TY - JOUR T1 - AMSSM thematic issue: care of the female athlete JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med SP - 283 LP - 283 DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2013-093389 VL - 48 IS - 4 AU - Elizabeth A Joy AU - Kelsey Logan Y1 - 2014/02/01 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/4/283.abstract N2 - Athletic opportunities for females have come a long way since the passage of Title IX in the USA in 1972, and the first Olympic women's marathon in 1984. More than three million girls participate in high-school sports each year in the USA; there have been consecutive increases in participation in the past 24 years. With a steady rise in participation, come the positives and negatives. The positives range from improved academic performance in school age individuals to enhanced well-being in older athletes, in addition to many other benefits that extend across the lifespan. Negative consequences are inevitable, but are largely preventable. In this issue, several articles highlight the impact of sports and exercise on the health of female athletes. Dr De Souza and colleagues1 review the existing literature and present guidelines on clearance … ER -