WNBA reports on the findings of the first-ever cardiac study of elite female basketball players in the United States published in JAMA Cardiology, which demonstrated how their hearts adapt to intense physical training. The study also provides physicians with a frame of reference when screening for cardiac problems in female athletes.

HSS primary sports medicine physician, Marci A. Goolsby, MD, team physician for the WNBA New York Liberty team and co-author of the paper explained the need for this research, noting “Evaluating the WNBA players on a large scale allows us to have comparison data for the future. Up until this research, some players were being sidelined until further tests could be done.” She added, “We now have a much clearer picture of how to interpret data from preseason echocardiograms, and we can better determine who requires further testing.”

Read the full article at WNBA.com.