Women's Sports Medicine Program

We aim to lead the advancement of women’s sports and exercise medicine through multidisciplinary expert clinical care, research and education.

New: Women's Sports Injury & Performance Clinic

Our multidisciplinary clinic provides comprehensive treatment for female athletes. Our team performs expert evaluation of sports injuries and provides a sport-specific treatment plan for return-to-play.

Call now for an appointment: 617-643-3866

Picture of a woman jumping
1 of 1

Our Mission

Our experts from multiple specialties provide coordinated and comprehensive care for female athletes. We provide cutting edge, evidence-driven treatment and to contribute to the scientific knowledge necessary to optimize the care of female athletes. As women continually break barriers in their careers in sports, the Women’s Sports Medicine Program at Mass General is designed to support the growing medical needs of this unique population.

Learn more about the clinical care we offer our Women's Sports Medicine Program patients.

Clinical Care

Our experts are leaders in their fields, each with a special interest in treating female athletes and experience in treating athletes in female-specific sports.
Learn more about the research in the women's sports medicine program at Mass Genera.

Research

Together, our experts collaborate to identify and develop solutions to female-specific injuries and conditions in sports medicine.
Learn more about the education programs in the Women's Sports Medicine Program at Mass General.

Education & Outreach

We provide education, focusing particularly on improving community education & outreach on important topics like injury prevention for athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and parents.

What makes female athletes different?

As the caliber of women's sports continues to rise, the image and definition of the female athlete continues to evolve. Women are more commonly staying active with age, and participating in an expanding variety of sports and exercise modalities. With this, the rates of acute and overuse injuries we see in females athletes are rapidly rising, yet knowledge of the factors that influence injuries in women is still evolving.

Learn more about ACL injury preventative training programs.

Female athletes are 4-8 times more likely to tear their ACL than males.

Muscle imbalances and specific movement patterns can cause females to be at greater risk for injuries, but this risk can be lowered.
Learn more about disordered eating in female altheses

Disordered eating is a common problem in female athletes.

Whether intentional or not, alterations in diet and energy availability can lead to serious metabolic consequences that can result in bone injury and subsequent medical conditions.
Learn more about exercise during pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a unique challenge for female athletes.

With growing knowledge about the safety of training during pregnancy, our multidisciplinary team helps guide the treatment of sports medicine injuries in the peripartum period.
Learn more about women's cardiovascular health

Are women's hearts different than men's hearts?

Cardiovascular considerations and performance measures in exercise tolerance are different in female and male athletes.
Learn more about concussions in female althletes.

Concussion symptoms vary between males and females

Females appear to be more likely to suffer from prolonged symptoms after sustaining a concussion when compared to males.
Learn more about the reproductive endocrinology unit at Mass General

Can hormones play a role in sports injuries?

Hormonal changes can influence certain musculoskeletal conditions. Changes in energy availability can also cause hormonal alterations.

Our experts in the news

ACL Injury Prevention on WCVB Channel 5

Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee are one of the most common causes for season-ending surgery for female athletes. Miho Tanaka, MD, and Kelly McInnis, DO educate female athletes about ways to prevent ACL injuries from occurring in the first place.

Watch the segment
Drs. Miho Tanaka and Kelly McInnis were interviewed about ACL injury prevention; photo of a lacrosse player who tore her ACL.

Dr. Kelly McInnis on Charged podcast

Kelly McInnis, DO discusses her interest in working with female athletes and unique challenges they face. She talks about her passion for helping athletes of all levels recover, as well as her how her background in non-surgical care can complement the work of orthopaedic surgeons.

Listen to Dr. McInnis' podcast
Dr. Kelly McInnis was featured on Mass General's podcast, Charged

Keeping her in the game

Miho J. Tanaka, MD discusses ACL injuries and the importance of promoting injury prevention programs for female athletes.

Read her column
Dr. Miho J Tanaka next to a football field
1 of 3

Contact us.

Have questions about the Women's Sports Medicine Program? Get in touch.

Meet our expertsFollow us on Instagram617-643-3866