Aspire guide
Female Athletes
Female Athletes manual
RED-S Warning Signs: When to Act and Who to Call
A practical non-diagnostic pathway for coaches and parents to spot RED-S warning signs, start the right conversation, and refer early.
Why this matters
Read time
3 min
Audience
Athlete + Coach + Parent
Use it for
Female Athletes
Start here
Early referral is the safest RED-S strategy.
Coach prompt
Name the warning pattern clearly, then move straight to the referral plan instead of debating the diagnosis.
Print & share
Printable handout preview
One-page sheet
RED-S Warning Signs: When to Act and Who to Call
Read time
3 min
Audience
Athlete + Coach + Parent
Start with the printable
Early referral is the safest RED-S strategy.
Best next move
Use it this week
Name the warning pattern clearly, then move straight to the referral plan instead of debating the diagnosis.
Quick reference map
Use the guide like a structured handout
In the library
Format
Read the full ebook here, then jump to the one-page handout when you need the shareable version.
Best use
Open the sections you need, print the handout, then send both to coaches, parents, or athletes.
Quick start
Start here
A practical non-diagnostic pathway for coaches and parents to spot RED-S warning signs, start the right conversation, and refer early.
Warning cluster
Performance drop, menstrual changes, fatigue, and bone issues together deserve fast action
- Any one sign can be missed. Several together change the urgency immediately.
- Recurring illness, poor recovery, dizziness, low mood, or food rigidity often belong in the same picture.
When to act
Do not wait for confirmed diagnosis before changing the response
- Missed periods, repeated bone stress problems, or major fatigue with performance decline are enough to escalate.
- If the athlete is cutting intake, panicking around food, or showing compulsive exercise patterns, the threshold gets even lower.
Who to call
The best referral team usually includes parent, physician, sports dietitian, and mental…
- No single coach or parent should try to hold the whole case alone.
- A clear team reduces mixed messages and missed follow-up.
Watch for
What to watch before it becomes a crisis
Performance drop-offs, stress injuries, menstrual disruption, and persistent fatigue rarely show up as isolated issues.
- Under-fueling is often quieter than coaches expect.
- The best first move is usually a food-plus-screening conversation, not a supplement guess.
- Parents and coaches should hear the same short message.
Act When You See A Cluster
- Fatigue and declining performance
- Recurrent injuries
- Missed or irregular periods
Unlock the rest of the manual
Full access opens every section, the ebook PDF, and the printable handout companion.
What to do next
Use it this week
Name the warning pattern clearly, then move straight to the referral plan instead of debating the diagnosis.
Source topics
RED-S • warning signs • referral • female athletes • low energy availability • coach script