Information and Resources
Female athlete resources
Find infographics, fact sheets and links on a range of female athlete specific performance and health topics.
Understanding your menstrual cycle: What's normal, what's not?
Download these resources to learn more about your menstrual cycle, understand what is normal and what isn't, and when you should see your Doctor.
Your-menstral-cycle-infographic.pdf
Your-menstral-cycle-infographic.pdf
Menstrual-Cycle-Tracking-Guidelines.pdf
Tokyo-Perceptions-Study_FINAL.pdf
Hormonal contraception: What are the options?
Download these resources to learn more about why you might use hormonal contraception, and the different types of hormonal contraception that are available.
FPHI-Hormonal-contraception.pdf
Hormonal-Contraception-infographic.pdf
Hormonal-Contraception-A3-Poster.pdf
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Download these resources to learn more about a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome, and when you should see your doctor for further investigation of this condition.
Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome-infographic.pdf
Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome-A3-poster.pdf
Endometriosis
Download these resources to learn more about a condition called endometriosis and when you should see your doctor for further investigation of this condition.
Breastfeeding as an athlete
Download these resources to learn more about breastfeeding as an athlete.
Breastfeeding-athlete-infographic.pdf
Breastfeeding-Athlete-A3-Poster.pdf
Responsibilities
Download these resources to learn more about understanding your responsibilities when working with female athletes.
Know-your-responsibilities-infographic.pdf
Know-your-responsibilities-A3-poster.pdf
Breast protection statement
The use of breast protective equipment is becoming more common in female contact sport. At present, very limited research has been conducted on contact breast injuries in female athletes. Because of FPHI’s principle of sharing and promoting evidence-based information to support female athletes, we do not specifically endorse the use of breast protective equipment at this stage. It is hoped that there will be more evidence around breast protective equipment in female athletes involved in contact or combat sports in the near future. This extra research and information will increase our understanding of contact breast injuries and whether or not protective equipment does indeed reduce the incidence and severity of breast injury.
Breast health and bra fit
The following resources are from Breast Research Australia, opens in a new tab an initiative from the University of Wollongong.
Sports Bra app
The “Sports Bra” web-based app, opens in a new tab containing evidence-based information to help choose a well-fitted, supportive sports bra.
This app helps female athletes ensure that their next sports bra is the right size, is supportive and comfortable.
The app allows users to save information such as age range, bra size and details of the bra. Users who choose to save this information, consent to it being used for research purposes. All information is anonymous and no personal details will be accessed or saved.
Exercise and breast support
“Exercise & breast support”, opens in a new tab a simple guide to understanding breast support during physical activity and how to determine correct bra fit – developed in partnership with Sports Medicine Australia
Sports Medicine Australia
University of Wollongong
Pregnancy
Download these resources to learn more about planning for pregnancy.
36706_FPHI-Are-you-an-athlete-considering-pregnancy-fact-sheet.pdf
36945_Pregnancy-Fact-Sheet_D3.pdf
AIS High Performance Pregnancy Guidelines
Many sporting activities are safe for pregnant individuals to participate in, and there are various health benefits arising from continued exercise during pregnancy. The AIS has developed these guidelines to assist pregnant athletes, athletes planning to become pregnant, and their sports to make safe and informed decisions in relation to HP programs. These guidelines are also designed to inform athletes and their sport of their obligations around matters such as discrimination and inclusion.
AIS-High-Performance-Pregnancy-Guidelines.pdf
The Mum-Alete Project
The Mum-Alete Project - An Australian first, this study is being conducted by AIS Medicine in collaboration with the AIS Female Health Performance Initiative, to enhance our understanding of high performance athletes’ sport experiences during and post-pregnancy. Visit The Mum-Alete Project webpage to find out more.
Pelvic Floor Health
Download these resources to learn more about pelvic floor health, for all athletes, including pregnant and post-natal athletes.
Pelvic-floor-health-for-all-athletes-fact-sheet.pdf
Pelvic-floor-health-for-pregnant-and-post-natal-athletes-fact-sheet.pdf
Practitioner resources
Through the Clearinghouse for Sport (Clearinghouse) website, the AIS Female Performance & Health Initiative (FPHI) has established a secure practitioner resources page for practitioners working in the Australian High Performance sport system to maintain awareness of relevant insights and emerging research in this area of expertise.
The practitioner resources page also contains two referral networks to assist high performance medical and support staff access specialist medical and physical therapy expertise for female specific performance and health considerations.
The FPHI Specialist Networks are housed on a restricted webpage within the Clearinghouse for Sport.
Access (permission) has been granted to key Clearinghouse members working in the Australian high performance sport sector.
- If you are a Chief Medical Officer, Performance Support Manager (or equivalent) or Lead Physiotherapist working within the High Performance system and are a member of the Clearinghouse for Sport, you will automatically have access.
- If you are not yet a member please register by following this link. Upon registration you will automatically be granted ‘public level’ access. Clearinghouse security requires staff to verify your account before you can access the ‘Female Performance Health Initiative’ content. Once verified, your account will be linked and you are free to access the content.
If you experience difficulty accessing the page, it is usually due to your account not being linked to a high performance organisation or you have forgotten your username and password.
Please contact the Clearinghouse team if you cannot log in and a staff member will be able to help you.
For those not familiar with the Clearinghouse:
The Clearinghouse for Sport is an Australian knowledge sharing initiative. Clearinghouse membership is free and available to everyone. Some areas of the Clearinghouse will be publicly available – like the knowledge information base on key topics relevant to the sport sector. Other areas of the Clearinghouse will be restricted to Australian high performance sport staff and require you to login. This is generally due to the licencing of resources – such as access to the full-text electronic journals and research databases, videos and research and reference services.
Includes:
Medical Specialist Network
Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Network
Research alerts
Go to Practitioner resources in Clearinghouse
Research
Female athlete research from FPHI partners and the Australian high performance sport system.
Menstrual Cycle Change During COVID-19. Sharing some early results, opens in a new tab – British Journal of Sports Medicine blog (Published: November, 2020)
Larsen B, Morris K, Quinn K, Osborne M, & Minahan C. (2020). Practice does not make perfect: A brief view of athletes’ knowledge on the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives, opens in a new tab. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 23. 8. 690-694 (Published: 8 February, 2020)
Rogers MA, Appaneal RN, Hughes D, et al. Prevalence of impaired physiological function consistent with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S): an Australian elite and pre-elite cohort., opens in a new tabBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2021;55:38-45.