“The whole first half of the course is about the medical complications. Paula Quatromoni, registered dietitian and associate professor and chair of the department of health sciences at Boston University, teaches an ED treatment and prevention course.

On the other end are disordered eating patterns (see: restriction, anxiety, dieting) that also pose risks. They exist, as diagnosable medical and psychiatric conditions, on one end of a spectrum of food and body issues. Their implications span most aspects of life: physical and mental health, emotional well-being, social experiences. To be clear, EDs are complex mental health issues with serious consequences, including death. Paradoxically, though, up to about half the athletes she’s interviewed in research say it was the sport that helps them recover, in particular when their training suffered and performance dipped due to their EDs. She’s also witnessed full recoveries in her role as a clinician.Īmong athletes she’s interviewed in research, many describe triggers in sports. Please tell athletes it is possible, even if you feel bad right now.” She points to studies showing the progress people have made after treatment, some results even matching control groups who’ve never had an ED. In fact, they ask her to be sure to share what they say: “Hey athletes, you can recover. She’s been studying collegiate and older athletes who have experienced eating disorders (EDs) since 2007. “My participants yelled that loud and clear in studies,” says Jessyca Arthur-Cameselle, associate professor of sport and exercise psychology and co-director of the Center for Performance Excellence at Western Washington University. Recovery (and whether someone keeps running in or through it) depends on a variable checklist.

How? It’s complicated, especially for runners with deep-seated athletic identities and strong relationships with exercise on top of multifactorial illnesses with genetic, neurobiological, and environmental roots. Is eating disorder recovery possible? Yes, say experts. Molly Seidel.Īs these elites share their experiences with eating disorders publicly, they spark conversations-and questions-about treatment and recovery. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!

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