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Women and Exercise: Physiology and Sports Medicine
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Second edition. Mona Shangold and Gabe Mirkin; eds. 330 pages. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis; 1994. $48.00.
The physiology of women and their response to exercise is an underemphasized area of study. Our knowledge of this subject has largely been extrapolated from work done on men, but as women form a greater proportion of the athletic population, it is essential that we address their unique needs. Title IX legislation, marking the advent of equality of collegiate athletics for both men and women, has encouraged women to compete at higher levels on the nation's athletic fields. Trainer, therapist, coach, and physician have been attempting to meet the needs of these athletes. Unfortunately, an understanding of the training, conditioning, nutritional, and psychological aspects of the female athlete remain poorly understood, largely because it is difficult to disseminate information among the various disciplines that treat the female athlete.
Woman and Exercise provides an excellent resource that can be used by persons in many disciplines. Much of the information is technically complex; however, the authors have distilled and presented it in a concise and understandable fashion.
The scope of this text is broad, covering everything from the basic science of physiology and nutrition to the clinical concerns of orthopedics, internal medicine, and psychiatry. The authors cover the lifetime of the female athlete, from adolescence through the reproductive years to menopause. The discussion of eating disorders is excellent, and the authors should consider expanding this section in future editions.
Women and Exercise: Physiology and Sports Medicine is an invaluable resource for the professional dealing with the female athlete. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in this field.
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