A Three Year Case Study with a Multidisciplinary Treatment of Relative Energy Deficiency and Anorexia in a Female Tennis Player

• Tennis is an all-year racket sport requiring qualities such as speed, agility, flexibility, and endurance, as competitions may last up to five hours.Elite players have an estimated daily need of carbohydrate (CHO) between 6-10 g/kg to sustain high amounts of training and frequent competitions. Low energy availability (LEA), over time, may impair both health and performance. LEA may cause metabolic suppression and altered hormone levels via hypothalamic–pituitary– gonadal axis (HPG). Female athletes with LEA have an increased risk of developing menstrual dysfunction, low bone mineral density (BMD), disordered eating behavior (DE) and an eating disorder (ED). This article provides a case-study of an internationally ranked female tennis player, with a recent performance-driven weight loss of 11 kg. She was diagnosed with functional hypothalamic primary amenorrhea (FHA) and anorexia nervosa (AN). The predetermined goal was to return to play and the treatment was based on the guidelines for relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDS-CAT). After three years of multidisciplinary interventions, the athlete safely returned to play. Her weight and body composition improved, her menstrual cycle was normalized and the diagnostically scores of AN indicated non-clinical significance. The multidisciplinary treatment enabled the athlete to return to play despite several years of LEA and AN.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Elite athlete

Bone health

Carbohydrates

Relative energy deficiency in sport

Eating disorder

Body composition

Tennis

Anorexia nervosa

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

vet (subject category)