Cut for performance: why women’s sports kit matters

By Jess Pinchbeck and Caroline Heaney

Image by Laura Rincón on Pexels

Why sports kit matters for women’s performance

The design and fit of women’s sports kit is increasingly recognised as a key factor in female sports participation and performance. While kit may seem trivial, evidence suggests that sportswear plays an active role in shaping athletes’ experiences, influencing comfort, safety, performance and empowerment of participants during sports performance.

Many women are still expected to wear sports kit that fits poorly, is impractical in colour, or unnecessarily sexualises their bodies.

These factors can discourage participation and affect performance at every level – from recreational sport to elite competition. This makes women’s sports kit a critical issue for those working with female participants, such as coaches, PE teachers and sport and exercise scientists.

The ‘shrink it and pink it’ problem in sportswear design

In many sports, particularly those traditionally considered ‘male’, women’s kit is created using a ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach. This means designs are based on standard male proportions and scaled down.

This reflects a wider research gap. Data shows that only around 6% of sports science research has focused exclusively on female athletes. This had led to women typically following training regimes and wearing footwear and clothing that has been designed based on research with male athletes.

As a result, women often have to adapt poorly fitting kit themselves. For example, footballers rolling waistbands for a better fit and women in martial arts altering uniforms to improve .

Improving female-focused sport and exercise science research is essential to designing kit that genuinely supports women’s bodies and performance.

Sexualisation of women’s sports kit

Image by H. B. from Pixabay

At the other end of the spectrum, sportswear designed specifically for women is often created to accentuate the female form. This contributes to the sexualisation of female athletes, with kit frequently designed to appeal to the male gaze. Compared to men’s sportswear, women’s kit is often more revealing, tighter fitting and less practical for movement and comfort.

Research suggests that tight, revealing clothing can reduce comfort and negatively affect performance. In recent years, many athletes are challenging these norms:

  • The Norwegian beach handball team wore shorts instead of traditional bikini briefs at the 2021 European Championships, to improve comfort and performance.
  • Gymnast Sarah Voss wore a full-body suit to compete in the 2021 European Championships making a stand against the sexualisation and the fear of exposure associated with wearing a leotard.

These actions highlight a growing movement to prioritise functionality, comfort and athlete autonomy over outdated expectations. Elite athletes are leading the way to drive change and stimulate discussion to alter the discourse around female athletes.

Why colour matters: menstruation and kit design

Sports kit colour, particularly white, is a major issue for many female athletes.

Research shows that wearing white kit can cause anxiety during menstruation due to concerns about the visibility of period blood – in sports such as rugby, tennis, and soccer. This is linked to wider societal pressures to conceal menstruation.

As a result, several high-profile changes have taken place, such as:

  • Wimbledon updated its dress code in 2023 to allow darker undershorts – the first significant shift in the iconic dress codes since 1877.
  • England women’s football and Ireland women’s rugby changed from white to darker shorts following player concerns.

Feminist acts such as these to resist uniform traditions can stimulate positive change, empower and develop agency amongst female athletes. All of which are important in the psychology of sport performance, influencing confidence and concentration, and facilitating the attainment of optimal performance.

Beyond the kit: challenging gender norms in sport

Sportswear doesn’t just affect performance – it can both challenge and reinforce traditional gender roles. Design choices reflecting societies’ ideas of what is ‘feminine’ can shape how women are viewed in the sporting environment and how female athletes are discussed and valued.

For example, in 2011 the Amateur International Boxing Association suggested skirts could make female boxers appear more ‘elegant’ and help distinguish them from their male counterparts. Two national teams (Poland and Romania) briefly mandated this approach, with the Polish coach Leszek Piotrowski stating “By wearing skirts, in my opinion, it gives a good impression, a womanly impression. Wearing shorts is not a good way for women boxers to dress”. However, this proposed skirt uniform was widely contested and refuted by the majority.

There is growing recognition that sports kit should be designed around function, inclusion and athlete experience – not outdated stereotypes.

Designing better sports kit for women and girls

To improve women’s sport experiences, sports kit should be designed for the female body for practical and performance reasons, not to confirm to societies’ acceptance and without sexualising the athlete.

Key considerations include:

  • Offering a wider range of sizes, fits and lengths
  • Providing choice in styles (e.g. shorts, leggings, bodysuits)
  • Avoiding ‘one-size-fits-all’ or unisex solutions.

Positive changes are already emerging. Both England Netball and Netball Australia have broadened uniform options in response to players’ calls for choice and inclusivity. Players can now wear combinations such as shirts, bodysuits, shorts, long pants and more.

These developments support body confidence, inclusion and performance optimisation.

What needs to change next?

The design of sports kit can either facilitate or hinder women’s participation and performance in sports.

To drive meaningful change, the sport and exercise sector must:

  • Invest in female-specific research
  • Listen to the lived experiences of female athletes
  • Design kit that prioritises comfort, function and choice
  • Challenge outdated traditions and gender norms.

By raising awareness of the intricacies of this through research and teaching it is possible to improve the knowledge of those working with girls and women to support choice and empowerment when it comes to sportswear design. Working together, those within the sport and exercise field can promote a more inclusive and empowering sport environment for female athletes.

Interested in sport, performance and inclusion?

Studying sport and exercise can help you understand how factors like sports kit influence performance, identity and participation.

At The Open University, you can explore these topics through flexible, research-led study designed to reflect real-world challenges in sport today.

Exercise and mental health: understanding why movement works (and when it doesn’t)

By Caroline Heaney

Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay

Why mental health challenges are rising – and why it matters

Modern day life places challenges on our mental health whether it be pressures from social media, balancing work/study/home life, financial pressures, or processing the state of the world currently.

An NHS Survey (2025) found that the prevalence of mental health conditions is at an all-time high in the UK. For example, 20.2% of adults in England were reported to be living with a common mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety in 2023/4, compared to 15.5% in 1993 and 18.9% in 2014. Young people appear to be at significant risk with the survey indicating that the prevalence has risen from 17.5% in 2007 to 25.8% in 2023/4 amongst those aged 16–24 years.

This means more people are actively looking for ways to support their mental health, including through movement and exercise.

Can exercise improve mental health? (Short answer: yes)

This rise in mental health problems places a significant strain on mental health support services.

The cost of mental ill health in the UK is estimated at £300 billion per year, and long waiting lists for support services can mean people don’t always get help quickly, often leading to further deterioration (The Big Mental Health Report 2025).

There are various treatment options available including talking therapies and medication, but medication is reported to be the most common treatment for mental health problems.

Exercise has been suggested as an alternative or additional treatment for those with mental health problems, but does it actually work?

The short answer is yes.

Exercise for mental health: what the evidence says

Exercise can be used both in the prevention and treatment of mental health problems. Regular physical activity can play a key role in both preventing and managing conditions such as anxiety and depression.

In their review of existing research Rahmati et al. (2024) found that people who were physically active had a significantly lower risk of developing depression and anxiety. Similarly, exercise can help people who already have mental health conditions to manage or reduce their symptoms. In their review of existing research Noetel et al. (2024) concluded that exercise was an effective treatment for depression.

Photo by Sweet Life on Unsplash

Depending on the severity of symptoms, exercise can be used on its own or alongside other treatments as part of a broader plan, under the guidance of a mental health professional.

Despite its benefits, exercise is still a relatively underused form of treatment for mental health conditions, although there are several GP referral and social prescribing programmes in existence that successfully support people through exercise.

Given the benefits to mental health, some people have questioned whether failing to prescribe exercise is unethical. Prescribing exercise seems like a sensible idea especially considering that it has multiple other health benefits (e.g., reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, etc).

Why does exercise improve mental health?

There are several potential explanations for the link between exercise and mental health, including:

  • Feel-good factor – Exercise triggers the release of chemicals in the body such as endorphins that make us feel good, boost wellbeing and reduce stress
  • Improved mood and energy – Movement can help regulate emotions and increase motivation
  • Reduced tension – Exercise lowers physical symptoms of stress such as muscle tension
  • Distraction – Exercise can provide a mental break from worries and pressure
  • Social connection – Exercising with others can reduce isolation and provide social support
  • Healthy redirection – Movement offers a constructive way to process difficult feelings (e.g. feeling of anger might be reduced by punching a punchbag or going for a run)
  • Sense of control – Exercise can help restore structure and routine, which is important when it feels like other things in your life are out of control
  • Nature and environment – Outdoor activity supports can give us an opportunity to engage with nature/green spaces which can boost wellbeing
  • Self-confidence – Engaging in exercise can improve self-esteem
  • Better sleep – Regular exercise can support healthier sleep patterns, which is important for mental health.

When exercise can harm mental health: burnout, addiction and pressure

While exercise generally has a positive impact on mental health, there are times when it can have a negative impact.

A key example is exercise addiction (also known as exercise dependence), where someone feels a compulsive need to exercise, even when it leads to injury, illness or other negative life consequences (Hausenblas & Symons Downs, 2002). In these cases, the relationship with exercise becomes unhealthy, rather than positive.

There is some evidence to suggest that people with mental health conditions may be more vulnerable to developing exercise addiction. This is why building a healthy relationship with exercise is essential, including seeking advice from your GP or mental health professional when starting an exercise programme if you have a diagnosed mental health condition, and exercising under the guidance of a fitness professional.

A well-structured exercise programme that supports mental health will include rest and recovery, flexibility and realistic expectations. Failure to do this can lead to overtraining, burnout and addiction.

Pressure, performance and mental health in sport

Whilst exercise can reduce stress, sport and mental health don’t always have a simple relationship. For some — particularly elite athletes — pressure and performance expectations can actually increase mental health challenges.

Some research suggests that rates of anxiety and depression may be higher in elite sport compared to the general population. Several high-profile athletes such as Simone Biles and Joe Marler have spoken publicly about their challenges.

Mental health challenges are particularly common when athletes retire, often due to a loss of identity, something that is discussed in this free Open University course The athlete’s journey: transitions through sport.

What studying sport and exercise teaches you about mental health

The links between sport, exercise and mental health are something you can study and apply professionally.

Studying a degree in sport and exercise helps you understand:

  • How sport and exercise influence mental health
  • Different mental health conditions
  • How stress affects the body and mind
  • The science behind exercise and wellbeing
  • The importance of designing balanced programmes with rest and recovery
  • Motivation and behaviour change

From understanding to impact: careers in sport, exercise and wellbeing

This knowledge can lead to a range of careers where you support others to improve their mental health, including:

  • Fitness instructor or personal trainer
  • Work in GP referral or social prescribing programmes
  • Sports coaching
  • Community sport
  • PE or youth sport
  • Sport and exercise psychology.

These roles focus on helping people thrive – not just physically, but mentally and sustainably.

Conclusion: exercise and mental health – it’s about balance

As a low-cost, accessible and effective tool, exercise plays a powerful role in supporting mental health. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Knowing when exercise helps, and when it doesn’t, is key.

Supervised and well-balanced exercise programmes can maximise benefits while reducing risks such as burnout, overtraining and unhealthy relationships with exercise.

Studying sport and exercise, such as through courses at The Open University, can give you the knowledge and skills to apply this understanding responsibly and help others do the same.

 

 

 

What is sustainability and what does it have to do with sport and exercise?

By Jim Lusted

Photo of a boy on a beach in a football hat holding up a sign saying 'save the' with a picture of the planet under the text

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

Sustainability is an increasingly ‘hot’ topic in sport and exercise. You will find it featuring in the strategic objectives of many sport organisations who are developing sustainability ‘objectives’, ‘plans’,  ‘policies’ and the like. You may have also heard it mentioned alongside major sporting events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the FIFA World Cup (see the sustainability strategy for the 2026 competition here). There is also an increasing recognition that many sports (at least in their current form) are ‘unsustainable’; that is, if things stay as they are, activities like winter sports or exercising in extremely hot climates are going to look very different in the years ahead.

So… what exactly is sustainability? What does it consist of? How might someone – whether an individual or a global organisation – go about being ‘sustainable’? What might be considered ‘unsustainable’? And what has all this got to do with sport and exercise? I have written this blog give you a short, snappy guide to the term, so that when you come across it next time, you might feel a little clearer about what it means.

Sustainability – a definition

Let’s start with a broad definition. One of the most common definitions used here is the one that comes from the United Nations (UN) Bruntland Commission from way back in 1987, which describes sustainability as:

“…meet[ing] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Bruntland Commission, 1987)

This comes from a huge 300-page report that was produced by the commission. If you are curious, you can find it in the link above – skip to point 27 of Part 1 of the report to read the full passage. The reference to meeting people’s needs means how we make use of the planet’s natural resources, such as trees, water, oil and land in our daily lives. In simple terms, sustainability means ensuring we make use of such resources in a way that protects their availability for future generations.

Two of the major outcomes of unsustainable practices that have been a feature of recent history relate to

  • how much and how quickly we are using these resources
  • the wider impact that this use has on the climate

Let’s explore these a little further.

What is the ‘replacement rate’?

The term replacement rate has been used to describe the balance between the rate of our use of natural resources and the rate they are replenished. A simple example of this is: how many trees are chopped down in relation to new trees being planted. It is argued that we have been consuming too many such resources at too fast a rate for them to be naturally replaced. This is threatening their availability for future generations to make use of. Check out the video below which used the analogy of a bath tub to explain the replacement rate (skip to 0:40). It suggests that the ‘water’ level of the global resources bathtub is continually lowering, in large part due to our unnecessary over-consumption of them (going down the plughole…).

Climate change

One result of this over-consumption of resources is the effect it can have on climate change. For example, burning fossil fuels such as wood, oil and coal releases ‘greenhouse’ gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contribute to rising global temperatures leading to more frequent extreme weather events like flooding, storms and extreme heat conditions. Sport and exercise is both a contributor to climate change (through carbon emissions) and is under significant threat of its consequences. The future of many sport and exercise activities are at risk specifically due to climate change (Larneby et al., 2025).

Systems thinking

The impact of climate change is felt both locally and right across the world, which reminds us that sustainability is a global issue. The way we meet our needs is increasingly global in nature and this process involves many interconnections across the world. Think about the clothes you are currently wearing, or the mobile phone or laptop you are reading this blog from – the manufacture and transporting of these products involve a complex ‘system’ of processes involving people and resources from all over the planet. In some cases, those employed in making these items have faced very poor working conditions and rights – which are directly connected to the price you pay for the item and the higher profits made by the companies that sell them. The term ‘systems thinking’ helps make sense of how the use of resources involves complex interconnections between many people around the world, sometimes with unsustainable outcomes.

The 3 Ps, 3 Es and the triple bottom line

As the previous example suggests, sustainability concerns are not just limited to the environment, climate change and over-consumption. Sustainability also involves debates about how we should be living our lives and leaving a positive legacy for future generations. Terms such as:

  • the 3 Ps – people, profit, planet
  • the 3 Es – environment, economy, equity
  • the ‘triple bottom line’ – financial, social and environmental performance indicators

are used to highlight three major aspects of sustainable development. The United Nations has taken this further to identify 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) – you can find out more about these here.  This shows that a sustainable future must take into consideration not only the protection of the environment but also the development of a sustainable economy and society.

How sustainable are your trainers?

A photo of a pair of trainers on some grass next to a plastic water bottle

Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels

Let’s bring this all to and end with an example from the sport and exercise sector. Imagine you buy a new pair of trainers online – not necessarily because you need a new pair but you want to try a new brand or style (over-consumption). They have probably been made in a different country, by people with very different working conditions to your own, using a variety of materials (i.e., rubber, cotton, or plastics) from multiple locations (systems thinking). The factories where these trainers are made need resources (i.e., energy and water), that are often used up much faster than they can be replaced, causing over-consumption (replacement rate). If factories burn fossil fuels during production or transport, this can emit greenhouse gases that add to rising temperatures (climate change).

This current approach to trainer manufacture and consumption can therefore be seen to be unsustainable. A more sustainable approach to making and using trainers would include ensuring workers are paid fairly, have decent rights including safe conditions (people / equity). Trainer companies should also reduce waste and pollution through the manufacturing and transporting process, using renewable energy and resources where possible – consumers may also look to only replace their trainers when really needed, while also considering re-use, repair and second hand options (planet / environment). While the company still needs to make a profit to continue trading, their performance should not solely be measured in financial terms (profit / economy), but by considering the triple bottom line as an indicator of success.

This whistle-stop tour of the basics of sustainability should help make you a little more aware of the background of this ‘buzzword’ when you next read or hear about it in a sport or exercise related context. It may also help you to reflect both on your own approach to sustainability and the contribution of sport and exercise to a more sustainable future for you and your planet!

References

Bruntland Commission (1987) ‘Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future’ United Nations. Available at: http://un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf . Accessed 1st May 2026.

Larneby, M., Svensson, D., & Hedenborg, S. (2025). Challenges, tensions and opportunities: sport and climate change. Sport in Society, 28(10), 1429-1433.

Nayak, R. (2025). Sportswear and activewear: Analysis of recent trends from sustainability standpoint. In Sustainable Sportswear and Activewear (pp. 1-22). Elsevier.

Jumping into biomechanics: a beginner’s guide to double mini trampoline

By Kat Allott

I’m Kat, a lecturer in Sports Biomechanics within the Sport and Fitness team at The Open University, and I am also an internationally competitive Double Mini Trampoline (aka DMT) gymnast. It was trampolining that sparked my initial interest in biomechanics and how humans generate and control movement.

Trampolining was first introduced into the Olympic programme in Sydney, 2000, and with GB’s Bryony Page jumping to trampolining gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the sport’s profile has continued to rise in the UK. My passion, however, lies in DMT, a lesser-known trampoline discipline.

DMT is showcased at the World Games: an international multisport event often described as ‘the Olympics for non-Olympic sports’, where the top gymnasts in the world compete head-to-head for the World Games title. As well as exploring the sport of DMT, this blog focuses on what biomechanics is and how it can be used to understand technique, improve performance and reduce injury risk.

What is Double Mini Trampoline?

Although not part of the Olympics (yet!), DMT is a thrilling sport which involves sprinting down a 20 m runway and launching into powerful acrobatic skills… before landing as neatly as possible! As the name suggests, double mini trampolines are smaller than regular trampolines, but don’t be fooled: DMT favours gymnasts who can perform big, powerful skills. There are two points of contact with the DMT: an angled section and a flat section, where a gymnast links together two somersault skills before landing on a mat: the combined sequence of skills is called a ‘pass’. Here’s a video of me performing a pass at the 2025 British Championships:

How is a DMT pass scored?

Gymnasts are scored on three elements:

  1. The difficulty of the two somersault skills – how complex are the skills?
  2. Execution – how well do they perform the skills?
  3. Landing – did they stick with both feet in the red box?

The DMT is just 92 cm wide, so accuracy in landing on the trampoline each time to perform the two skills is key to success. As gymnasts progress in the sport, they can learn to flip with multiple somersaults and twists. For coaches and gymnasts, a key focus is the take-off for each skill, as this essentially determines all three of the scoring elements. Applying biomechanics can support coaches in helping athletes to develop their proficiency in their take-offs and consequently their performance of somersault skills.

What is biomechanics and how can it benefit DMT performance?

Human biomechanics applies the laws of physics to understand how and why people move the way they do. Sports biomechanics is the study of athletic movements to identify how to optimise performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Typically, biomechanists break down movements into phases to understand how each part contributes to the overall performance. DMT can be split into the run up, take-off, flight phase, and landing. As previously mentioned, the take-off for each skill is important. This is because jumping as high as possible gives the gymnast more time to complete a skill before they have to land. To achieve a good take-off, a gymnast runs quickly before jumping onto the DMT, which helps them to push down hard into the trampoline bed (in biomechanics we call this an applied force). Applying more force into the trampoline bed depresses the springs further and causes them to recoil more and push the gymnast higher into the air (this is literally the trampoline effect!), which maximises their vertical velocity (how quickly they are moving upwards) and their ability to start somersaulting (in biomechanics we call this angular momentum). In short, the more force a gymnast can apply to the trampoline, the higher they can bounce and the faster they can spin.

Why is the take-off so important?

Once the take-off has been completed and the gymnast is in the air, their angular momentum cannot change because there are no external forces pushing on them. If a gymnast takes off for a somersault in a straight body position but doesn’t achieve enough height at the correct angle on take-off, they could under-rotate their somersault: this increases the risk of not landing the skill upright and on their feet. In this situation, there is an escape route to avoid crash landing, and some biomechanical principles can help the gymnast here! By bending at their hips and knees – i.e. curling up into a tuck shape, they can speed up their spin, allowing them to safely land on their feet. So, whilst their angular momentum cannot change in the air, they can manipulate their body shape to become smaller and speed up their rotation in the air (in biomechanics we call this component of angular momentum the moment of inertia, which is the amount of resistance to change in rotation).

Performing a skill in a tucked (compared to a piked or straight) position receives a lower difficulty score from the judges, but if the take-off is compromised, and the gymnast has a choice between landing on their face or their feet, a tucked position may be the safer option! Even though they may not necessarily understand the biomechanical principles behind why they do it, experienced gymnasts will tend to intuitively change their shape, demonstrating a real-world application of biomechanics to support performance. Of course, compromising the take-off is not the only reason for changing shape in the air: gymnasts choose to perform somersaults and twists in different shapes which makes for exciting and varied routines to watch!

Twisting and landing safely

Biomechanics can also unlock insight into how best to perform somersaults with twists. It is possible to generate twist from the trampoline bed, but this action is likely to cause the gymnast to travel sideways. Remember, the trampoline bed is only 92 cm wide so any sideways movement may result in injury (I speak from personal experience…). The main method of twisting during straight somersaults is to tilt the body by producing asymmetrical arm movements before bringing them in close to the body. The gymnast can then reverse the arm movement to stop their twist and prepare for a controlled landing. During piked and tucked somersaults, gymnasts can twist by moving their hips to one side as they extend their legs [1].

There are various measures to ensure the safety of gymnasts during training when learning these complex skills: this includes landing on mats of different thicknesses to absorb impact, performing skills into foam pits, or using a harness: the harness allows coaches to control the movement of the gymnast to ensure their safety. Strength and conditioning is also vital so gymnasts can cope with the repetitive forces they experience during training and competition: trampolining can involve accelerations of around 6 G. Compare that to the 5 G forces that F1 drivers can experience [2], and you can start to see why strength and conditioning is important!

Of course, mastering the take-off, performance, and landing of complex somersaulting skills takes years of practice. Biomechanists have many tools that can help with understanding the aspects of technique that will improve performance, as well as reduce the risk of injury. Even the DMT itself has biomechanics applied to its design and development to ensure the right balance of safety and performance.

Biomechanics can show how a seemingly easy performance may in fact be comprised of complex components of technique, helping us to appreciate just how impressive the performances of these skills are!

Feeling inspired?

Double Mini Trampoline is a captivating world of somersaults and twists that combines speed, power, and control, all of which are underpinned by biomechanical principles. A good understanding of biomechanics can allow coaches to help gymnasts maximise their performance and reduce injury risk by:

  • Learning skills consistently and with the correct technique
  • Building the necessary strength to meet the demands of the sport

Feeling inspired to jump into the world of biomechanics? To find out more about biomechanics visit: https://www.cases.org.uk/spage-divisions-biomechanics_and_motor_behaviour.html and to find out more about getting involved in Double Mini Trampoline (participating clubs, available courses, and more) visit: https://www.british-gymnastics.org/.

 

References

[1] Yeadon, F. (2000). The physics of twisting somersaults. Physics World, 13, 33-37.

[2] G-Force and Formula One: Explained – Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.

Blood, bruises and belief: how England’s women’s rugby team embody physical and mental endurance

Blood, bruises and belief: how England’s women’s rugby team embody physical and mental endurance

France v England Women’s Rugby World Cup Semi Final 2025.
Photo by Alex Davidson – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images

Helen Owton, The Open University

As women’s sport surges on the global stage, hosts England have lit up the Women’s Rugby World Cup. But the tackles, speed and power fans see on the field are only part of the story. What we don’t see is what it takes – both physically and psychologically – to wear England’s emblem, the Red Rose.

The psychology of rugby shapes every performance. Behind the scenes lie early mornings, lonely and punishing rehab sessions, playing through pain, brutal setbacks, private doubts and personal sacrifices.

Before the whistle blows and the crowd roars, players stretch aching muscles, re-tape old injuries and mentally lock in. The changing room becomes a crucible – a place of intense pressure and transformation – where focus sharpens, rituals are repeated and the “game face” goes on.

That game face is more than a stare. It’s the product of years of physical and psychological battles. It’s the mindset that lets an athlete walk into the arena with purpose and conviction, no matter what pain or setbacks they’ve endured.

Consider Emily Scarratt, one of England’s most celebrated players. In 2023 a surgeon advised her to retire after a complex neck injury threatened her career. Opting for an artificial disc replacement near her windpipe was risky – any operation that close to the airway and spinal cord carries the danger of nerve damage or breathing complications – and career-defining because the operation’s success or failure would determine whether she could ever play again.

Her February 2024 return wasn’t just about regaining fitness. It was also about showing the mental steel that “game face” represents, blocking out fear and doubt to perform at the sport’s highest level. At 35, she became the first England player to feature in five Rugby World Cups.

Abi Burton’s comeback is equally astonishing. Just three years ago she was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis – a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the brain, causing inflammation and severe neurological symptoms – and placed in a medically induced coma. She woke four weeks later unable to walk, talk, read or write and more than 19 kg lighter. After years of rehabilitation, she made her World Cup debut against Samoa in 2025.

Rosie Galligan’s road back was just as brutal. She nearly lost her legs to meningitis in 2019, then fractured an ankle in early 2020, which sidelined her for over a year. Told by medical specialists and coaches more than once that she might never play again, she fought back to the delayed 2022 World Cup and is now a standout player for 2025.

These headline comebacks highlight something the public rarely sees: the daily grind of resilience. Managing concussions and torn ligaments, coping with the psychological toll of repeated setbacks; just staying in the game takes an immense toll and can lead to player burnout without strong support. Ellie Kildunne, ruled out of the quarter-final with head-injury symptoms, has spoken openly about the mental strength needed to survive the toughest moments, calling the internal battles “the hardest to win”.

So, while England may look clinical and composed on the pitch, every performance requires extraordinary emotional and mental strength. And the players are not doing it alone. Behind every recovery and every small gain is a network of coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, doctors and support staff working to keep the foundations solid.

None of this happens by accident. It’s the result of years of sustained investment in the women’s game: not just in players, but in the infrastructure around them. Since 2009, nearly £50 million in National Lottery funding has gone into girls’ and women’s rugby.

The Impact 25 legacy programme – World Rugby’s initiative to grow the women’s game before, during and long after the 2025 tournament – is injecting a further £12 million to expand grassroots pathways: community-level coaching, clubs and player-development routes that help girls progress from school or local teams into elite rugby across England and the home nations.

Elsewhere the contrast is stark. Teams such as Samoa have had to fundraise just to get players on the pitch: a sharp reminder of the global inequalities that persist in women’s sport. While England can rotate two professional squads, other national teams are simply trying to cover basic costs.

England’s story shows what’s possible when talent is matched with belief and when belief is backed with resources and support. England’s success hasn’t come easy: it’s the product of years of grit, resilience and bold investment. If women’s rugby is to grow globally, England’s blueprint may be a powerful place to start.

Helen Owton, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, The Open University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Student Stories: Ralph Slaney

New #TeamOUstudent Ralph Slaney has recently featured on the @OpenUniversity TikTok account. Check out Ralph’s videos below.

In the first video we see Ralph’s journey to becoming an Open University student. In the second video Ralph shares some of his top tips for preparing for Open University study and in the third video he shares his advice on managing stress as a student.

@theopenuniversity

Meet OU Student Ralph, who starts his Bsc Sport Fitness and Coaching this October! ⚽️#openuniversity #sportfitness #studyinspo

♬ original sound – The Open University

@theopenuniversity

Preparing to start your first year with the OU can be so exciting! This is how @Ralph Slaney helped prepare for his!#studytips #onlinelearning #sportstudent #openuniversity

♬ fresh – nanaacom

@theopenuniversity

We appreciate that sometimes studying can feel like climbing a steep hill… don’t worry, there are ways of giving yourself a boost! This is how Ralph manages his stress during his OU degree! #sportsandfitness #wellbeing #OU #theopenuniversity

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Concussion, identity loss, depression: boxing’s toughest opponent isn’t in the ring – it’s mental health

Concussion, identity loss, depression: boxing’s toughest opponent isn’t in the ring – it’s mental health

Hatton, who won 45 of his 48 professional bouts across an esteemed 15-year career, last fought professionally in 2012.
Go My Media/Shutterstock

Helen Owton, The Open University

Ricky Hatton’s death has reignited an all-too-familiar conversation about mental health in sport. Hatton had spoken openly about his long battle with depression, as well as the drug and alcohol addiction that began after his 2007 defeat to Floyd Mayweather.

Research shows that how a boxer thinks – their beliefs about success, identity and failure – can become harmful in the high-stakes context of the sport. The perfectionism and “must-win” mindset mean even a single loss can feel catastrophic.

The constant pressure of “winning at all costs” has negative consequences: for some, losing a fight is not just a professional setback but an identity crisis, laced with shame, guilt and a sense of personal failure.

This danger is especially acute for fighters who rise from humble beginnings to fame and glory. For a boxer, the fear of irrelevance or of being forgotten can trigger depression, anxiety and despair. When vulnerability is seen as weakness, many simply bottle up their emotions, compounding their internal struggle.

Hatton himself acknowledged in 2020 that mental-health problems are widespread in boxing. The sport is brutal by design, subjecting fighters to repeated blunt-force trauma to the head and body. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an accepted risk.

This trauma has been linked to a wide range of acute, subacute and chronic neurological and psychological complications, such as concussion, post-concussion syndrome (when the symptoms of a concussion don’t fade after the usual recovery period but linger for months or even longer), depression, anxiety, cognitive decline and movement disorders, and in some tragic cases even death in the ring.

Repetitive TBI is associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive disease once colloquially known as “being punch drunk”. CTE affects memory, mood and behaviour and is among boxing’s most severe long-term health risks.

While head trauma is a physical injury, its impact on mental health is profound. Damage to the brain can impair emotional regulation, increase impulsivity and heighten vulnerability to depression and suicidal thoughts. Yet for all this risk, boxing offers very few long-term support systems – something Hatton himself criticised.

Outside the ring, boxers face other pressures that rarely make headlines. The extreme weight cuts required for competition can alter brain chemistry and destabilise mood. The punishing solitude of training camps and the stress of maintaining a public persona feed into chronic stress.

Then there is the challenge of early retirement. Most athletes have a short competitive life, often retiring in their thirties – a transition many struggle with. Instead of relief, retirement can be a rupture: daily structure disappears, the roar of the crowd fades and with it the sense of purpose, identity and belonging.

With their athletic identities tied so closely to performance and public image, stepping away can feel like vanishing. Many athletes retire without financial security, career direction or a support network, leaving them exposed to loneliness and psychological decline.

Boxing has long offered a ladder out of working-class hardship to fame, fortune and respect. Hatton, like Tyson Fury and Frank Bruno, rose from humble beginnings to become a world champion and national hero.

But the climb from gritty local gyms to Las Vegas spotlights can be steep – and the fall steeper still. The gulf between where fighters start and where they end up can create a deep sense of dislocation. For working-class athletes, the pressure to stay strong, stoic and successful, even when struggling inside, can be overwhelming.

This is intensified by boxing’s enduring culture of hyper-masculinity. The “show no weakness” mentality may breed champions in the ring, but it can be deadly outside it. The sport’s traditional ethos – resilience, toughness, silence – often prevents fighters from seeking help. The stigma around mental health means many endure private battles in silence, where loneliness prevails.

The sport teaches resilience, emotional control, body awareness, the physical self-control that comes from disciplined training, mental focus and self-belief. For some, boxing gyms are sanctuaries that offer structure, mentorship and a reinvention of the self, especially for those overlooked or underestimated by society. But the sport also reveals the danger of fighting your battles alone.

The challenge now is to shift boxing’s culture so that vulnerability weighs as much as valour and to ensure support doesn’t end when the final bell sounds. Initiatives such as The Frank Bruno Foundation offer rare lifelines. Founded after heavyweight champion Bruno’s public battle with bipolar disorder, the foundation uses non-contact boxing and wellbeing programmes to show that true strength also means seeking help.

England’s Box In Mind, backed by Great Britain boxer Jordan Reynolds, who has spoken openly about his own mental-health struggles, urges others not to suffer in silence.

After news of Ricky Hatton’s death, Chris Eubank Snr urged the boxing industry to “look after their fighters”. With proper mental-health support, medical screening, career-transition programmes and open conversations about emotional wellbeing, boxing can continue to transform lives long after fighters hang up their gloves. Winning at all costs should never mean losing yourself outside the ring.

Helen Owton, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, The Open University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

“Resilience isn’t enough”: why the growth of women’s football could lead to player burnout

Millie Bright (Chelsea Fcw) of England shooting to goal during the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup in France.
Jose Breton- Pics Action/Shutterstock

Helen Owton, The Open University

Women’s football has exploded onto the global stage. Record-breaking crowds, major sponsorships, elite athletes and huge media deals have transformed the sport into a fast-growing spectacle. Its rise may be inspiring, but behind the success, many players are struggling with the growing physical and mental demands of the modern game.

As the game becomes faster and more physically intense, players are expected to deliver top performances across crowded domestic seasons, international tournaments and growing commercial commitments.

Recovery windows are shrinking, while the pressure to remain at peak performance only grows. Physiotherapists have already warned that many female players face burnout, overtraining and a rising risk of injuries due to inadequate rest and recovery time.

With growing visibility also comes increasing scrutiny. Female players now live under the spotlight of social media, where they are expected not only to perform, but to lead, inspire and remain endlessly positive – often while facing online abuse.

Chelsea and England star Fran Kirby has spoken openly about the criticism she has received about her body, especially after injuries or illness when she wasn’t at peak fitness.

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“I get called fat all the time,” she has said, highlighting how online abuse adds another layer of psychological strain that isn’t always visible, but can be deeply harmful.

Mental health is increasingly part of the conversation around women’s football, but real support remains patchy. After the tragic suicide of Sheffield United’s 27-year-old midfielder Maddy Cusack in 2023, the FA commissioned a report into mental health support across the Women’s Super League (WSL).

More players are speaking publicly about the pressures of anxiety, burnout and emotional distress, but access to professional psychological care still depends largely on the resources of individual clubs.

For some players, the psychological toll deepens even further after injury. One study found that professional female footballers are nearly twice as likely to experience psychological distress after undergoing surgery. Yet mental health support during injury recovery remains inconsistent across the WSL.

Millie Bright’s story offers a recent example. The Chelsea and England defender missed much of the 2023-24 season due to injury and, in 2025, withdrew from the England squad citing burnout. She eventually underwent knee surgery and chose to prioritise her rehabilitation over international duty, highlighting the difficult choices players face when balancing physical and emotional wellbeing.

Governing bodies and clubs have a crucial role to play in safeguarding players’ wellbeing. Yet Uefa has come under fire for putting commercial growth ahead of player welfare with its expansion of the women’s Champions League into the new “Swiss model” format.

Instead of facing three opponents twice, teams will now play six different teams during the league phase, splitting those matches home and away. While the extra fixtures may boost visibility and revenue, they also add to an already punishing schedule, heightening the risk of fatigue, injury and burnout for players who are already stretched to the limit.

Financial security remains another major challenge. Some WSL players reportedly earn as little as £20,000 a year, forcing many to juggle full-time jobs or academic studies alongside football.

For mothers in the game, the demands are even higher, as they manage childcare, training, travel and recovery with little institutional support. Maternity policies remain inconsistent, and many players face intense pressure to return quickly to peak form after pregnancy.

Extraordinary resilience

Despite these enormous challenges, female players continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, paving the way for the next generation. But as a 2024 Health in Education Association report notes, resilience alone isn’t enough. Without proper investment in both physical and mental health services, the long-term wellbeing and careers of these athletes remain at risk.

While mental toughness is often celebrated, research shows that resilience depends heavily on the support structures available. In the WSL, access to mental health care and sports psychology varies dramatically between clubs.

The FA has announced plans to make wellbeing and psychology roles mandatory in WSL licensing, which is a positive step. But for many players, consistent, high-quality support remains far from guaranteed.

There is no doubt that women’s football has finally gained the attention it deserves. But progress must not come at the cost of player welfare. A sustainable future for the sport means investing not just in performance, but in protection: standardised access to physiotherapy, sport psychology and wellbeing professionals for all players, across all clubs.

If the game truly wants to thrive long-term, it must create a culture where players aren’t just expected to perform, but are supported to rest, recover and speak openly about their mental health – without fear, stigma or consequence.The Conversation

Helen Owton, Lecturer in Sport and Fitness, The Open University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The quiet contender of Switzerland hosts Euro 2025

By Dr Helen Owton

With the 2025 Euro Championships coming up, this article explores this year’s tournament and who to watch out for.

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As women’s football continues its rapid global rise, in 2025 all eyes turn to an unexpected yet compelling stage: Switzerland (UEFA, 2025 ). Long considered a quiet contender in the sport due to its slow comparative progress, the Alpine nation now finds itself in a leading role as it prepares to host the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 where global TV audiences could exceed 500 million (Gardner, 2024 ).

While there were earlier attempts to recognise the women’s game in Switzerland, formal engagement with women’s football began late, with official recognition by the Swiss Football Association only in the 1970s (UEFA, 2022 ). For decades, the Swiss Women’s Super League (formally named Nationalliga A) remained semi-professional, limiting domestic opportunities for female athletes (Le Low, 2025 ). While, the country is steadily investing in its football infrastructure, player development, and opportunities for women on and off the pitch, progress is slow. 

Beyond the pitch

Crucially, the game plays a powerful role off the field. In a country where over 25 per cent of the population is made up of foreign nationals, football has become a vital tool for social integration; helping foster community, develop language skills, and build connections, especially among immigrant women (Zwahlen et al., 2018 ; Bartosik, 2018 ).

Euro 2025, then, is more than just a tournament. It’s planning to be a platform for promoting inclusion, belonging and civic engagement (UEFA, 2025 ).

To reflect this inclusive vision, matches will be held across eight cities including Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva and Sion (UEFA, 2025 ).

Stade de Tourbillion, Sion

Organisers have intentionally structured the matches into regional clusters to ease travel for fans and players; encouraging national engagement and local pride while minimising regional disparities (UEFA, 2025 ). The tournament will not only increase the sport’s visibility domestically but is already driving investments in infrastructure, grassroots programs and media attention – setting the stage for a lasting legacy (UEFA, 2025 ).

Hosting Euro 2025: a national milestone

The Swiss national team qualified for their first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015, reaching the Round of 16, and repeated this success in 2023 (FIFA, 2023 ). They have also participated in consecutive UEFA Women’s Euros (2017 and 2022), albeit exiting in the group stages (UEFA, 2024 ). With the home crowd behind them, cultural momentum on their side, and football’s broader social impact in focus, how far can Switzerland go?

Switzerland’s chances at Euro 2025

Under the leadership of experienced coach, Pia Sundhage, Switzerland has shown glimpses of potential with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Australia  in a friendly. Switzerland enters Euro 2025 as the host and automatic qualifier, placed in Group A alongside Norway, Iceland and Finland (UEFA, 2024 ). It’s a group filled with balanced yet formidable competition, but Switzerland have their work cut out after they were relegated in the UEFA Women’s National League finishing with just 2 points (Shelat, 2025 ). Euro 2025 power rankings  rank Switzerland as thirteenth.

Teenager Sydney Schertenleib  (18 years old) remains one to watch on the Swiss team – she plays as a midfielder for Primera Federación club FC Barcelona. Too many of their experienced core of players, such as Luana Bühler  (defender for Women’s Super League club Tottenham Hotspur), are injured  might not recover in time. Norway (ranked eighth) poses the greatest threat, while Iceland (ranked twelfth) and Finland (ranked fifteenth) are the weaker teams which make for an unpredictable group stage.

‘Home advantage’

Switzerland is placed as an ‘outsider’, but several factors could tip the balance in their favour – chief among them: home advantage. Home advantage  is a phenomenon which has been a hotly debated contentious issue but appears to be very real. Research  suggests that home teams in sport competitions win over 50 per cent of games played under a balanced home and away schedule.

Playing on familiar soil  in front of home crowds across cities like Basel, Geneva and Bern could prove crucial. The emotional lift from local supporters, coupled with minimal travel demands and familiarity with the venues, offers a tangible boost . Historically, host nations  in major tournaments often outperform expectations, and Switzerland will hope to draw on that energy to fuel a deep tournament run. With the country rallying around the team and national pride at stake, Euro 2025 may well be Switzerland’s moment to exceed expectations if momentum builds and inspire the next generation of players and fans.

England and Wales

Meanwhile, England are ranked third and are in a tough group  with France, the Netherlands and Wales. Despite losing three high profile England players – Millie Bright (defender), Fran Kirby (midfielder) and Mary Earps (goalkeeper) – Sarina Wiegman is feeling ‘good’ about their chances at the Euros. For Wales, 2025 marks their first ever appearance  in a major international football tournament. This reflects years of growth and investment in the sport and is expected to inspire future generations and elevate the profile of women’s football in Wales . England and Wales will compete against each other on 13 July 2025 and all games in the UK will be aired on either BBC or ITV .

Take a look at who plays where and when .

London marathon: why you need a plan to prevent the post-race blues

IR Stone/Shutterstock

Helen Owton, The Open University

As the sun rises over the river Thames on marathon day this year, tens of thousands of cheering spectators will fill the streets and a record-breaking 56,000 adrenaline-fuelled runners will gather at the starting line of the TCS London marathon.

At the start of the gun, the stampede of runners will surge forward bringing the streets of London alive with the rhythmic thud of trainers, the sweat of determination, and the roaring of the crowd shouting: “Come on, you can do it!”

The race isn’t just about competition; it’s a celebration of perseverance, passion and overcoming adversity. “Every marathon is up and down, very emotional” says “Britain’s bladerunner” double Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead, who holds the Guinness World Record for fastest double amputee marathon in 2024.

At the finish line, exhaustion is mixed with triumph and runners share in a sense of collective achievement. But, once the race is over, it’s back home to daily tasks; the gruelling demands of the training schedule vanish, and the highs of the marathon can fade quickly.

The low after the high

While marathon runners usually experience a great sense of accomplishment and euphoria after completing a race, it can often be followed by a lingering sense of emptiness.

A 2024 study found that endurance athletes often face a mixture of emotions after a race, both physically and mentally. Their feelings seem to depend on factors like how much time they spent training and their ability to set new goals for the next phase of training.

A comedown after a major event is a common experience for many athletes. After the months of intense training, physical exertion and the emotional high of participating in such a momentous event, the mind and body can experience a crash and “post-marathon blues” can set in as the excitement, adrenaline and sense of purpose and meaning fades.

The post-marathon blues describes mild depression and feelings of emptiness. It’s characterised by increased anxiety levels, depression, burnout and challenges in adjusting back to everyday life.

Set goals, rest and recover

Marathon runners report that it can take between one to eight weeks before they feel their wellbeing return to pre-race levels. While setting goals ahead of time could help alleviate negative emotions after the marathon, attempting to achieve another goal too soon also has its risks, including injury and training plateau.

Eddie Izzard, who ran 43 marathons in 51 days in 2009 and 31 in 31 days in 2020 has been open about the physical toll of running multiple marathons. For some, though, marathon running is a way of life, as “ ultramarathon man” Dean Karnazes explains:

I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe in fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run … to savour the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.

Setting a new goal, however, doesn’t have to be another marathon or even another sports-related goal. Reflect on and enjoy the sense of achievement from running a marathon and channel this into other aspects of your life and explore other interests like a DIY project or a hobby.

A post-marathon plan is just as crucial as the pre-marathon training schedule. Proper recovery and continued maintenance of your physical and mental wellbeing are essential for long-term performance, injury prevention and overall health. While there is no one-size-fits-all recovery plan, some suggest a phased recovery, building up to a return to training after adequate recovery time.

In the end, post-marathon blues is a real challenge. Despite the euphoria of such an incredible achievement, experiencing negative emotions is inevitable and something you might not be able to avoid. But post-marathon blues doesn’t have to define the journey. It’s all part of the process. And athletes, if physically and psychologically prepared, can turn the finishing line into a new starting point.The Conversation

Helen Owton, Lecturer in Sport and Fitness, The Open University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.