Mrs Chelsea Oester
I am a sports scientist and Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at UNSW, where I teach across a range of courses within the Exercise Science and Exercise Physiology programs.
I recently submitted my PhD, which focused on the development and validation of a menstrual health assessment tool specifically designed for female soccer players. This work aims to support female players in understanding their menstrual cycle, monitoring their menstrual health, and recognising when additional support or professional guidance may be beneficial.
Alongside my academic role, I work as a consultant with FIFA’s Women’s Football Department, contributing to women-specific health initiatives, including the development of e-learning resources focused on female health topics.
My broader research interests centre on female health, menstrual health literacy, and translating research into practical, evidence-informed tools that enhance the health, wellbeing, and performance of active women.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
Oester, C., Norris, D., Lovell, R., Pedlar, C., Bruinvels, G., & Kalkhoven, J. T. (2026). An overarching conceptual framework for menstrual health in sport research: Theory, causality and validation. Sports Medicine, 1-28.
Oester, C., Lovell, R., Pedlar, C., Bruinvels, G., Wilson, B., & Norris, D. (2025). Knowing isn't enough: menstrual symptoms drive perceived performance impacts in women's football. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
Lovell, R., Norris, D., Oester, C., Honig, B., Brooks, C., & Shushan, T. (2025). Development and Validation of W-SAFT90: A Simulation Designed to Elicit the Physical and Physiological Responses of Women’s Football (Soccer) Matches. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 33(1).
Oester, C., Norris, D., Scott, D., Pedlar, C., Bruinvels, G., & Lovell, R. (2024). Inconsistencies in the perceived impact of the menstrual cycle on sport performance and in the prevalence of menstrual cycle symptoms: a scoping review of the literature. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 27(6), 373-384.
Cassioli, E., Rossi, E., Melani, G., Faldi, M., Rellini, A. H., Wyatt, R. B., Oester, C. ... & Castellini, G. (2023). The menstrual distress questionnaire (MEDI-Q): reliability and validity of the English version. Gynecological Endocrinology, 39(1), 2227275.
McCall, A., Davison, M., Massey, A., Oester, C., Weber, A., Buckthorpe, M., & Duffield, R. (2022). The exchange of health and performance information when transitioning from club to National football teams: A Delphi survey of National team practitioners. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25(6), 486-491.
Geertsema, C., Geertsema, L., Farooq, A., Harøy, J., Oester, C., Weber, A., & Bahr, R. (2021). Injury prevention knowledge, beliefs and strategies in elite female footballers at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. British journal of sports medicine, 55(14), 801-806.
Oester, C., Weber, A., & Vaso, M. (2019). Retrospective study of the use of medication and supplements during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 5(1).