Implementing menstrual cycle tracking: A pilot concept mapping study investigating considerations of coaches, support staff, and female athletes.

OBJECTIVES: To identify what coaches, support staff, and athletes believe should be considered when implementing menstrual cycle tracking in sport. DESIGN: Concept mapping (mixed-methods participatory approach). METHODS: Participants brainstormed statements in response to the focus prompt "What should be considered when tracking menstrual cycles in sport?" Participants then sorted the statements into groups according to meaning and rated each statement on its importance and feasibility to address. RESULTS: Twenty-six participants (12 athletes and 14 coaches/support staff) generated 53 ideas that the research team synthesised to 57 unique statements. Sixteen participants sorted the statements into an average of 8 (±4) groups. Six clusters were identified as the most appropriate representation of the sorting data following multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis: 1) Ethics, 2) Tracking Tools and Methods, 3) Performance and Health, 4) Education, 5) Interpretation and Framing and 6) Communication. Participants rated each statement based on their importance (n = 12) and feasibility (n = 10), respectively. The most important (mean = 3.88 out of 5) and feasible (mean = 3.85 out of 5) cluster was Ethics, whilst the least important (mean = 3.17) and feasible (mean = 3.04) was Communication. CONCLUSIONS: Ethical considerations pertaining to privacy, consent, and scope of practice should be prioritised when tracking menstrual cycles in sport. A low burden method of tracking, which allows for some individualisation based on athletes' preferences or needs, and menstrual health education should also be undertaken to improve the uptake and impact of menstrual cycle tracking.

A Pilot Study on the Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Elite Australian Football Athletes.

The effect of the menstrual cycle on athlete performance, wellbeing and perceived exertion and fatigue is not well understood. Furthermore, it has not been investigated specifically in Australian Football athletes. This pilot study aimed to explore how naturally menstruating Australian Football athletes may be affected by menstrual cycle phase. The data collected from the routine monitoring of five naturally menstruating athletes (average menstrual cycle length of 28 ± 3 [SD] days) in one team (athlete age range 18-35 years) competing in the Women's Australian Football League during the 2019 season were retrospectively analysed to compare performance (countermovement jump parameters and adductor squeeze pressure), perceived exertion, perceived fatigue and wellbeing (perceived sleep quality, stress and soreness) outcomes between the follicular and luteal phases. Performance, perceived exertion, stress and soreness did not appear to be affected by menstrual cycle phase (p > 0.17). However, perceived fatigue appeared to be significantly greater (p = 0.042) and sleep quality worse (p = 0.005) in the luteal phase. This pilot study suggests further research focusing on the effect of menstrual cycle phase on subjective fatigue and wellbeing is warranted.