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REDS: Which Athletes at Risk of This Game-Changing Syndrome?

April 29, 2021

REDS, or Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome, can affect any athlete, of any age, but young female athletes are particularly at risk.

Stefanie Bourassa, Director of Physical Therapy at Hartford HeathCare’s Bone & Joint Institute, and Nicole LaVette, a Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery APRN with the Institute’s Women’s Sports Health Program, describe risk factors and symptoms of REDS, and how their holistic approach to treatment is helping to get athletes back on track.

They discuss REDS, or Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome, which is the result of insufficient caloric intake associated with excessive energy expenditure.

Those most at risk: High school athletes, considered a high-risk population because of their lifestyle. They often skip breakfast, barely eat lunch, go to practices and only eat dinner. Avid runners are also at risk because of the amount of calorie intake they require to run long distances.

Symptoms to watch for:

• Performance or energy levels dropping.
• Missed or irregular menstrual cycles.
• Frequent injuries or stress fractures.

The REDS team approach: A full team of providers available to see patients who fall into the REDS category. For those experiencing symptoms and who may be at risk, the phone number for musculoskeletal health triage is 860.972.5945.