The menstrual cycle and athletic performance
The menstrual cycle, which typically spans around 28 days, includes four main phases: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each phase affects women’s bodies in unique ways due to hormonal fluctuations involving estrogen and progesterone. Here’s a brief look at how these phases can impact athletic performance:
Menstruation phase (days 1-5): this is when the uterine lining sheds, and athletes may experience symptoms like fatigue, cramps, and lower energy levels. While some athletes may feel resilient, others might need to adjust their intensity to accommodate these symptoms.
Follicular phase (days 6-14): estrogen levels rise, which is often associated with higher energy, increased endurance, and improved muscle recovery. This can be an optimal phase for strength training and high-intensity workouts.
Ovulation phase (around day 14): this brief phase marks the release of an egg and peaks estrogen levels, which can lead to increased strength and performance benefits. However, athletes may also experience greater susceptibility to certain injuries, such as ACL tears.
Luteal phase (days 15-28): progesterone becomes dominant, which can cause higher body temperatures, reduced endurance, and potentially increased fatigue. Training adaptations and intensity might need adjustment to prevent overexertion and optimize recovery.
The importance of recognizing the menstrual cycle in training
Historically, the menstrual cycle’s impact on athletic performance has often been overlooked, with standard training protocols predominantly based on male physiology. However, women’s football is increasingly recognizing that physiological needs vary between men and women. Ignoring the menstrual cycle can lead to periods of suboptimal performance, higher injury risk, and missed opportunities for individualized training benefits.
For women in football, personalized training is particularly valuable. Knowing which days an athlete may benefit from strength training or when they might need a lighter load not only improves performance but also supports long-term health and career longevity. Acknowledging the menstrual cycle as part of training strategy can also foster a positive environment, where female athletes feel understood and supported by their coaches.
Johan Sports’ new feature: menstrual cycle tracking in RPE application
With these factors in mind, Johan Sports has developed a new form within our RPE application that allows female athletes to log their menstrual cycle data and report specific symptoms. This tool enables female football players to track their cycles, understand individual patterns, and communicate effectively with their coaches. Key benefits of this feature include:
Customized feedback for each cycle phase: based on individual cycle tracking, the application can offer training suggestions for each phase. Coaches can adjust the intensity and type of training, making sessions more efficient and reducing the risk of injury.
Enhanced communication with coaches: with cycle data easily accessible, coaches can better understand the fluctuations in player performance. This encourages open, data-driven conversations between athletes and coaches about how menstrual health impacts their day-to-day training.
Improved injury prevention: understanding the phases where injury risk is higher allows both athletes and trainers to take preventative steps. For instance, during ovulation, when ligaments may be more prone to injury, coaches can focus on exercises that prioritize control and stability.
Empowering female athletes: female athletes can feel more in control of their performance and health by seeing how each phase of their menstrual cycle affects their training. This knowledge can empower them to make informed decisions, ensuring they perform at their best.
Why menstrual tracking is a game-changer in women’s football
At Johan Sports, we believe that female athletes deserve equal access to personalized sports technology. The addition of menstrual cycle tracking in our RPE application aims to enhance both performance and wellbeing in women’s football. This new feature recognizes that women’s training needs are dynamic and allows athletes to make proactive choices based on their bodies’ natural rhythms.
We anticipate that as more teams adopt this feature, menstrual health will become a normalized and integral aspect of training routines in women’s football. This shift not only improves the quality of training but also promotes an environment where women can thrive in sports without feeling their biological needs are a hindrance. By tailoring training programs to fit each athlete’s unique needs, coaches and players can work together to create an inclusive approach that fosters resilience, efficiency, and peak performance.
Protecting menstrual cycle data
We understand that menstrual cycle data is deeply personal, and Johan Sports takes data privacy and protection very seriously. To maintain athlete trust and confidentiality, our RPE application incorporates several robust measures to ensure data security, allowing athletes to log and track this information with full confidence that it is protected.
Secure data storage: all menstrual cycle data is securely stored and encrypted, following industry-standard protocols. This prevents unauthorized access and ensures that personal data is only accessible to the athlete and any designated team members they consent to share it with.
Athlete control over data sharing: each athlete retains control over who can view their menstrual cycle data, providing options for customized sharing with coaches, trainers, or medical staff. This control fosters an environment where athletes feel secure in managing their data visibility.
Compliance with data protection regulations: our application fully complies with data protection regulations, including GDPR. We prioritize transparency in data management and adhere to strict standards that safeguard all athlete information.
Through these measures, Johan Sports is committed to creating a safe, supportive platform where athletes can focus on their health and performance without concerns about privacy.
Conclusion
Johan Sports’ new menstrual cycle tracking feature in the RPE application marks a significant advancement in supporting women in football. By offering a system where athletes can log, track, and communicate menstrual health data, we aim to revolutionize how women train and compete. Ultimately, this new feature isn’t just about improved performance; it’s about creating a healthier, more informed, and empowering experience for female athletes. As the conversation around menstrual health in sports grows, Johan Sports is proud to lead the way in providing innovative solutions that meet the needs of all athletes.