Article: Periods are not just painful - they can wreck a footballer's career

This title is alarming and dramatic. However, although some female athletes may have issues with their menstrual cycle, there are nutrition tools and interventions that can help alleviate symptoms. I am posting this article for general interest, as well as highlighting other areas that women in sports face e.g., the colour of sports uniforms (next blog to come!)

Article by Emma Hayes on 15th July 2022 written for The Telegraph

“Reaction times, injuries and mood can all be affected by the menstrual cycle, so it's time football became more educated on the issue…

The lack of knowledge around menstrual cycles in our country and worldwide is alarming and the lack of awareness around women's health in sport is shocking. Some footballers might have no issues with their cycle at all but for others who do struggle, without the right support, it can be hugely debilitating. 

Let's not downplay this: once a month for potentially up to around five days, many female players have an event that can cause significant distress and impact heavily on their performance. Athletes deserve a greater understanding of the array of symptoms that can crop up. It's not simply, ‘Oh I’m just moody’.

It can affect so many different key parts of performance, including energy levels, mood, appetite, sleep, concentration, coordination and weight. The body’s temperature goes up, it gets harder to flush out water and your blood plasma gets thicker so you need to hydrate more.

Some players will have soft-tissue vulnerability in certain points of their cycle - only if you monitor it will you know that Player X’s tightness in their hamstring is actually linked to phase four of their cycle rather than an injury…”

Read the rest of the article here

I have also never understood why, in the women’s game, we’re constantly doing body weight checks, given some women’s weight fluctuates significantly every month - what a ridiculously redundant tool that is.

You might have a body weight check at the beginning of the month that's completely different to the end of the month, and then you might be telling an athlete falsely that she’s gained weight when actually she’s just got fluid retention and inflammation. It’s dangerous.