The women's menstrual cycle has gone unnoticed for quite a few years. There were those who took it as a "disease", which kept them from doing physical activities during the menstruation phase. It is not the first time that we have commented on the benefits that sport brings in the different phases, and how should we train to get the most out of our training.
Now, a recent study has shown the different sensations that women have when they practice sports with the different hormonal changes, and how is their position in this regard.
How do hormonal changes affect performance?
The research has been carried out by Strava, the social network for athletes, together with St Mary's University (UK) and the app FitrWoman. 14.184 women from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Spain, Germany, France and Brazil have participated in it; being the main objective to shed light on the effect of sports practice on menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, in addition to how each of them influences the performance of women. The initial results of the study reveal that for 78% of the women, exercise relieves discomfort caused in the menstrual cycle.
66% assure that sport also helps reduce mood swings or increased irritability caused by menstruation; 45% consider that they have a positive impact on stomach cramps, and 39% consider that sport helps them to sleep better. The results show that 47% consider that moderate intensity exercise is the most effective in combating menstrual pain.
The study also shows that 69% of women have had to vary your sports routine occasionally. Just as 88% of women feel that athletic performance worsens at some point in the menstrual cycle. However, 72% assure something that is quite common among athletes: they have never received any kind of education or information about the relationship between sports practice and the menstrual cycle. In fact, those who have some kind of knowledge is autodidact.
What effect does the menstrual cycle have on the day to day?
On the other hand, the study also wanted to analyze how there were other aspects of a woman's daily life that are affected by the menstrual cycle. According to the data collected, 1 in 3 women have had to take time off work due to the symptoms of menstruation and 44% of them use some type of medication to reduce pain during the cycle. However, it is also shown that those Follow WHO recommendations (sleep more than 7 hours a day and eat 5 or more pieces of fruit and vegetables), are less likely to be absent from work because of the symptoms.
«There are still not enough spaces in which to talk openly about the menstrual cycle and its symptoms, as well as how it affects the female athlete. Strava has the world's largest community of female athletes, and we're proud to help advance a greater understanding of the connection between period pain and sports practice. We are convinced that we can use our platform to show how the lack of education or discussion about it negatively influences the future of athletes“explains Stephanie Hannon, Product Manager at Strava.