Ultimately the rules would not be an obstacle to sporting performance (on the contrary)

The menstrual cycle during a sports competition has always been described by athletes as a nuisance, especially due to its effects. Like the athletics champion Renelle Lamote who, in August 2023, had witnessed the consequences of the rules on high-level athletes, between calculating dates and pain during competitions.

However, according to a study identified by Huff Post conducted by the UCL Institute of Sport, Activity and Health (ISEH) published in the journal Neuropsychologyfemale athletes would have better cognitive performance during the menstrual cycle.

Better cognitive performance even if their physical condition is degraded

Published on May 17, this survey was conducted on 241 participants, of which 96 men and 47 women with contraceptives and without regular menstrual cycles. They took several cognitive tests carried out online, but also a mood assessment grid and a questionnaire to fill out about their symptoms. All to be completed twice, two weeks apart.

Read also: 3 tips to better manage your sport when you have your period

Therefore, the results prove it Women's accuracy, attention span and reaction time are better during the menstrual cycle, which would have the effect of making athletes more efficient on the field. This, even if they feel in less good physical condition. This could, according to the researchers of this study, reduce the risk of injury.

Nevertheless, Much previous research suggests that there is indeed a link between menstruation and injury risk. What the researchers justify this way: “ Existing theories regarding the causes of increased injury risk among menstruating women focus largely on biomechanical mechanisms, with little consideration of possible cognitive determinants of injury risk. », they wrote in the introductory text of the study.

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