Women's Sports Medicine Program: Research

At Mass General Brigham Women's Sports Medicine Program, one of our founding principles is to improve the understanding of treatment outcomes and injury prevention in female athletes. Together, our experts aim to bridge clinical gaps for female athletes through collaborations with experts in multiple fields. In addition to their clinical work at Mass General Brigham, our Women's Sports Medicine Program clinicians serve as faculty members of their respective specialties at Harvard Medical School.

*Mass General Women's Sports Medicine Program experts bolded

• Katz NB, Silver JK, McInnis KC. Gender/sex differences: Representation of women in lateral ankle sprain research. PM&R. 2025; 1-9. doi:10.1002/pmrj.13349
• Gilmer G, Crasta N, Tanaka MJ. The Effect of Sex Hormones on Joint Ligament Properties: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2025 Jan 31:3635465241310145. doi: 10.1177/03635465241310145. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39887996.
• Leahy KG, Lowenstein NA, Collins JE, Mazzocca JL, Matzkin EG. Preoperative Low Resilience Is Associated With Female Patients, Whereas High Resilience Is Associated With Improved Mental Health Scores During Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Arthroscopy. 2024 Dec;40(12):2887-2894. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2024.02.033. Epub 2024 Mar 5. PMID: 38453097.
• Katz NB, Karnovsky SC, Robinson DM, DeLuca SE, Yun PH, Casey E, Wasfy MM, Tenforde AS. Sex Differences and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Outcomes in Runners with Achilles or Hamstring Tendinopathy. J Clin Med. 2024 Dec 3;13(23):7360. doi: 10.3390/jcm13237360. PMID: 39685818; PMCID: PMC11641900.
• Afifi T, Barrack MT, Casey E, Huddle M, Kliethermes SA, Kraus E, Toresdahl BG, Wasfy MM, Tenforde AS. Infographic. Head to toe considerations for the postpartum endurance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2024 May 28;58(11):630-632. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-107624. PMID: 38448197.
• Wang M, Chee J, Tanaka MJ, Lee YHD. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and knee injuries: current concepts for female athletes. J ISAKOS. 2024 Aug;9(4):781-787. doi: 10.1016/j.jisako.2024.05.012. Epub 2024 May 23. PMID: 38795863.
• Cote MP, Kearney GJ, McKay MJ, Tanaka MJ. Location and Progression of Chondral Injuries at the Time of Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery Varies by Sex. Arthroscopy. 2024 Aug;40(8):2229-2235.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2023.12.006. Epub 2023 Dec 30. PMID: 38161048.
• Rogers DL, Tanaka MJ, Cosgarea AJ, Ginsburg RD, Dreher GM. How Mental Health Affects Injury Risk and Outcomes in Athletes. Sports Health. 2024 Mar-Apr;16(2):222-229. doi: 10.1177/19417381231179678. Epub 2023 Jun 16. PMID: 37326145; PMCID: PMC10916780.
• Petek BJ, Chung EH, Kim JH, Lampert R, Levine BD, Phelan D, Danielian A, Dean PN, Dineen EH, Fernandez AB, Husaini M, Krishnan S, Shah AB, Stewart KM, Wasfy MM. Impact of Sex on Cardiovascular Adaptations to Exercise: JACC Review Topic of the Week. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 Sep 5;82(10):1030-1038. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.05.070. PMID: 37648352.
• Nukala V, Baute L, Hammerle MV, Neimark S, Galetta M, Tanaka MJ. Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward Physical Activity and Exercise Education in Pregnant Women. J Wom Sports Med. 2023;3(2):44-57. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v3i2.40
• Tanaka MJ, Sodhi A, Wadhavkar I, Kane K, Velasquez Hammerle MV, Mangudi Varadarajan K, Tornetta P 3rd. Redefining Trochlear Dysplasia: Normal Thresholds Vary by Measurement Technique, Landmarks, and Sex. Am J Sports Med. 2023 Apr;51(5):1202-1210. doi: 10.1177/03635465231158099. Epub 2023 Mar 21. PMID: 36942723.
• Preszler JA, McInnis KC, Baute L, Tanaka MJ. Rehabilitation of anterior knee pain in the pregnant athlete: Considerations and modifications by trimester. Phys Ther Sport. 2023 Mar;60:34-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2023.01.001. Epub 2023 Jan 5. PMID: 36641951.
• O'Sullivan L, Preszler J, Tanaka M. Hamstring Injury Rehabilitation and Prevention in the Female Athlete. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022 Oct 2;17(6):1184-1193. doi: 10.26603/001c.38254. PMID: 36262421; PMCID: PMC9528714.
• Doolan-Roy ED, Regan K, Modisette M, Mattes LL. Return to Sport Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction In the Professional Female Ballet Dancer. J Wom Sports Med. 2022;2(2):83-94. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v2i2.26
• Hergert L. Return to Sport Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Women’s Soccer. J Wom Sports Med. 2022;2(2):70-82. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v2i2.27
• Oganesyan R, Anderson M, Simeone J, Chang C, Tanaka MJ. Sex Differences In Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. J Wom Sports Med. 2022 Apr;2(1):19-26. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v2i1.11
• Tanaka MJ, Forman JM, Otwell AG, Frischmann LD, Jones LC, Szymanski LM. Characterization of knee dysfunction and related risk factors during pregnancy. Phys Sportsmed. 2022 Feb;50(1):78-83. doi: 10.1080/00913847.2021.1882277. Epub 2021 Feb 10. PMID: 33507121.
• Boudreau SL, Mattes LL, Lowenstein NA, Matzkin EG, Wilcox RB 3rd. Customizing Functional Rehabilitation and Return to Sport in the Female Overhead Athlete. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2022 Jan 28;4(1):e271-e285. doi: 10.1016/j.asmr.2021.09.041. PMID: 35141561; PMCID: PMC8811549.
• Borgstrom H, McInnis KC. Female Athlete Hip Injuries: A Narrative Review. Clin J Sport Med. 2022 Jan 1;32(1):62-71. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000857. PMID: 32941375.
• Petek BJ, Gustus SK, Churchill TW, Guseh JS, Loomer G, VanAtta C, Baggish AL, Wasfy MM. Sex-Based Differences in Peak Exercise Blood Pressure Indexed to Oxygen Consumption Among Competitive Athletes. Clin Ther. 2022 Jan;44(1):11-22.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2021.10.013. Epub 2021 Nov 21. PMID: 34819243.
• Tanaka MJ, LiBrizzi CL, Rivenburgh DW, Jones LC. Changes in U.S. girls' participation in high school sports: implications for injury awareness. Phys Sportsmed. 2021 Nov;49(4):450-454. doi:10.1080/00913847.2020.1852861. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33210569.
• Lowenstein NA, Haber DB, Ostergaard PJ, Collins JE, Matzkin EG. All-Inside Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Quadrupled Semitendinosus: Comparable 2-Year Outcomes in Male and Female Patients. Arthroscopy. 2021 Oct;37(10):3140-3148. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2021.03.077. Epub 2021 Apr 20. PMID: 33892073.
• O’Sullivan L, Tanaka MJ. Sex-based Differences in Hamstring Injury Risk Factors. J Wom Sports Med. 2021;1(1):20-29. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v1i1.8
• McInnis KC. Editorial Commentary: Hamstrung: Do Sex Differences in Hamstring Injury Profile Necessitate a Different Approach to Rehabilitation and Prevention Programs in Female Athletes?. J Wom Sports Med. 2021;1(1):17-19. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v1i1.12
• Kantaros E, Tanaka MJ. Sex-Specific Differences in Perceived Injury Management and Prevention in High School Student-Athletes. J Wom Sports Med. 2021;1(1):30-37. doi:10.53646/jwsm.v1i1.3
• Churchill TW, Petek BJ, Wasfy MM, Guseh JS, Weiner RB, Singh TK, Schmied C, O'Malley H, Chiampas G, Baggish AL. Cardiac Structure and Function in Elite Female and Male Soccer Players. JAMA Cardiol. 2021 Mar 1;6(3):316-325. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2020.6088. PMID: 33263734; PMCID: PMC7711565.
• Lowenstein NA, Ostergaard PJ, Haber DB, Garvey KD, Matzkin EG. Sex differences in outcomes after arthroscopic bankart repair. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2020 Dec 30;6(1):e000965. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000965. PMID: 33437497; PMCID: PMC7780536.
• Churchill TW, Groezinger E, Loomer G, Guseh JS, Weiner RB, Wasfy MM, Levine BD, Baggish AL. Training-Associated Changes in Ventricular Volumes and Function in Elite Female Runners. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2020 Jun;13(6):e010567. doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.120.010567. PMID: 32482135.
• Tanaka MJ, Jones LC, Forman JM. Awareness of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury-Preventive Training Programs Among Female Collegiate Athletes. J Athl Train. 2020 Apr;55(4):359-364. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-150-19. Epub 2020 Mar 11. PMID: 32160059; PMCID: PMC7164562.