‘Great players aren’t just born – they’re selected, trained, moulded, and tested.’ That’s the opening sentence that welcomes newcomers to the website run by the Women’s Football Hub.

The initiative is the brainchild of physiotherapist and former footballer Carolyn Kent, who launched it in 2024. Having experienced first-hand the challenges faced by women in football – both on and off the pitch – Carolyn is ideally placed to lead the not-for-profit venture.  

Her aim is to ‘empower, inspire and educate’ everyone involved in women’s football. Contributions are welcome, as the opening statement on the hub’s website makes clear: ‘However, we don’t work alone and we are inviting you to join us. If you have a subject you think could benefit female players and you can back this up with high-quality evidence, we want to hear from you.’

As well as running her own private practice, the former Hibernian Ladies and under-19 Scotland international player is a senior lecturer in physiotherapy at the University of Cumbria. She organised an event on the evening of 14 October that focused on women’s health in football. Held at the university’s Fusehill Street campus, the event took place in the run-up to World Menopause Day on 18 October. 

‘Female health research and especially research on female footballer’s is still evolving so it has been great to use the current evidence base to pull together [this] event’ [Carolyn Kent]

It attracted members of Carlisle United’s ladies’ team and club manager Tracy Gannon. They heard Carolyn deliver a session titled Football Boots – What to Wear and How to Pick the Right Ones. She highlighted the important role that footwear plays in injury prevention and performance optimisation, offering valuable guidance to both players and coaches. 

Host of topics

Meanwhile, Helen Wilson, a specialist physiotherapist based in Penrith, hosted a session that tackled topics including pelvic floor issues, core and breathing muscles, menstrual cycles, post-natal conditions and the menopause. Breast health in sport were also addresses. 

Carolyn said: ‘Female health research and especially research on female footballer’s is still evolving so it has been great to use the current evidence base to pull together an event and be able to help the local women’s team to the university.’

 She added: I’m extremely grateful to Helen [Wilson] for her expertise and to Tracy for bringing the team to talk to us.’ 

Absolutely fabulous

Helen, of Absolute Physiotherapy (Women’s Health), said she was passionate about educating and empowering women to look after their pelvic and breast health throughout all stages of their lives.

She added: ‘It is a privilege to have been invited to run this session alongside the University of Cumbria and Carlisle United Ladies FC.’  

Tracy Gannon, Carlisle United Ladies’ FC manager, said: ‘The session focused on the vital role of injury prevention – highlighting how the right football boots and a better understanding of women’s health can directly impact performance on the pitch. Events like this strengthen our commitment to athlete wellbeing and help us shape a safer, smarter future for women in sport.’ 

Forging links: University of Cumbria and Carlisle United

The event was an example of the strengthened links between University of Cumbria and Carlisle United, which was formed in 1904 and is currently riding high in the National League table. In Spring 2024, the university and Carlisle United signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to work together on areas of common interest to support the community and develop higher-level skills for the region. 

Together they are developing collaborations in areas such as

• volunteering, project, placement and internship opportunities for the university’s students and club staff 
• involving students in Carlisle United projects and initiatives  
• training and development opportunities for Carlisle United staff at the university

More about Carolyn

A musculoskeletal (MSK) specialist physiotherapist, she graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2009 with a First-Class Honours BSc degree.

After graduating, Carolyn moved to a large Scottish NHS acute trust and completed three years of rotations in trauma and elective orthopaedics, neurology and neurosurgery at the directorate of clinical neurosciences, elderly orthopaedic rehabilitation, rheumatology, MSK outpatients and cardiothoracic surgery.

She went on to specialise in MSK outpatients for two years in a primary care GP practice, before moving into private practice and football. She worked for an academy at a Scottish Premier League club and did pitch side work in the Scottish Championship.

Carolyn also gained experience with the Scottish Rugby Union, hockey and martial arts before working with the Scottish FA, covering the women’s national teams of all age groups.

She has a strong clinical interest in lower limb and ACL injuries and specialises in the treatment of female footballers and female performance. 

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