Use of the Preparticipation Physical Exam in Screening for the Female Athlete Triad Among High School Athletes

Abstract

The female athlete triad comprises 3 individual but interrelated conditions associated with athletic training: disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Each condition is of medical concern, but when found within the triad, they can have serious medical consequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of preparticipation history and physical forms in high school athletic programs to screen for the triad, and to determine the prevalence of educational programs related to the female athlete triad. Results suggest that a majority of high school athletic programs are not adequately screening girls for the components of the triad, and schools lack educational programs targeting athletes and coaches. School nurses have the potential to play a vital role in the prevention and early identification of the triad through a preparticipation physical exam that specifically screens female athletes and in the implementation of educational programs for athletes and coaches regarding the disorders of the female athlete triad.