HOW MENSTRUATION AFFECTS PROFESSIONAL SPORTSWOMEN.

By Martin Moses,

More often than not, you will hear ladies saying that it is that time of the month. Again. It is a period characterized by hormonal fluctuations that come with nausea, dizziness and muscle cramps. And from observation, muscle cramps tend to be excruciatingly painful where in dire cases, it leaves the victim rolling on the floor with pain.
Today being the 28th day of May, we mark the Menstrual Hygiene Day to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management. It is a topic that many still find embarrassing to talk about openly but it has become imperative given the effects periods have on professional sportswomen. Just how does it affect them and how do they cope with it.

How serious is it ?
Approximately 75% of athletes experience the negative side effects of menstruation which hampers their training programs. The aforementioned hormonal fluctuations come with laxity in ligaments, high rates of metabolism, inflammation and high injury risk. Estrogen, the primary hormone that repairs and thickens the uterus lining during menstruation can increase the elasticity of joints. This often leads to anterior cruciate ligament injuries that occur if the knee or the lower leg is twisted. The ACL is the most serious kind of knee damage and sadly, it is more prevalent in female athletes than their male counterparts.
Increased rates of breathing and high body temperatures during the luteal phase of the cycle makes it harder to run in the heat as sweating which is a means of cooling the body is only achieved at an extremely high temperature. It also means that less oxygen is available for the muscles involved in exercise yet more oxygen is required by the muscles responsible for breathing.
Other side effects such as fatigue and bloating may be hard to measure and directly link them to performance levels but it goes without saying that they do affect the normal workability of a female athlete.
Given that the subject is still considered a taboo, few are the athletes who have come out to discuss it openly. Former World Marathon record holder, Paula Radcliffe admitted to running the final third of a race with severe cramps but wouldn’t let it be a hindrance. Annabel Croft, a former tennis player, said that women do suffer in silence and it affects them in a big way.
The situation isn’t made easy with the rules of some games. Take for example the white jerseys of tennis or the tight trousers of horse riding which leaves the participants uneasy in the event of, for lack of a better word, leaking.

Is there a way out ?
So, how can this natural phenomenon be mitigated? Is there a way to help out these sportswomen to undertake their training regimes or even competitions peacefully? Oral contraceptive pills and injections are usually taken to either control or stop them completely. The catch, however, is that some of these pills contain substances that are banned since they are considered performance enhancing.
Beyond any reasonable doubt, menstruation is a limitation that exists in sports and there is growing need to open a worldwide debate on how to combat this. Let us normalize menstruation. It is okay to be a woman. Let us talk about it. We shouldn’t discriminate women for choosing not to get pregnant.
Additional information from BBC Sports, The Guardian and Medical News Today