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Menstrual cycle tracking in professional volleyball athletes
Andrea Roffler1, Marie-Therese Fleddermann1, Hanna de Haan2
1Department of Movement Science and Training in Sports, Institute of Sport Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
|July 15, 2024
Summary
Elite female volleyball players experience frequent menstrual cycle symptoms like cramps and sleep disturbances. Tracking these symptoms with an app can help understand individual experiences and their impact on athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Women's Health
Background:
- The menstrual cycle can impact elite female athletes' well-being and performance.
- Understanding menstrual cycle symptom prevalence is crucial for optimizing athletic support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the symptoms and their frequency during the menstrual cycle in elite female volleyball players.
- To assess the utility of a Menstrual Symptom index (MSi) for elite athletes.
Main Methods:
- Twenty professional female volleyball players tracked menstrual symptoms using the FitrWoman® app over one season.
- Symptoms were recorded and categorized to calculate an individual Menstrual Symptom index (MSi).
Main Results:
- Common symptoms included stomach cramps, sleep disturbances, and tiredness, particularly during menstruation.
- Symptoms like bloating and breast tenderness peaked before menstruation.
- The average Menstrual Symptom index (MSi) for non-hormonal contraception users was 12.9 (±10.7).
Conclusions:
- Menstrual cycle symptoms are highly individual among elite female athletes.
- The Menstrual Symptom index (MSi) offers a simple method to assess symptom intensity and prevalence in sports.
- Further research can inform tailored support for athletes experiencing menstrual cycle variations.
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