physical activity providers and public health policy makers. Nine key areas for improvement were identified in the first workshop. Attendees subsequently voted on the top 3 ideas they had most interest in discussing further, which formed the basis of the second workshop. Priorities identified included information related to the postnatal period, and a local physical activity directory with specific guidance on ‘pregnancy friendly’ options. Additionally, women wanted personalised and practical guidance throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period including health ‘MOTs’ available at all stages. Using co-design workshops involving both stakeholders and pregnant women/new mothers is an efficient way to identify priority areas for physical activity information and guidance, while considering the practicalities of implementation from all perspectives.

Differences in Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Between Females Using Monophasic Oral Contraceptives and Females with Eumenorrheic Cycles

Abbie Chapman¹, D. Burt¹, and J. Forsyth¹

¹Staffordshire University, UK

Definitive conclusions on the impact of combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use, compared to non-use, on performance and measures of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) are limited. Due to the high rate of OCP use in female athlete populations, research into possible impacts on performance and recovery is required. Aim: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to observe and compare measures of EIMD between eumenorrhoeic females and females using a monophasic OCP. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant difference in EIMD between these two groups. Methods: A total of seven participants (n=3 in eumenorrhoeic group and n=4 in OCP group), who were healthy and regularly active, gave their informed consent to take part in the study. Mean ± SD for age, stature and body mass was 21.7 ± 2.0years, 164.9 ± 6.6cm, and 65.9 ± 13.5kg, respectively. Indirect markers of muscle damage (perceived muscle soreness, peak quadriceps torque, countermovement jump height, C-reactive protein), as well as physiological responses (heart rate, oxygen consumption, pulmonary ventilation and blood lactate) and perceptual responses (ratings of perceived exertion) to a 5-min bout of submaximal treadmill running at ventilatory threshold were assessed before, 24hr and 48hr after a muscle-damaging protocol. Results: Data collection for this project is currently ongoing but will be ready prior to the conference date; no results or conclusions can be provided at this time.

Coaches’ Ability to Support Elite and Adolescent Soccer Players Throughout Their Menstrual Cycle and Associated Performance Implications

Julia Donnelly¹, Eilidh Macrae¹, Stephanie Valentin², Chris Easton¹, Andrew White³, Laura J. Forrest (née Whyte)¹

¹University of the West of Scotland, UK

²Edinburgh Napier University, UK

³Athlete Focused, UK

Female soccer players report that the menstrual cycle (MC) can negatively impact sporting performance. Across women and girls’ sport, athletes often cite barriers to communicating their MC experiences to coaches and support staff. However, there are few studies exploring the coach/support staff perspective in elite soccer, and none from an adolescent viewpoint. Aims: To explore soccer coaches’ awareness, perceptions and experiences of the MC and the perceived impact on soccer performance. Methods: Thirteen coaches (female n = 4; male n = 9, aged 33 ± 9years) from both elite adult and youth academy soccer teams participated in individual semi-structured interviews (average interview time 43 ± 11min). Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, resulting in 98,588 words of data available for descriptive statistics and reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Reflexive Thematic Analysis generated three key themes from 232 meaning units: environment (society and club-level), coach support, and coach-athlete dynamic. Coaches perceived a culture within society of the MC being hidden, or taboo, with similar barriers noted within the club environment. Coaches were often embarrassed to discuss the MC with players and believed players to be embarrassed. This communication differed dependent on the coach-athlete relationship, with trust and familiarity cited as improving comfort in communication for both coach and player. Coach awareness and understanding of the MC both generally and within a sporting context influenced their perceived ability to communicate and support players. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need to support coaches by providing MC education, and practical MC-related guidance on how to support players’ health and wellbeing within a performance environment. Improved confidence in communication should allow players to feel supported and normalise conversations about the MC.

The ABC’s of Pre-Participation Screening During Pregnancy

Marlize De Vivo,¹ Margie H. Davenport²

¹The Active Pregnancy Foundation, UK

²University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Being active during pregnancy is safe and beneficial for most women, however, some may have or develop conditions which warrant further investigation. For these women, the risks could outweigh the benefits and a decision around their engagement in moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) should be made prior to participation and at regular intervals throughout their pregnancy (Meah etal., 2020). Aim: The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy (GAQ-P) was originally developed in Canada and helps to identify the small number of women who need to consult with a healthcare professional before they begin or continue to be physically active (Davenport etal., 2022). The aim of this project was to adapt the GAQ-P for the United Kingdom (UK) context. Methods: The (A)Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF), (B)British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), and (C)Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) collaborated on aligning the GAQ-P to the UK’s national physical activity guidelines and context, whilst maintaining the overall structure and flow of the original tool. Results: The GAQ-P UK version and companion Healthcare Professional Consultation Form for Prenatal Physical Activity were released in the UK on the 23rd of January 2023. The self-administered evidence-based questionnaire can be implemented by fitness, exercise, and sports professionals as one part of the pre-participation screening process. Where red flags are identified, women will benefit from further assessment by a healthcare professional and additional monitoring, support and guidance from a qualified exercise professional (e.g.,clinical exercise specialist; certified exercise practitioner, etc.), or indeed cessation of MVPA may be recommended. Conclusion: This collective effort by the (A) APF, (B)BASES, and (C)CSEP recognises the value of facilitating continued engagement in physical activities and sport during the childbearing years but also stresses a duty of care in ensuring safe and enjoyable experiences.

Voices Unheard: Exploring Adolescent Female Athletes’ Perspectives on Menstrual Cycle-Related Communication in Sport

Cherianne Taim^1,2, Jamie Lye^2,3, Haresh T Suppiah⁴, Chan Tin Wing², Michael Chia⁵, and Anthea Clarke⁴

¹Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland

²National Youth Sports Institute, Singapore

³National University of Singapore, Singapore

⁴La Trobe University, Australia

⁵Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

The persistence of the menstrual stigma may inhibit conversations about the menstrual cycle (MC) in sports. Despite emerging research, the experiences of adolescent athletes are less understood, and their voices remain unheard. Understanding the barriers that exist may provide more contextually relevant information to better support young female athletes. Aims: To explore the barriers to and facilitators of MC-related communication among female adolescent athletes in Singapore. Methods: Eighty-four postmenarcheal athletes (15.5 ± 1.8years) from a high-performance sports academy completed an online questionnaire. This study involved a subset of data obtained from a questionnaire investigating MC characteristics, the perceived impact of the MC on performance, and barriers to MC-related communication. The open-ended responses were analysed using a deductive thematic analysis approach. Results: Most athletes viewed menstruation as a taboo topic and that MC-related conversations were not considered a societal norm. Athletes highlighted a lack of platforms to engage in such discussions within the training environment, and some expressed discomfort in sharing menstrual issues with their coaches due to a lack of closeness. Some believed that MC-related conversations were unnecessary, either because they were not affected by it, or because they viewed menstrual pain as a normal occurrence that should be self-managed. Nonetheless, athletes acknowledged that a shift towards a training culture where MC-related discussions were normalised, and coaches demonstrated more empathy, could help foster such discussions. Implementation of education and communication pathways could facilitate this shift. Conclusion: To empower athletes and practitioners to engage in MC-related conversations, menstrual health education and communication pathways for athletes to raise menstrual concerns should be established within the training environment. These pathways should be age-appropriate, account for individual preferences, and involve parental support. Educating adolescent athletes about menstrual health before any misinformation is firmly established may contribute to longevity in their athletic careers.

“Smile More”: An Ecological Approach to Women’s Experiences of Sexism While Working in Sport

Kristin L. McGinty-Minister¹, Laura Swettenham², and Francesca M. Champ¹

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

²Cultiv8 Academy, UK

Reports of sexist behaviour in sport are ever-growing despite the potential for sexism to impact the mental health and well-being of everyone. Regardless of the significant impact of sexism within the workplace, very little research has investigated this phenomenon in sport, meaning we do not have a clear picture of women’s experiences and are far from implementing relevant solutions. Aims: This research aims to explore women’s experiences of sexism while working in sport-based professions and gain an understanding of how multiple ecological layers intertwine to influence women’s experiences of sexism in sport. Methods: A mixed methods survey based on the Everyday Sexism Survey (McDonald etal., 2016) was completed by 105 women (M age = 35.8; SD = 9.81). Qualitative data was thematically analysed using Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological systems theory to make sense of women’s experiences. Inductively generated higher-order themes represented the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, and sociocultural levels at which the women in the survey experienced sexism. Quantitative data was used to report percentage responses. Conclusion: Women working in sport experienced sexism at individual, interpersonal, organisational, and sociocultural levels. Additionally, interpersonal and organisational reactions to sexism lead women in sport to engage in avoidant coping mechanisms to manage their experiences. Interpersonal, organisational, and sociocultural sexism continue to exclude women from working in and/or progressing in sport-based careers. This study provides evidence of the ever-present problems associated with sexism in the workplace and provides practical considerations for organisations and individuals to create a more inclusive environment for women.

Boys Do Sport, Girls Miss Sport: Difference in Sports Participation During the Pandemic

Mel Wilson¹

¹University of Nottingham, UK

When the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown occurred in March 2020, instantly the social lives of us all were removed. For Children and Young People this included their active sports participation. We found indicators of differences between continued sports interaction and the feelings around these changes over the pandemic period based on gender. My research asked 1000 Children and Young People in Primary and Secondary education to complete an online questionnaire about their Social connectivity with various contacts both online and in person during the pandemic period. Part of that research included questions around their sports participation during that time. From my participant groups I found over both age categories, girls were least likely to do sport before the pandemic. After lockdown and during the pandemic, Primary age girls were more likely than boys to lose their contact with sport, whereas Secondary age girls were more likely than boys to retain it. Primary aged boys were more likely to maintain contact in most mediums, in person, online and distance contact that girls and more likely to outside and online. Secondary age boys were more likely to train outside, inside and online than girls. Primary and Secondary age girls “really did not like” not going to their groups more than boys, and Primary girls missed their sports groups more than Primary boys. Both Primary and Secondary boys felt sports meetings were normal, liked or better than girls did, during the periods of restrictions. Overall there were gender differences between the contact with sports participation, the type of participation and the feelings around the sports participation. These changed between Primary & Secondary age participants.

“I Just Felt Like Me Again”: A Narrative Inquiry into Non-Elite Netballer’s Experiences of Returning to Sport Post-Partum

Abigail Braim¹, Jo Batey¹, and Laura Martinelli¹

¹University of Winchester, UK

Historically becoming a mother has led women to cease participation in sport. A small amount of research has identified multiple barriers that exist for professional and elite sportswomen looking to return to sport post-partum. Even less research has examined the experiences of recreational level sportswomen who return to sport (McGannon & McMahon, 2021). The present study addresses this knowledge gap and aims to further understand the transition experienced by mothers returning to recreational level team sport. To achieve these aims virtual interviews were conducted with 7 non-elite netball-mothers. A narrative inquiry was employed, and data underwent a reflexive thematic analysis and a holistic content analysis. Three narrative types were identified that the mothers used to structure their stories; the apprehensive mother, the assured mother, and the experienced mother narrative. Key themes included coping with physical changes, team sport factors, and social support. The results are presented through a creative non-fiction which explores the transition back to netball post-partum. The results of this study add to the small, but growing, body of literature exploring the transition of becoming a mother and returning to sport. Furthermore, the representation of participants stories through a creative non-fiction enables the results to be accessed by a wider audience. It is hoped that this can be used as a resource to facilitate non-elite mothers return to sport post-partum.

Young People’s Experiences of Returning to Sport and Exercise in Blue Spaces After National Lockdown

Ellie Gennings¹, Hazel J Brown², Denise Hewlett², and John Batten²

¹Bournemouth University, UK

²University of Winchester, UK

Supporting children’s emotional recovery from the pandemic has been labelled a public health priority. This is a result of the pandemic having a significant impact on children’s lives. Literature has highlighted loneliness, sadness, and frustration as symptoms associated with lockdowns. Participation in sport and time spent in nature have both been linked to positive health outcomes. A combination of these, through watersports, could be a potential mechanism to counteract poor wellbeing among children after Covid-19 lockdowns. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the impact of returning to watersports post-national lockdown with a specific focus on wellbeing and nature connection. Methods: A sequential mixed methods approach was adopted to understand 11–16-year-olds (n = 16) experience of returning to regular watersports (sailing and windsurfing). Data was collected over a 4-month period commencing after the initial easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the UK. Quantitative data relating to children’s wellbeing, nature connection and physical activity enjoyment was collected. Following this, children and their parents participated in an individual interview to explore their experiences of participating in sport in the natural environment. Results: There were gender differences relating to wellbeing with boys rating their perceived wellbeing higher than girls. Girls scored significantly lower on the wellbeing subscales relating to relationships with friends and acceptance of self and felt from others. Qualitative data suggested that watersports participation enabled children to achieve a sense of accomplishment, belonging and connection with nature. Conclusion: National lockdown had a significant impact on children’s lives and this study provided initial evidence in support of regular sport and exercise in blue spaces as a successful intervention for supporting health-related outcomes over a four-month period. Future research should explore experiences of sport and exercise in blue spaces with a larger and culturally heterogeneous sample.

Exploring the Lived Experiences of Female Rowers Within the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs from 2011 to 2015

Andie Riche¹, Anna Stodter², Dan Gordon¹, and Mathew Dowling¹

¹Anglia Ruskin University, UK

²Leeds Beckett University, UK

Rowing, which is synonymous with Oxford and Cambridge Universities, has attracted limited research on high-performance female rowers’ experiences and their ability to navigate organisational change. This study seeks to examine the lived experiences of female rowers from the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs between 2011 and 2015, during which there has been increased sponsorship investment, leading to greater gender equity initiatives and women’s inclusion in competitive events. By focusing on the athletes’ experiences, this study highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by women in historically male-dominated spaces. The study utilised a purposeful and snowball sampling method (Bryman, 2016) to recruit female rowers from both the Boat Clubs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face or via Microsoft Teams and focused on the rowers’ experiences of training, competing, and socialising within their clubs. Narrative analysis, a method focusing on the stories people tell and the ways in which they construct meaning, was used to identify recurring themes in the data and to explore the nuances of the women’s experiences and identities (Riessman, 2008). Preliminary findings reveal female athletes in these club’s face gender-related challenges, including pressure to conform to stereotypes and expectations. Despite these challenges, the women spoke of a strong sense of camaraderie and support within their clubs and boats, which encouraged them to pursue their athletic goals. Many of the women felt empowered by their athletic accomplishments and the opportunity to be part of a team. Insights into the experiences of female rowers in high-performance varsity sport settings demonstrate the need for further research into the experiences of female athletes. Recognising and addressing the challenges faced by female athletes can contribute to creating more inclusive and equitable sports environments, empowering women to achieve their athletic potential.

Developing Female Sports Students as Future Leaders: A Co-Created and Collaborative Leadership Programme

Ally Forbes¹, Tina Smith¹, Kath Leflay¹, Verlaine Nsingi¹, Tiffany Rose,¹ Selina Khoo², Nor Eeza Zainal Abidin², and Caroline Same²

¹University of Wolverhampton, UK

²University Malaya, Malaysia

Despite increasing opportunities to participate in sport in the UK and Malaysia, in both countries women remain underrepresented at senior leadership levels. Academic staff and four student co-creators from the University of Wolverhampton and Universiti Malaya created a collaborative leadership programme to develop female sports students’ leadership skills, competencies and confidence, supporting their preparations to enter the sport industry workforce. The leadership programme contained five themed sessions: exploring values of self and others; developing confidence to step outside your comfort zone; building relationships and growing a network; taking opportunities, building experience and selling yourself; and diverse thinking and understanding unconscious bias. Synchronous online workshops consisted of a panel discussion with women working at different leadership levels in organisations based in the UK and Malaysia. The online panels were followed up with interactive face-to-face workshops, allowing each of the themes to be explored in more depth. The aim of this presentation is to share preliminary findings from the project. We are adopting a mixed methods approach to collect data from the project participants. A questionnaire to evaluate confidence in seven domains linked to successful leadership attributes was administered to participants at the start of the workshops and will be completed again at the end (May 2023). Participants are asked to indicate how they feel about statements related to their self-confidence for each domain on a visual analogue scale anchored from low confidence to high. Follow-up interviews with project participants will seek to understand their experiences of the leadership programme in more detail, including how cultural practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes impacted upon their perceived access to leadership roles. The five online panel sessions will be transcribed and analysed to identify the key messages and advice shared by female leaders.

Mental Wellbeing Risk in Elite Women’s Football: A Cultural and Gendered Problem?

Georgie Morton¹, Alice Harkness-Armstrong¹, and Ruth Lowry¹

¹University of Essex, UK

Women athletes in traditionally ‘male’ sports, like football, experience gendered difficulties to a greater extent than other sportswomen. Women’s football is growing exponentially, especially within England, but culturally, much remains unchanged. Male entitlement within football is unproblematically assumed as the cultural norm and as such, provides a platform for widespread gender discrimination (GD) to occur within the sport. The toll on mental health resulting from GD is widely acknowledged within the general population, yet next to no research explores this within elite female football. This study was the first to take a cultural perspective on mental wellbeing risk in elite female footballers; exploring experiences of GD, the effects on mental wellbeing, and perceptions of how to achieve cultural change. Methods: Eight female footballers (18–35years) from the top three tiers of women’s football were screened and recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews elicited detailed information on experiences of inequities in provision, direct abuse, disrespect, appearance-related pressures, mental wellbeing effects, and directions for future change. Results and Conclusions: Experiences of GD involved financial inequity; unequal access to facilities, resources, medical support, and media coverage; verbal abuse in-person and online; sexualisation; and assumptions of female inferiority. The findings also highlighted both competing discourses of growth but constraint, progress but inequality. The discriminatory experiences were linked to numerous deleterious effects for the footballers’ mental wellbeing, affecting them as players but also as people. Participants displayed unhealthy coping mechanisms such as passive acceptance, denial and gratitude, in turn limiting their capacity to challenge GD. Personalised interventions should be offered to aid coping, but also at the societal level to tackle GD directly; with a focus on changing public perceptions and on improving playing conditions and provision for players.

Female Sports Students as Future Leaders: The Experience and Learnings for Student Co-Creators

Verlaine Nsingi¹ and Tiffany Rose¹

¹University of Wolverhampton, UK

One of the biggest challenges facing sport in achieving gender equality is a lack of women in leadership and decision-making roles, despite 49.5% of the world population being female. Academic staff and four student co-creators from the University of Wolverhampton and Universiti Malaya created a collaborative leadership programme, that aimed to equip female sports students with the tools to bridge the gap between studying and becoming leaders in sport. As part of the collaboration, four students were recruited as project co-creators on the programme, to facilitate the leadership development of female student participants from the outset, shaping the programme in a way that suited their needs. Through co-creation, the four students identified the skills and attributes required within leadership, which were used as a framework to shape the programme into five themes. The aim of this poster presentation is to share our experiences as student co-creators, including how being employed on a funded project has developed our leadership skills and confidence. As part of the project creation, the UK based project team travelled to the Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. We feel privileged to have been involved in the creation of the programme. Traveling and working professionally in a co-creator setting abroad has enhanced our confidence, professional outlook, and passion for working within sport leadership. We have had the opportunity to network with a range of female leaders and learn about the leadership opportunities and challenges within a different culture. Off the back of this experience, Verlaine was inspired to focus her dissertation on women in leadership roles and to strive to be an example of a role model for the next generation. Tiffany has developed a passion for research and using this to make impactful change where necessary. This illustrates real value for students engaging with project co-creation.

Sport, Stereotypes and Stolen Dreams: Why Girls Still Feel They Don’t Belong in Sport

Zara Goozee¹

¹Women in Sport, UK

Girls’ self-belief and enjoyment of sport are impacted early. By adolescence, many have decided they do not ‘belong’ in sport, with confidence and self-efficacy on the decline. Girls deserve a positive start point, developing a life-long passion for and enjoyment of sport. Aim: To build a deep understanding of the attitudes and influences that shape the perceptions of girls aged 5–11 and explore how to nurture girls’ competence and self-belief early to build resilience and kick-start a life-long love of sport. Methods: A mixed methods approach: in-depth digital ethnographic research with 24 girls and their families and two quantitative attitudinal surveys with parents of children aged 5–11. Results: Girls are hearing the wrong narrative and not being given equal opportunities to develop the fundamental skills to take part in and enjoy sport. Gender stereotypes shape the attitudes and behaviours of their key influencers: parents, family, and the school environment. This influences the activities parents choose and the opportunities girls are offered in PE or after-school clubs, limiting girls’ physical skill development. A lack of role models and negative playground or PE environments establishes a negative narrative, stifling our expectations of girls. We need to motivate girls in the right way, focusing on four elements: personal achievement; a feeling of belonging; role modelling; and the feel-good factor of sport. Conclusion: A supportive environment, providing the fundamental skills, and motivating girls in the right way will fuel girls’ confidence and resilience, strengthening the feeling that they belong in sport. Five success factors can help achieve this: 1) surround girls with expectations that they can succeed; 2) build girls’ skills early to create a level playing field; 3) stop telling girls they are fragile, weak, and do not like competition; 4) provide more opportunities for girls; and 5) create a positive school environment.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of In-App Challenges to Increase Long-Term Engagement With a Physical Activity Tracking App: Preliminary Results

Katie Di Sebastiano¹, Leigh M. Vanderloo², and Guy Faulkner³

¹Durham University, UK

²ParticipACTION, Canada

³University of British Columbia, Canada

Physical activity (PA) tracking app can increase PA among users although long-term engagement with apps remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of repeated in-app challenges on increased app usage and PA long-term. Methods: Preliminary data from the first challenge was collected 1-31 October 2020. In teams of up to 8 participants, the challenge encouraged user to engage in PA by virtually walking across Canada. Engagement metrics were extracted from internal app analytics and PA data were extracted from the app database, using an 8-week (21 September-14 November 2020) quasi-experimental design assessing PA two weeks before (Pre-1, Pre-2) and after (Post-1, Post-2) the 4-week challenge (C-1-4). Weekly MVPA was monitored through wearable fitness trackers and health apps linked to the app. Repeated measures ANOVAs with simple main effects were used to determine changes over time (pre/post; mean+SE) and difference between groups (Participants/Non-participants). Results: The in-app challenge attracted 30,932 new registered users to the app and increased monthly active users by 185% from 20,434 users in September to 58,134 in October. Over the 8 weeks of evaluation 6,414 users had complete data: 3,025 participants (app users on a team) and 3,389 non-participants (app users not on a team). Non-participants (214.5±5.0min) recorded less MVPA at Pre-1 compared to participants (248.5±5.3min, p<0.001). Non-participants demonstrated steady declines in MVPA over the 8 weeks (Pre-1: 214.5±5.0min vs Post-2: 158.2±4.1min, p<0.001), while participants demonstrated an increase in MVPA that peaked during the first week of the challenge and then declined (Pre-1: 248.5+5.3min, C-1: 290.2+5.1min, p<0.001; C-4: 258.2+4.6min, p=0.050; Post-2: 196.1+4.5, p<0.001). Conclusions: In-app challenges appear to be a viable approach to drive short-term app engagement and increase MVPA; however, long-term app engagement remains a challenge.

The Impact of Acute, Self-Paced Exercise on State Body Image in Overweight and Obese Women

Phoebe Gray,¹ Sarah Edmunds², and Henriette Hogh¹

¹University of Sussex, UK

²University of Chichester, UK

Overweight and obese women are prone to poor trait body image which can have negative consequences for their psychological and physical wellbeing (Becker etal., 2019). Exercise interventions can improve body image in normal-weight women, but more research is required to understand their impact in women who are overweight or obese. Women who have a higher body mass index tend to experience exercise differently to normal-weight women and this may have implications for its long-term psychological benefits (Ekkekakis & Lind, 2006). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of an acute, self-paced exercise session on state body image in overweight, obese and normal weight women, using a controlled experimental design. Thirty-six active women from a community sample did either 28-minutes of self-paced cycling (9 overweight or obese, 10 normal-weight) or 28-minutes of quiet reading (9 overweight or obese, 8 normal-weight). State body image was assessed pre-test, immediately post-test and 10-minutes post-test. A three-way ANOVA revealed a significant two-way interaction between condition and time (F = 9.74, p < .001), but a non-significant three-way interaction between condition, time, and BMI category (F = 0.39, p = .64). Planned contrasts suggest the acute, self-paced exercise session significantly improved state body image from pre-test to post-test compared to the reading group control (F = 9.96, p = .003) and these improvements in state body image were sustained 10-minutes after exercising (F = 0.94, p = .34). Results indicate self-paced exercise-induced improvements in state body image were not significantly different for women within the overweight-obese category compared to women within the normal-weight category. Results extend previous findings suggesting overweight and obese women experience self-paced exercise positively. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between state and trait body image in overweight and obese women.

Injury Risk Factors in Female Soccer Players

Linda Fettus¹, Philipp Baumert¹, Jon Larruskain², Josean A. Lekue², Georgie Bruinvels^3,4, Stephen J. McQuilliam¹, Charles R. Pedlar^3,4, Susana M. Gill⁵, and Robert M. Erskine^1,4

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

²Athletic Club Bilbao, Spain

³St. Mary’s University, UK

⁴University College London, UK

⁵University of the Basque Country, Spain

Women’s football has seen a surge in popularity but the incidence and severity of soft tissue injuries are higher in female versus male players (Larruskain etal. 2018). Such injuries can limit development and end careers prematurely. Limited evidence-based information exists on the factors underpinning injury risks in female footballers. The menstrual cycle has received a lot of attention, with some football clubs manipulating player training and recovery, despite a lack of scientific evidence to support such practice. There is emerging evidence that biological maturation affects injury risk in male academy footballers (Hall etal. 2022), but it is not known how this may affect female players. Although playing position has been associated with injury in men’s football, much less is known about this risk factor in the women’s game. Finally, genetic markers have been associated with specific injury type/location in male academy/professional players, but very little evidence exists regarding genetic susceptibility to injury in female players. Furthermore, it is not known if inter-play between these four potential injury risk factors exists. Such knowledge would improve our understanding of injury aetiology, potentially leading to individualised programmes to minimise injury risk in this under-researched population. Aims: To investigate the menstrual cycle, maturity status, playing position and genetic variation as potential injury risk factors in women’s football. An additional aim is to promote education to effectively manage these injury risk factors. Methods: Female football players (9–40years old) are being recruited from elite football academies/clubs worldwide. Currently, 242 participants have consented to their club sharing their data. Of those 242, 152 (aged >16years) have been tracking their menstrual cycles, and 120 have provided a 2mL saliva sample for DNA isolation and genotyping. An online survey for player background information is to be completed. Results: Summer of 2023.

“We’re Not the Same”: A Composite Vignette on Pregnancy and Motherhood for Elite Athlete Mothers In and Out of Funding Programs

Kelly L. Massey¹,Colum J. Cronin¹, and Amy E. Whitehead¹

¹Liverpool John Moores University, UK

Today, pregnancy is often viewed as a temporary phase allowing a break from the physical and mental pressures of high-performance sport rather than career closure. Yet, obtaining the elite athlete mother identity is not without struggle. A cultural shift sees sporting organizations developing contracts and policies to support the success of the post-partum return. Although there is much research on elite athlete mothers within professional contracts or in receipt of funding it has yet to explore how experiences differ between elite athlete mothers with and without these financial agreements. The present study aims to provide insight into the shared and different experiences of elite athletes with and without National Governing Body (NGB) funding in hopes of informing future policy, provisions and practices for those elite athlete mothers who fall short of funding. Method: This study took on a qualitative approach utilizing socio ecological lens (SEM), creating composite vignettes using extracts from the raw data of a published study containing three semi-structured interviews exploring pregnancy and postpartum experiences of a funded Paralympian and an unfunded Olympian. Bengtsson’s (2016) 4-stage content analysis was used to find shared and different experiences of the two elite athlete mothers. Stage 1 involved reading and rereading transcripts. Stage 2 removed extraneous data. Stage 3 the first author coded quotations and consulted the wider research team to group codes into topics. In stage 4 quotes were used to construct an initial composite vignette involving a conversation between the participants. Using a critical friend and member reflections, two co-constructed composite vignettes were created. Results: Co-constructed composite vignettes of ‘Baby ban’ and ‘We’re not the same’ involved discussions between the two elite athlete mothers. Topics such as views on sport as a hobby or job, competition and qualification, and the relationship with the NGB highlight similarities and distinctions between being an elite athlete mother in and outside of funding structures. The influence of and interaction across and between the layers within the SEM are highlighted within discussions. Discussion: This current study highlights similarities and disparities between elite athlete mothers in and outside of funding structures. Baby ban demonstrates how macrosystem and exosystem policy decisions are represented by the exosystem and microsystem develop shared interpersonal feelings of being unsupported. We’re not the same shows different interpersonal experiences found in macrosystem communication, exosystem qualification standards, and nuances within microsystem relationships. Results indicate the need for further change within policy, provision and practice to encompass athlete mothers who meet the definition of elite but not the requirements for funding. Simple improvements in competition and training opportunities and in NGB communication may enhance the experiences of unfunded elite athlete mothers.