Talk about cramping your style.
While working out can provide pain relief and quicker reactions, new research shows a significant downside to physical activity during your monthly cycle.
It turns out that female athletes not only suffer from worse injuries during their time of the month, but they also take longer to recover.
Researchers in Spain and the UK studied female soccer players to see whether menstruation impacted the number of injuries or severity.
Published in the journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, the study monitored self-reported menstrual cycle data from 33 elite players over the course of three years.
Eighty lower limb injuries were recorded, with 11 occurring during menstrual bleeding phases.
However, the most notable finding was that the injuries were significantly more severe and took longer to heal, resulting in three times more days off the field.
Specifically, soft tissue injuries on muscles, tendons and ligaments were the most affected.
Menstruation can affect performance, metabolism and muscle due to fluctuating hormones.
“We show that menstruation itself does not increase how often injuries happen,” said study author Dr. Eva Ferrer. “But [hormonal levels] may influence how severe the injury becomes and how long recovery takes.”
The menstrual cycle likely affects injury severity in two ways. First, low estrogen levels during the menstrual and early follicular phases right after a period can reduce muscle repair.
They can also increase fatigue, pain and sleep disturbances, which can impact muscle coordination, movement and balance, potentially increasing the severity of injuries.
And since you’re losing blood, significant iron loss can slow recovery and increase inflammation, causing worse tissue damage when an injury strikes.
But it’s not just professional athletes who can benefit from this research.
While other factors like sleep, nutrition and stress can also have an impact, the researchers recommend modifications while working out on your period, such as longer warm-ups or additional recovery.
And while there’s skepticism around cycle syncing workouts, Ferrer points out there could be benefits to knowing your cycle, no matter what type of workout you do.
“You do not necessarily need to avoid training during your period, but you may need to adapt it,” she said. “Tracking your cycle and symptoms can help guide training intensity and recovery strategies.”
This research also indicates potential future research into the connection between menstrual cycle awareness and athletes’ health.
“It supports a growing movement toward female-specific sports science instead of applying male-based research models to women,” said Ferrer.
