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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2025

An Inertial Measurement Unit Based Method to Estimate Hip and Knee Joint Kinematics in Team Sport Athletes on the Field

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Menstrual Cycle and Sport Injuries: A Systematic Review.

Núria Martínez-Fortuny¹, Alejandra Alonso-Calvete^1,2, Iria Da Cuña-Carrera^1,3

¹Facultade de Fisioterapia, Universidade de Vigo, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

|February 25, 2023

Summary

Female athletes face increased injury risk due to menstrual cycle hormonal fluctuations. The ovulatory phase, marked by peak estradiol, is linked to greater laxity and neuromuscular changes, elevating injury predisposition.

Keywords:

athletes menstrual cycle sports sports injuries

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Area of Science:

Sports Medicine
Endocrinology
Biomechanical Analysis

Background:

Female athletic participation and sports-related injuries are rising.
Hormonal factors, particularly the menstrual cycle, are suspected contributors to injury risk in female athletes.
A definitive causal link between the menstrual cycle and injury incidence remains to be established.

Approach:

A systematic literature review was conducted in January 2022.
Searches were performed across major scientific databases: PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Sport Discus.
Eight studies met the inclusion criteria from an initial pool of 138 articles.

Key Points:

Peak estradiol levels during the ovulatory phase correlate with increased joint laxity.
Elevated estradiol is associated with decreased neuromuscular control and altered strength.
These physiological changes during the menstrual cycle may predispose female athletes to injury.

Conclusions:

Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle significantly impact physiological parameters relevant to injury risk.
Changes in laxity, strength, body temperature, and neuromuscular control are observed.
Female athletes' continuous adaptation to hormonal variations may lead to an elevated risk of sports-related injuries.