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News: Award for presentation on the impact of menstrual cycle on athletic performance
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Award for presentation on the impact of menstrual cycle on athletic performance
SCIENCE graduate Colette Collins has won a national award, the “2022 SURE Network Award for Best Oral Presentation”, at this year’s Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Network Conference for her research presentation entitled, 'Exploring the relationship between the menstrual cycle and markers of physical performance in intercounty Ladies Gaelic Football player'.
For the study, 20 inter-county players were recruited during the pre-season training phase. All players completed a detailed online survey. Two distinct phases of the menstrual cycle were subsequently identified, the early follicular phase (day 1-5) and the mid-luteal phase (20-25).
Over the next month, the participants were tested during these two phases, via a 20m sprint test and a maximal jump height test. Overall, the participants had a significantly slower sprint time in the early follicular phase in comparison to the midluteal phase with no difference in jump height observed.
“Qualitatively, all players reported experiencing menstrual cycle symptoms and 50% believed that these symptoms affected their playing performance,” says Colette, an Atlantic Technological University graduate.
“In addition, the qualitative survey analysis highlighted the lack of player awareness or understanding of the potential impact of the menstrual cycle on sport. Furthermore, despite the prevalence of symptoms, only 15% of players had previously discussed this issue with their coach.
“Completing this research was an eye opener from start to finish”, she says. “The taboo surrounding the menstrual cycle is still evidently present in today’s society at all levels in sport. A huge thank you to my supervisor Dr Siobhan Leahy for her help and guidance throughout this process”.
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