If you’re a woman with a sports injury or chronic pain, you’ve been statistically undertreated, underdiagnosed, and told to live with things that are absolutely fixable. Dr. Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ breaks down why the gender gap in sports medicine is real and documented, why most research and treatment protocols were built for male bodies, and what women should actually be asking for when they walk into a clinic. In this episode he shares the story of a 38-year-old runner dismissed by two providers — MRI read as normal — who had early cartilage damage the whole time and was back running pain-free in 6 to 12 weeks once the right diagnosis was made.
Chapters:
- 00:00 Why women’s sports injuries get dismissed — and what to do about it
- 00:51 I feel like my doctor doesn’t take my pain seriously — is that common?
- 01:01 Women wait longer for diagnosis and receive fewer specialist referrals — it’s documented
- 01:44 Most of sports medicine was built for male bodies
- 02:49 Are women actually more prone to injury or just undertreated?
- 02:54 Both — higher ACL tear rates, hormonal influences, tissue laxity, and then dismissal on top
- 04:52 Postpartum, perimenopausal, menopausal — why these stages matter for injury and recovery
- 06:05 What should a woman with chronic pain actually ask for?
- 06:10 What is my actual diagnosis, what caused it, and what are we going to do about it?
- 07:53 Bursitis is a symptom, not a diagnosis — ask what’s causing it
- 09:06 Finding someone who actually takes care of female athletes — why it matters
- 10:29 What Dr. Garg sees with female patients that’s different
- 10:33 Case study: 38-year-old runner dismissed by two providers — MRI read as normal
- 11:00 How Dr. Garg found early cartilage damage on a “normal” MRI by reviewing it with her in the room
- 11:49 EMTT, focused shockwave, PRP, hyaluronic acid, gait analysis, Dynamic Core Plus — back running in 6 to 12 weeks
- 13:49 Her frustration wasn’t just about pain — it was about not being heard
- 14:29 What’s Dr. Garg’s message to women dealing with chronic pain?
- 14:34 Your pain is real — “nothing is wrong” is an exclusionary diagnosis, not a starting point
- 16:41 The gender gap in sports medicine is real, documented, and requires specific evaluation
