News &
Announcements
The Journal of Athletic Training is pleased to announce a forthcoming special issue focused on female athlete health. The Journal seeks original research reports, systematic reviews, clinical CASE reports, and clinical commentaries that will advance knowledge of female athlete health topics, which can encompass those conditions that impact females uniquely or are specific to female bodied individuals. The aim of this special issue is to focus specifically on the female athlete population.
Since the 1972 implementation of Title IX in the United States and other similar efforts worldwide, athletic participation and physical activity in females has substantially increased, culminating in the first equal sex representation at the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, focused efforts on advancing sports medicine care of female athletes and research incorporating female athletes has lagged. When female athletes have been the focus of sports medicine research, it is often in the form of how female bodies influence injury risk and incidence (e.g., female vs. male mechanism of athlete anterior cruciate ligament) or presentation of a condition (e.g., concussion symptom presentation in females). The special issue will focus on female athlete specific health concerns, which often receive limited devotion. To achieve this goal, we will focus on the following topic areas: reproductive organ conditions (e.g., endometriosis), female sex hormones’ influence on injury and performance across the lifespan (e.g., menstrual cycle and injury risk, hormonal contraceptives, menopause), pelvic floor dysfunction in females (e.g., stress urinary incontinence), pregnancy and postpartum physical activity and return to sport, and breast health (e.g., breast trauma, sports bra).
Manuscript Preparation, Submission and Review Process: Please review the Authors’ Guide for instructions on preparing manuscripts. Manuscripts should be submitted to JAT no later than December 1st, 2025, using the Journal’s online submission system: https://jat.msubmit.net. The cover letter should state that the manuscript is intended for the special issue “Female Athlete Health.” Authors should answer all submission questions related to special issues and select “Female Athlete” as the “Special Section.”
Narrative reviews, current clinical concepts, and other manuscript types are by invitation only. Please contact the guest editors to suggest topics for these types of manuscripts. JAT is the final authority on the disposition of your contribution and possible inclusion in the special issue or a regular issue. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
All manuscripts will undergo the normal peer-review process, which will be overseen by guest co-editors, Kara Radzak, PhD, LAT, ATC, Shefali Christopher, PT, DPT, PhD, LAT, ATC, and Rachel E. Geoghegan, DAT, ATC. For questions about the issue, contact [email protected].
We look forward to your submission.
