RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND study by researchers at University of the
West of Scotland (UWS) has explored the impact of the menstrual cycle on elite sporting performance and players’ experiences.
The research found that 93 per cent of the international female rugby players interviewed reported menstrual cycle-related symptoms, with 67 per cent considering these to be performance-impairing.
The research provides the first in-depth insight into elite athletes’ experiences of the menstrual cycle in relation to training and competition, and has resulted in several recommendations for elite sporting organisations from UWS researchers.
Dr Laura Forrest, Exercise Physiologist and Lecturer in the School of Health and Life Sciences at UWS, said: “Our research was a collaborative effort and has highlighted that menstrual cyclerelated symptoms are highly prevalent amongst this group of athletes, yet individual to each, with athletes feeling that their symptoms often negatively impacted on their performance.”