Women in sports continue to suffer from misdiagnosed endometriosis, forcing them to suffer in silence. Why? Because they are concerned about the end of their career. This was the situation for Elinor Barker, a British track cyclist.
Endometriosis is a painful disorder in which tissue comparable to that found in the uterine lining grows outside of it. It causes severe cramping, back discomfort, nausea, and heavy menstrual cycles.
The average time it takes to be diagnosed for a condition that affects one out of every ten women is seven and a half years.
While this is a painful experience for any woman suffering from endometriosis, it is especially difficult for female athletes. Athletes risk losing their careers if they are viewed as a liability whose performance is hampered.
“It was excruciating.” Elinor Barker
Elinor Barker describes the discomfort as if “someone were ringing out her organs like a tea towel.”
Between her first doctor’s appointment and her operation after being diagnosed, the British cyclist competed in four World Championships, the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and a slew of other events.
Elinor was in discomfort for up to three and a half weeks per month throughout this time. Despite her difficulties, her coaches and teammates remained silent. They were worried about her being perceived as a high-risk option.
Elinor, as expected, had to withdraw from the Madison cycling tour due to her ailment. Such instances jeopardized her career by putting her money, support, and one-year contracts in danger.
Struggle to Be Open
In light of this, Barker states she found it difficult to open up about her problems when she was surrounded by so many males who made the decisions.
As a result, she disguised her agony as the result of a bad crash during one of her tours, which was caused by her endometriosis.
Many female athletes have come forward with the same complaint. They claimed it had a detrimental psychological impact on them because no one believed them, even when they were in excruciating pain.
More women in athletics are openly discussing such concerns with each other, their coaches, and the media, raising awareness and creating a more inclusive environment for women.
The medical and scientific communities in sport are now conducting more research than ever before into women’s health issues.
The EIS uses this to educate coaches and athletes on how to recognize and manage these health issues.
