Since its passage in 1972, (7)Title IX has allowed women and girls to reap the benefits of sports and physical education.         
             Passed in 1972 as part of the Educational Amendments (7)  
             Prohibits discrimination against girls and women in
                federally-funded education, which  
                includes athletic programs (7)
              55%  of "post-Title IX" females have participated in sports,
                  compared to the 36% of "pre-Title IX" females. (7) 
              Women have received more athletic scholarships, 
                   and therefore increasing opportunities for higher education  
              The salaries for women's coaches has increased (7)
     
                            Department of Labor Title IX Description

Some physiological advantages of sports and fitness  are:

strength(3)
less fatigue (3)
endurance (3)
fewer aches and pains (3)
fewer colds and infections (3)
flexible joints and elasticity in joints and muscles (3)
  has  been shown to reduce risks of certain cancers, 
     heart disease, and osteoporosis  (3)

       Special Attention for  Women in Sports     

             
    As more and more females become active in sports, doctors, coaches, parents, and participants need to become more aware of potential physical and psychological conditions that can occur.   One major potential condition is called the  Female Athlete Triad.  The term was first described in 1992 by the American College of Sports Medicine (1).  This condition occurs when three disorders are present simultaneously: osteoporosis, amenorrhea, and disordered eating (1).  Females are  vulnerable to this condition because of the qualities that make them successful, such as competitiveness, perfection, and being goal-oriented (2).  Women in sports are particularly vulnerable to this condition when they participate in sports where weight can affect success.  These sports include gymnastics, figure skating, cross-country running, marathon running, triathlons, ballet, and swimming (2).    Women participating in these sports feel an extra push toward weight manipulation in order to attain perfection (1).  This condition is also bolstered by a society obsessed with weight and appearance.

    The three major components of this condition are disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis.

Disordered Eating
This component is originally initiated by attempts to lose weight which then develop into disordered eating (1).  The signs of disordered eating are:
                                    preoccupation with food and weight (1)
                                    restriction of food intake (1)
                                    frequent eating alone (1)
                                    self-criticism (1)
The intense fear of becoming fat that is experienced by these women is what leads to abnormal eating patterns and may eventually lead to anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (2).  In general, this condition can also cause severe muscle weakness, dehydration, and anemia (2).

Amenorrhea
This condition is characterized by a female reaching age 16 and not yet experiencing the onset of menstruation or the cessation of the menstrual cycle  without a reasonable cause, such as pregnancy (2).  Food restrictions, weight loss, and intense physical training may interfere with hormonal balances and disrupt the  menstrual cycle (1).   In the long term, women with amenorrhea have been shown to have difficulty becoming pregnant .

Osteoporosis
Due to amenorrhea, estrogen levels are low and calcium intake is reduced due to food restrictions and strict dieting.  This physical state is high risk for osteoporosis.  Short term consequences of osteoporosis for female athletes are frequent stress fractures (1), which would also affect training.  Long term consequences are much more detrimental and include permanent bone loss and damage (1).

Females with some of these symptoms should be screened for all others and treated for the existing conditions (1).  A multidisciplinary approach is needed for treatment of this condition (1).  Women must undergo treatment for disordered eating, which should return the menstrual cycle in time.  In some cases, women with this condition must also undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy for restoration of estrogen levels (1).

          Famous Athletes

Common Myths

Myth: Women are naturally inferior to men in terms of strength and speed.  Naturally, women just can't be as good as men in sports (6).
Fact: Not all men are faster and stronger than women.  Women on average have greater flexibility, greater percentage of body fat, and smaller size, which makes them just as good or better than men in some sports, including marathon swimming, marathon running, gymnastics,  and synchronized swimming (6).

Myth: Certain physical activities are too strenuous for women (3).
Fact: There is no such sport in which a female cannot compete.  There is no exercise that a woman is not physically suited for.  As previously mentioned, there are some sports that women are better suited for than men (3).

Myth: Exercise can cause a tilted uterus and make it harder for a woman to conceive or deliver a child (3).
Fact: These claims are completely untrue (3).

Myth: Vigorous exercise is unfeminine and will cause women to "bulk up" (3).
Fact: The development of muscles is dependent on the amount of androgen present, which women lack.  Therefore a woman's muscles will not become huge and bulky, but they will become smoother, firmer, stronger, and more toned (3).

Myth: Participation in contact sports can cause injury to the breast, causing them to sag and a blow to the breast may cause cancer (3).
Fact: Participation in any type of exercise has no effect on breast sagging or stretching; these are genetic factors.  However, women do need to protect their vulnerable areas just as the men do (3).