#086 Wearables and female athletes with Dr Paul Bowell

Wearable technology is now a normal part of modern sport, but how is it affecting female athletes? In this episode, Carolyn Kent is joined by Dr Paul Bowell from Swinburne University of Technology to explore the growing use of GPS trackers, heart rate monitors, wellness questionnaires, sleep tracking tools, and menstrual cycle apps in women's sport. Drawing on his research with female athletes, Dr Bowell discusses how wearable technology can improve performance, support injury rehabilitation, and provide athletes with valuable insights into their bodies. At the same time, he highlights important concerns around surveillance, data ownership, athlete wellbeing, privacy, and the risk of placing too much trust in metrics while ignoring the wider context of an athlete's life. The conversation also examines how under-resourced women's sport can create unique challenges around technology, athlete education, and data interpretation. This is a discussion for coaches, practitioners, researchers, players, and anyone interested in the future of women's sport. #WomensFootball #FemaleAthletes #SportsScience #SportsTechnology #AthleteData #PerformanceAnalysis #WomenInSport #FootballPodcast #WearableTechnology #SportsResearch