In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Dr. Sinead Dufour, an associate professor at the Faculty of Health Science at McMaster University in Ontario and the director of pelvic health at the World of My Baby (The Womb). Dr. Dufour has over 20 years of experience as a physical therapist and a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science.

• [00:00:40] Changes a female athlete's body goes through during pregnancy, including impacts on cardiovascular, respiratory, and pelvic floor systems
• [00:03:16] How cardiovascular and respiratory changes affect training for a football player during pregnancy
• [00:06:07] General exercise guidelines for pregnant women, including recommendations for pelvic floor muscle training
• [00:08:39] Benefits of exercise for pregnant women, including pelvic floor health, metabolic health, and mental health
• [00:10:47] Areas where more research is needed, such as contact sports and high-intensity exercise during pregnancy
• [00:14:14] Recommendations around high-intensity exercise during pregnancy
• [00:16:14] Screening tools that can be used to assess pregnant athletes, including pelvic floor dysfunction and energy availability
• [00:20:35] Contraindications and when a pregnant athlete should stop exercising

• Website: www.thewomb.ca

• Pelvic floor muscle training
• Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain
• Gestational diabetes
• Diastasis rectus abdominis
• Pelvic floor dysfunction inventory
• Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Lachlan Mackenzie, a strength and conditioning and sports science specialist who works with the female high performance football program at the University of Wollongong and the South Coast Flame club.

Lachlan discusses:

• [00:01:29] The limitations of the term "strength and conditioning" and why "athletic development" may be a better framing
• [00:03:28] The gender dynamics and culture in gym environments, and how to create more equitable spaces
• [00:06:53] The culture shift Lachlan is helping drive at South Coast Flame, prioritizing resources for the women's side of the club
• [00:13:37] The female high performance football program Lachlan is involved with at the University of Wollongong, providing athletes access to high-level training and education

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Professor Evangelos Pappas, an expert in musculoskeletal health and ACL injuries. Professor Pappas is the Director of the MedTech Research and Innovation Hub and a Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

Topics Covered:

Why women's football players are at higher risk of ACL injuries (00:01:27)

Surgical options for ACL tears, including hamstring grafts and bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts (00:07:18)

Non-surgical management approaches, including the "CrossBrace" protocol and bridge-enhanced ACL repair (00:14:03)

The long-term consequences of ACL injuries, including increased risk of early-onset osteoarthritis (00:18:34)

Importance of injury prevention programs and educating athletes about return-to-sport risks (00:20:39)

Decision-making tools to help patients choose surgical vs. non-surgical treatment (00:26:09)

Where to Find Professor Evangelos Pappas:

Twitter: @EVPappas

Key Terms & References:

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)

ACL injury prevention programs

"CrossBrace" protocol

Bridge-enhanced ACL repair

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Return-to-sport risks after ACL injury

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Adults

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Children/Adolescents