DOES THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE INFLUENCE THE SPORTS PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS? A PILOT STUDY

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Abstract

The menstrual cycle (MC) is a physiological concept that has had an exponential increase in the field of sports and research in recent years. In addition, it is a biological process corresponding to women and regulated by certain hormones that allow the possibility of fertility and may also affect other functional capacities of the female organism. Nevertheless, the related scientific literature is scarce. For this reason, the aim of the study was to perform research on female volleyball players, applying an educational methodology consisting of a talk and a workshop/focus group to discover the possible improvements in the analyzed variables. The sample consisted of eight female players (age = 20.5 ± 1.41 years; weight = 59.25 ± 7.59 kg; height = 168.75 ± 6.23 cm). A descriptive and association study was carried out between the study variables considering the time of data collection. The results highlight the importance of developing educational plans related to the MC in teams of female athletes because significant associations were found in the knowledge (question three and question six) and communication (question 14) sections. Finally, the results suggest the need to motivate and encourage the use of tools and education regarding to the MC both in sports and in the social sphere, to promote and improve knowledge, communication, and the perception of the influence of the MC. For this reason, it is recommended that sporting institutions to consider planning and developing informative talks before, during and after sports seasons.