Understanding Women’s Menstrual Cycle and Needs

Do coaches understand the basics of the menstrual cycle? A survey and focus group study of women’s soccer clubs in Europe show that coaches lack education around the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception and pregnancy, as reported in Sport in Society (2022; doi:10.1080/17430437.2022.2125385).

“In sport, these topics also come with varying degrees of stigma and silence, as well as being a barrier to gender equality,” says lead study author Jacky Forsyth, PhD, associate professor of exercise physiology, Staffordshire University in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. “To address this, we wanted to collect best practices across Europe to learn what clubs are doing well, what is effective and what can be improved.”

Forsyth continued: “Despite some good practices in individual clubs across different countries, there was limited knowledge and understanding of how training, performance and health are affected. Knowledge was generally left up to the individual without support from governing bodies or coach education providers.”

Study authors suggest that hiring more women coaches and including research on women’s issues in coaching education to improve more open dialogue on these topics between coaches and athletes.

See also: Women’s Health and Exercise