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So are those that play hockey, tennis, racquetball and soccer.
Any young female athlete who excels at her sport and is driven could develop female athlete triad — missed or irregular periods, eating disorders and osteoporosis, said Dr. Heather Christensen, a family practice physician at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare. Often girls with triad have high goals for themselves that start to become an obsession, she said.
"The pressure to do better and win no matter how you're feeling" is driving female athletes to the point of development of the three different diagnoses, Christensen said. The continued pushing is usually at the urging of outside sources, she said.
"We find that (females) are being really pushed as athletes in their teen years and in college," Christensen said.
When limits are stretched too far, female athlete triad — which is more common than realized — is cause for concern.
"That's why it is so important to screen and be aware," Christensen said, noting many coaches are aware of the risks.
Although the exact prevalence of the female athlete triad is unknown, studies have reported disordered eating behavior in 15 to 62 percent of female college athletes, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians Web site. Amenorrhea, the absence of menstral bleeding, occurs in 3.4 to 66 percent of female athletes, compared with only 2 to 5 percent of women in the general population, according to the AAFP.
Some components of the female athlete triad are often undetected because of the secretive nature of disordered eating and the commonly held belief that amenorrhea is a normal consequence of training, according to the AAFP.
The body can't handle the extra exercise, so periods stop. This can also happen because of the weight loss and restrictive eating.
"If (the athlete's) period has been regular and their period has stopped, that's a sign the exercise they're doing is putting more stress on the body than it should and we need to find a balance," Christensen said, adding nutrition and training can work together in finding that balance.
"It is important to keep having your period. If your period stops it needs to be addressed with a physician," she said.
When the athlete develops an eating disorder it is commonly anorexia, Christensen said. They usually have a fixed weight number in their head that is "often very unrealistic," she said.
During the development years, teens are also adding muscle, and developing breasts and hips which can also be confusing, Christensen said.
Long-term effects are "significant osteoporosis" and difficulty getting pregnant, Christensen said.
Puberty doesn't help the pressures, Christensen said. As the body changes, teenage athletes often can't run as fast and have to work harder, which can trigger more of the eating concerns, she said.
As a female athlete it is important to eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet, and exercise in amounts your body can handle, Christensen said.
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 791-8424, or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
