When to use this
When an athlete in treatment or recovery wants to run again and the adults need to align before anything is promised.
- A treatment team has cleared limited activity and the coach needs to know their lane.
- Parents are asking how to support the athlete without policing food.
- Warning behaviors are reappearing after a return to training.
Advanced lab
Warning signs, language, and who to call
Coaches do not manage recovery. They notice, speak carefully, and connect the athlete to the right people. This section covers those three jobs only.
Everything about meals, weight restoration, and clearance belongs with the treatment team — physician, mental health clinician, and an eating-disorder-experienced sports dietitian. The coach's job is support and communication, not nutrition management.
Evidence sources
These references support the handout’s general education. Individual medical, supplement, laboratory, or injury questions should be handled by the appropriate qualified clinician.
- Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen JK, Burke LM, et al. (2023) IOC 2023 consensus statement on REDs. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57:1073-1098.
- De Souza MJ, Nattiv A, Joy E, et al. (2014) 2014 Female Athlete Triad Coalition consensus statement. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(4):289.
Where to go next
