"Female Runners’ Perspectives of Coping With Relative Energy Deficiency" by April Rae Gunnoe

Date of Conferral

1-24-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Education and Promotion

Advisor

Carol Spaulding

Abstract

Relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S) impacts the physical, emotional, and psychological health of adult female runners. Previous RED-S inquiry has focused on identification and evaluation of symptoms, and although researchers have investigated ways in which yoga affects adult female runner’s physical and mental health, understanding about the potential impact of instructor-led yoga practice in the treatment and management of RED-S symptoms is limited. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to investigate the lived experiences of adult female runners practicing instructor-led yoga to cope with RED-S symptoms, using the health belief model as a framework. Eight volunteers shared their experiences by participating in a semi structured, one-on-one interview. Participants provided detailed, personalized accounts of their running and instructor-led yoga experience, interventions, and the strategies used to cope with RED-S symptoms. Participants also outlined the benefits and barriers encountered with instructor-led yoga and the factors involved in their decision to practice. Based on the interviews, instructor-led yoga was applied by all participants as an integrative coping strategy that included physical, mental, social, and emotional elements which exemplified how and why the women felt it impacted their symptoms. Findings indicate that instructor-led yoga may be an effective strategy to cope with RED S symptoms. This research has potential implications for positive social change because it adds to the limited data about female health issues from a woman’s perspective. Health education and promotion professionals may use the findings of this study to advance practice and policy to better support women experiencing RED-S symptoms.

Download

Share

 
COinS