Latest news with #DEXA
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aurora Spine Surpasses 1,500 Successful Surgeries Using DEXA-C™
Award-Winning DEXA Technology™ Continues to Redefine Patient-Matched Spinal Care Please click to view image CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aurora Spine Corporation ('Aurora Spine' or the 'Company') (TSXV: ASG) (OTCQB: ASAPF), a leader in innovative spinal implant technology, is proud to announce that its DEXA-C™ system has now been successfully used in more than 1,500 cervical spine procedures across the United States. This milestone underscores the ongoing adoption and trusted performance of the DEXA Technology™ platform, which was honored with the Best Technology in Spine Award. Aurora's proprietary DEXA Technology™ is the world's first spinal implant platform intentionally engineered to match a patient's bone density across the entire BMD continuum, including normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic bone. Each implant is designed with an open, porous structure that promotes osseointegration and vascularization, and mimics the lattice architecture of human cancellous bone — resulting in a similar modulus of elasticity and better biomechanical compatibility. 'DEXA-C™ provides surgeons with the first tool that truly puts bone quality at the center of implant selection,' said Trent Northcutt, President and CEO of Aurora Spine. 'With over 1,500 successful surgeries behind us, the data is clear: this technology improves outcomes. And now, we're ready to take it even further as we build out our sales efforts for this platform technology and prepare launch for our second DEXA Technology-enabled product the DEXA-L, which will be rolled out later this year.' Aurora Spine is excited to announce the upcoming Q4 2025 launch of DEXA-L™, a standalone Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) system built on the same award-winning DEXA platform. Like DEXA-C™, the DEXA-L™ implant is designed to address the challenges of spinal fusion in patients with varying bone densities — especially those with osteoporosis. For decades, spinal implants were primarily developed for patients with healthy bone stock. However, these implants have demonstrated reduced performance in patients with low bone density, where traditional designs may lack sufficient bone-implant contact and fail to achieve long-term fixation. DEXA Technology™ directly addresses this clinical gap, offering a smart, density-matched solution for today's diverse patient population. Aurora continues its mission to bring personalized spine solutions to market, with a growing DEXA portfolio that includes cervical, lumbar, and sacroiliac fusion more information on DEXA Technology™ and Aurora's full product line, visit About Aurora Spine Aurora Spine is focused on bringing new solutions to the spinal implant market through a series of innovative, minimally invasive, regenerative spinal implant technologies. Additional information can be accessed at Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of Aurora Spine, including, without limitation, those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" in Aurora Spine's final prospectus (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information in this news release includes information concerning the proposed use and success of the company's products in surgical procedures. Aurora Spine cautions investors of Aurora Spine's securities about important factors that could cause Aurora Spine's actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements included in this news release. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ unilaterally from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the expectations set out herein will prove to be correct and, accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release and Aurora Spine does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Company Contacts: Aurora Spine Corporation Trent NorthcuttPresident and Chief Executive Officer(760) 424-2004 Chad ClouseChief Financial Officer(760) 424-2004 Investor Contact: Adam LowensteinerLytham Partners(646) 829-9702 Email: asapf@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aurora Spine Surpasses 1,500 Successful Surgeries Using DEXA-C™
Award-Winning DEXA Technology™ Continues to Redefine Patient-Matched Spinal Care Please click to view image CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aurora Spine Corporation ('Aurora Spine' or the 'Company') (TSXV: ASG) (OTCQB: ASAPF), a leader in innovative spinal implant technology, is proud to announce that its DEXA-C™ system has now been successfully used in more than 1,500 cervical spine procedures across the United States. This milestone underscores the ongoing adoption and trusted performance of the DEXA Technology™ platform, which was honored with the Best Technology in Spine Award. Aurora's proprietary DEXA Technology™ is the world's first spinal implant platform intentionally engineered to match a patient's bone density across the entire BMD continuum, including normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic bone. Each implant is designed with an open, porous structure that promotes osseointegration and vascularization, and mimics the lattice architecture of human cancellous bone — resulting in a similar modulus of elasticity and better biomechanical compatibility. 'DEXA-C™ provides surgeons with the first tool that truly puts bone quality at the center of implant selection,' said Trent Northcutt, President and CEO of Aurora Spine. 'With over 1,500 successful surgeries behind us, the data is clear: this technology improves outcomes. And now, we're ready to take it even further as we build out our sales efforts for this platform technology and prepare launch for our second DEXA Technology-enabled product the DEXA-L, which will be rolled out later this year.' Aurora Spine is excited to announce the upcoming Q4 2025 launch of DEXA-L™, a standalone Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) system built on the same award-winning DEXA platform. Like DEXA-C™, the DEXA-L™ implant is designed to address the challenges of spinal fusion in patients with varying bone densities — especially those with osteoporosis. For decades, spinal implants were primarily developed for patients with healthy bone stock. However, these implants have demonstrated reduced performance in patients with low bone density, where traditional designs may lack sufficient bone-implant contact and fail to achieve long-term fixation. DEXA Technology™ directly addresses this clinical gap, offering a smart, density-matched solution for today's diverse patient population. Aurora continues its mission to bring personalized spine solutions to market, with a growing DEXA portfolio that includes cervical, lumbar, and sacroiliac fusion more information on DEXA Technology™ and Aurora's full product line, visit About Aurora Spine Aurora Spine is focused on bringing new solutions to the spinal implant market through a series of innovative, minimally invasive, regenerative spinal implant technologies. Additional information can be accessed at Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of Aurora Spine, including, without limitation, those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" in Aurora Spine's final prospectus (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information in this news release includes information concerning the proposed use and success of the company's products in surgical procedures. Aurora Spine cautions investors of Aurora Spine's securities about important factors that could cause Aurora Spine's actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements included in this news release. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ unilaterally from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the expectations set out herein will prove to be correct and, accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release and Aurora Spine does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Company Contacts: Aurora Spine Corporation Trent NorthcuttPresident and Chief Executive Officer(760) 424-2004 Chad ClouseChief Financial Officer(760) 424-2004 Investor Contact: Adam LowensteinerLytham Partners(646) 829-9702 Email: asapf@
NDTV
12-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
One In Every Four Indians Is Skinny Fat. How Can You Lose Weight If You're One?
You might fit into a pair of jeans labelled 'medium' or have a BMI that falls in the 'normal' range and yet struggle with belly flab, feel sluggish, or lack toned muscles. If that sounds familiar, you're likely dealing with what's known as a skinny fat body type. It's a term that has become increasingly relevant in the world of health and fitness, especially on social media. A recent survey, released in March 2025 by the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), found that 28% of Indians (1 out of every 4) with a normal BMI also had excess body fat. It is also known as "thin-fat" or "metabolically unhealthy non-obese". What Is A Skinny Fat Body Type? According to Kanikka Malhotra, Clinical Dietician and Consultant Nutritionist, "People who appear skinny or have a normal BMI but have reduced muscle mass and a larger percentage of body fat are referred to by this term. You may be able to wear smaller clothing, but your body composition isn't as healthy as it appears." Dr Rakesh Durkhure, Head, General, MI and Bariatric Surgery (Unit IV), Artemis Hospitals, breaks it down further. "This happens when there isn't much muscle mass underneath, even though the body weight is normal. Most of the time, it's because of bad eating habits, not working out enough - especially strength training - and sitting too much," he says. Kushal Pal Singh, Fitness and Performance Expert, Anytime Fitness, a 24 hour health and fitness clubs, adds that skinny fat individuals usually carry excess fat around the abdomen (think beer belly) while having low muscle tone, making their bodies appear soft and flabby despite being lean. How To Figure Out If You're Skinny Fat The problem with skinny fat is that it might be difficult to figure out if you've a skinny fat body type. Here are some signs that might indicate you're skinny fat, as highlighted by the experts: You have a normal BMI but little to no muscle definition (A normal BMI range for adults is between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m²) Your body feels soft or flabby, especially in the belly, hips or thighs You don't strength train or eat enough protein You feel fatigued easily during workouts Your waist circumference is high despite a low body weight To be sure, Singh recommends tests such as a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), or a DEXA scan (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), which can determine your body fat percentage and muscle mass accurately. "Waist circumference (WHR) can also give you an indication of abdominal fat," he adds. Why Being Skinny Fat Is Dangerous For Your Health Looking slim doesn't always mean you're healthy. In fact, the skinny fat body type can hide serious internal issues, according to experts. Malhotra says, "Skinny fat is a risk for your health. Additional body fat and less than enough muscle on your body might increase your risk of various diseases." Such as: Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance Heart disease & high cholesterol High BP Fatty liver disease The main culprit? Visceral fat - the kind that surrounds your organs. It often goes unnoticed but causes inflammation and metabolic disruption. How To Lose Weight If You're Skinny Fat: A Complete Guide Losing weight when you're skinny fat is less about reducing kilos on the scale and more about changing your body composition. And that's all about decreasing fat and increasing lean muscle. Here's what experts have to say: 1. Prioritise Strength Training Over Endless Cardio Dr Durkhure says, "Strength training should be your top priority, 3-5 times a week. Do resistance exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and weightlifting." Malhotra agrees, also asks to: Lift weights 3-4 times a week Target all major muscle groups: legs, back, chest, arms and core Use progressive overload - gradually increase the weight or resistance Don't worry about bulking up. As Malhotra explains, "Building muscle will take a long to be visible and will make you overall leaner." 2. Be Strategic About Cardio While cardio must have a place in your workout schedule, too much of it can burn muscle instead of fat. Singh recommends: Do cardio 2-3 times a week Choose moderate-intensity activities such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling Include 1-2 short HIIT () sessions weekly Avoid long-duration endurance cardio which can erode muscle mass 3. Eat Smart Nutrition is the cornerstone of transforming a skinny fat physique. Experts stress the importance of a protein-rich diet. This includes 1.2 to 2 grams per kg of body weight, depending on training intensity. Remember to add: Lean protein: Chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, Greek yoghurt Whole foods: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains Healthy fats: Nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil Legumes and beans: Great for fibre and protein Experts also advise to avoid sugary drinks, deep-fried items, packaged snacks and refined carbs such as white bread and sugary cereals. "Begin with a calorie-restricted diet that creates a moderate deficit, but don't go too extreme - otherwise, you'll risk losing muscle," Singh adds. 4. Track Your Real Progress If you're skinny fat, your weight alone is a poor measure of progress. Malhotra advises: Use body measurements (waist, hips, arms) Take progress photos monthly Get periodic body composition tests Focus on non-scale victories: Are you lifting heavier? Do you have more energy? Do your clothes fit better? 5. Build Lifestyle Habits A ripped body isn't built in the gym alone. It's the small daily habits that compound over time. Experts suggest: Getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night for muscle recovery Hydrating yourself, as it aids in fat loss and muscle function Try to manage stress, as it the root cause of major problems, through yoga, walking or journaling - stress can elevate the cortisol hormone, which encourages fat storage. Bottomline With the right approach - combining weights, the right food, and patience - you can build a leaner, stronger, and healthier body, even if you're skinny fat.
Eyewitness News
11-06-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
The way we understand obesity is changing: What does it mean for South Africa?
If we are going to tackle the global rise in obesity, our understanding of the condition needs to change. That is according to a Lancet Commission convened by a global group of 58 experts from different medical specialties. While we have historically thought of obesity as a risk factor for other diseases like diabetes, the commission's recent report published in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology concludes that obesity is sometimes better thought of as a disease itself – one that can directly cause severe health symptoms (see part one of this series for a detailed discussion of this argument). By categorising obesity as a disease, public health systems and medical aid schemes around the world would be more likely to cover people for weight-loss drugs or weight-loss surgery, according to the report. At present, these services are often only financed if a patient's obesity has already led to other diseases. This is given that obesity is not viewed as a stand-alone chronic illness. But if we're going to redefine obesity as a disease, or at least some forms of it, then we need good clinical definitions and ways to measure it. For a long time, this has posed challenges, according to the Lancet report. THE PERILS OF BMI At present, health workers often rely on Body Mass Index (BMI) to gauge whether a patient is within a healthy weight range. BMI is measured by taking a person's weight in kilograms and dividing it by their height in meters squared. A healthy weight is typically considered to be between 18.5 and 25. A person whose BMI is between 25 and 30 is considered to be overweight, while someone with a BMI of over 30 is considered to have obesity. But according to the Lancet report, this is a crude measure, and one which provides very little information about whether a person is actually ill. One basic issue is that a person can have a high BMI even if they don't have a lot of excess fat. Instead, they may simply have a lot of muscle or bone. Indeed, the report notes that some athletes are in the obese BMI range. Even when a high BMI does indicate that a person has obesity, it still doesn't tell us where a person's fat is stored and this is vital medical information. If excess fat is stored in the stomach and chest, then it poses more severe health risks than when it is stored in the limbs or thighs. This is because excess fat will do more harm if it surrounds vital organs. The lead author of the Lancet report, Professor Frances Rubino, says that the pitfalls of BMI have long been understood, but practitioners have continued to use it. 'BMI is still by and large the most used approach everywhere, even though medical organisations have [raised issues] for quite some time,' he tells Spotlight. To deal with this problem, the report advocates for several alternative techniques for measuring obesity which offer more precision. The first option is to use tools that directly measure body composition like a DEXA scanner. This is a sophisticated x-ray machine which can be used to distinguish between fat, bone and muscle. It can also be used to determine where fat is concentrated. It's thus a very precise measurement tool, but the machines are expensive and the scans can be time-consuming. Alternatively, the report recommends using BMI in combination with another measure like waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio or simply waist circumference. If two of these alternative measures are used, then BMI can be removed from the picture. These additional metrics are clinically useful because they provide information about where fat is stored. For instance, a larger waistline inevitably indicates a larger stomach. Indeed, studies have found that above a certain level, a larger waist circumference is linked to a higher chance of dying early, even when looking at people with the same BMI. Related Posts The report thus offers a more accurate way to measure obesity in the clinical setting. But its authors argue that this is only the first step when making a diagnosis. The second is to look at whether a patient's obesity has actually caused health problems as this isn't automatically the case. They acknowledge for instance that there are some people with obesity who 'appear to be able to live a relatively healthy life for many years, or even a lifetime'. The report refers to these cases as 'preclinical obesity'. Such patients don't have a disease as such, according to the report, but still have an increased risk of facing health issues in the future. As such, the report's authors argue that they should be monitored and sometimes even treated, depending on factors like family history. By contrast, cases of obesity which have directly caused health problems are referred to as 'clinical obesity'. These cases, according to the report, should be treated immediately just like any other serious disease. It lists a series of medical symptoms associated with clinical obesity that would allow health workers to make an appropriate diagnosis. The recommendation is thus for health workers to determine whether a person has obesity through the metrics listed above, and then to determine whether it is clinical or preclinical by evaluating a patient's symptoms. This will inevitably guide the treatment plan. HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO SOUTH AFRICA? Professor Francois Venter, who runs the Ezintsha research centre at WITS university, says the Lancet report offers a good starting point for South Africa, but it has to be adapted for our own needs and context. 'It's a big step forward from BMI which grossly underdiagnoses and overdiagnoses obesity,' says Venter, who adds that additional metrics like waist circumference are a 'welcome addition'. The view that clinical obesity is a disease that needs to be immediately treated is also correct, according to Venter. Though he adds that the public health system in South Africa is not in a financial position to start handing out weight-loss medicine to everyone who needs it. 'The drugs are hugely expensive,' says Venter, 'and they have side effects, so you need a lot of resources to support people taking them.' But while it may not yet be feasible to treat all cases of clinical obesity in South Africa, Venter believes we should use the diagnostic model offered by the Lancet Commission to begin identifying at least some people with clinical obesity so that they can begin treatment. 'You have to start somewhere, and for that you need a good staging system,' he says. 'Let's use the Lancet Commission and start to see if we can identify a few priority people and screen them and start to work on the drug delivery system.' Yet while Venter believes that the commission makes important contributions, he also cautions that we need more data on obesity in Africa before we can apply all of its conclusions to our own context. 'If you go to the supplement of the Lancet Commission, there's not a single African study there. It all comes from Europe, North America and Asia. It's not the commission's fault but [there is a lack of data on Africa].' This is important as findings that apply to European or Asian populations may not necessarily hold for others. Consider the following case. As noted, the commission states that BMI is not sufficient to determine whether someone is overweight and must therefore be complemented with other measures. But it states that if someone's BMI is above 40 (way above the current threshold for obesity), then this can 'pragmatically be assumed' without the need for further measures. But this may not hold in Africa, says Venter. 'The commission says that if your BMI is over 40, which is very big, you can infer that this person has got obesity and they are sick and need to lose weight. I don't know if we can say that in Africa, where we often have patients who are huge, and yet they are very active, and when you [look at] their blood pressure and all their metabolics, they're actually pretty healthy,' he notes. 'So, I think they're sometimes jumping to conclusions about African populations that we don't have data on,' adds Venter. IS SOUTH AFRICA READY TO MOVE PAST BMI? Another concern is that while the Lancet Commission may offer useful recommendations for advanced economies, its starting assumptions may not be as relevant for countries like South Africa. For instance, while specialists agree that BMI is a crude measure of obesity, direct measures like DEXA scans are 'out of our reach economically', according to Professor Susan Goldstein, who leads PRICELESS-SA, a health economics unit at the South African Medical Research Council. And while supplementing BMI with the other metrics like waist circumference may be doable, health experts told Spotlight that at present healthcare workers in South Africa aren't even measuring BMI alone. Dr Yogan Pillay, a former deputy director-general at the national health department who now runs TB and HIV delivery at the Gates Foundation, told Spotlight: 'I can't tell you how few people in the public sector have their BMI monitored at all. Community health workers are supposed to be going out and measuring BMI, but even that's not happening'. Goldstein also suggests that the monitoring of BMI in South Africa is limited. 'If you go into the clinic for your blood pressure, do they say: 'How's your BMI?' No, I doubt that,' says Goldstein. 'It's just not one of the measures that [gets done].' She adds that South Africa could introduce the combination of metrics proposed by the commission, like waist circumference combined with BMI, but says it would simply require 'a lot of re-education of health workers'. PREVENTION VS TREATMENT For Goldstein, the commission is correct to regard clinical obesity as a disease which needs to be treated, but we also shouldn't view medication as the only way forward. 'We have to remember that prevention is very important,' says Goldstein. 'We have to focus on food control, we have to look at ultra-processed foods, and unless we do that as well [in addition to medication] we are going to lose this battle.' The National Health Department already has a strategy document for preventing obesity, but some of its recommendations have been critiqued for focusing on the wrong problems. For instance, to prevent childhood obesity, the strategy document recommends reforming the Life Orientation curriculum and educating tuck shop vendors so that both students and food sellers have more information about healthy eating. But as Spotlight previously reported, there are no recommendations to subsidise healthy foods or to increase their availability in poor areas, which several experts believe is more important than educational initiatives. Venter also highlights the importance of obesity prevention, though he emphasises that this shouldn't be in conflict with a treatment approach – instead, we need to push for both. 'The [prevention] we need to do is fix the food supply… and the only way you do that is to decrease the cost of unprocessed food.' But while this may help prevent future cases of obesity, it doesn't help people who are already suffering from obesity, says Venter. And since such people comprise such a large share of the population, we can't simply ignore them, he says. 'Even if you fix the entire food industry tomorrow, those [people who are already obese] are going to remain where they are because simply changing your diet isn't going to do diddly squat [when you already have obesity],' he adds. (Part 1 discusses this in more detail). Goldstein adds that increasing access to treatment would also inevitably reduce the costs of 'hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and a whole range of other illnesses if it's properly managed'. One way to advance access to medication would be for the government to negotiate reduced prices of GLP-1 drugs, she says. (Spotlight previously reported on the prices and availability of these medicines in South Africa here.) FUNDING A final concern that has been raised about the Lancet commission is about its source of funding. 'I don't know how one gets around this,' says Goldstein, 'but there were 58 experts on the commission, 47 declared conflicts of interest.' Indeed, the section of the commission that lists conflicts of interest spans over 2 000 words (roughly the size of this article). This includes research grants and consulting fees from companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which produce anti-obesity drugs. In response, Rubino told Spotlight that 'people who work in the medical profession obviously work and consult, and the more expertise they have, the more likely they are to be asked by somebody to advise. So sometimes people have contracts to consult a company – but that doesn't mean that they necessarily make revenue if the company has better sales. You get paid fees for your services as a consultant'. Rubino says this still has to be declared as it may result in some bias, even if it is unconscious, but 'if you wanted to have experts who had zero relationship [to companies] of any sort then you might have to wonder if there is expertise available there… the nature of any medical professional is that the more expertise they have, the more likely that they have engaged in work with multiple stakeholders'. For Venter, there is some truth to this. 'It's very difficult to find people in the obesity field that aren't sponsored by a drug company,' he says. 'Governments don't fund research… and everyone else doesn't fund research. Researchers go where the research is funded.' This doesn't actually solve the problem, says Venter, as financing from drug companies can always influence the conclusions of researchers. It simply suggests that the problem is bigger than the commission. Ultimately, he argues that the authors should at least be applauded for providing such granular details about conflicts of interest. Rubino adds that while researchers on the commission may have historically received money from drug companies for separate research studies or consulting activities, none of them received money for their work on the commission itself. 'This commission has been working for more than four years since conception… An estimate of how many meetings we had is north of 700, and none of us have received a single penny [for doing this],' he says. Disclosure: The Gates Foundation is mentioned in this article. Spotlight receives funding from the Gates Foundation but is editorially independent – an independence that the editors guard jealously. Spotlight is a member of the South African Press Council. This article first appeared on Spotlight. Read the original article here.
Rhyl Journal
09-06-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
LTA to support British women's tennis players' health
The initiative will offer bespoke support around education, nutrition and research as well as medical screening to optimise their performance and well-being. The programme has been designed to address specific challenges female athletes face, offering targeted interventions and expert guidance, led by LTA Chief Medical Officer Dr Guy Evans. Examples include offering medical screenings to all professional players supported via the LTA Player Pathway. These screenings are tailored around female health and menstrual cycles, and gives the athletes access to specialised medical support tailored to their physical reproductive health needs. A podcast series has been launched featuring discussions with leading experts to highlight and educate critical female health issues that impact elite athletes. DEXA scanning (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) has been introduced to assess bone mineral density, providing vital data on injury prevention and energy balance (Image: LTA) Pioneering research into understanding and mitigating health risks for female athletes has also been announced as well as a Pregnancy and Maternity Policy – the first of its kind in British tennis – to support players through pregnancy and postpartum recovery. LTA National Coach and former British No.1 Katie O'Brien said: 'The sporting health of our athletes is significantly important to us since this is awareness of female health has been growing massively in recent years since I was a player. 'We would like to thank Dr. Guy Evans for his leadership in driving work forward so we are able to support our British female players the best that we can and help them achieve their best performance.' In late 2024, the LTA launched a Breast Health and Bra Fitting Service for female players, highlighting the importance of wearing a correctly fitted sports bra for both performance and breast health. For the past two years, the LTA has hosted the UK Sports Gynaecology Conference at the National Tennis Centre, bringing together chief medical officers, gynaecological surgeons, and sports science experts to discuss and advance female athlete health. The 2025 event saw over 50 industry leaders gather in Roehampton, tackling issues such as low energy availability, gender-specific concerns in sport, and effective medical strategies for female athletes. Dr Evans added: 'These conferences provide a dedicated forum to discuss the care of elite female athletes across sports and disciplines. It allows sharing of knowledge, open discussion and healthy debate ensuring we provide optimal care for our female athletes. The conferences shine a light on some of the key topical issues such as low energy availability, sex and gender related issues in sport, and effective strategic planning related to the female athlete with the sporting setting.' Through these innovative and tailored initiatives, the LTA is setting new standards for female athlete health and support in tennis. By addressing medical needs, providing essential education, prioritising nutrition, and driving research, the LTA is empowering female athletes to thrive both on and off the court.
