Impact of the Menstrual Cycle Phases on the Movement Patterns of Sub-Elite Women Soccer Players during Competitive Matches

Pierre-Hugues Igonin, Isabelle Rogowski, Nathalie Boisseau and Cyril Martin
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Pierre-Hugues Igonin: Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Biologie de la Motricité (LIBM EA7424), Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 69100 Lyon, France
Isabelle Rogowski: Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Biologie de la Motricité (LIBM EA7424), Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 69100 Lyon, France
Nathalie Boisseau: Laboratoire des Adaptations Métaboliques à l’Exercice en Conditions Physiologiques et Pathologiques (AME2P), Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
Cyril Martin: Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Biologie de la Motricité (LIBM EA7424), Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 69100 Lyon, France

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the menstrual cycle phases on the movement patterns of sub-elite women soccer players during competitive matches over three consecutive seasons. Individual movement data were analyzed and compared in eight players from the second French League at the early follicular (EF), late follicular (LF) and mid-luteal (ML) phases of their menstrual cycle, determined by the calendar method. The movement patterns, expressed as meters per minute, were recorded during competitive matches using devices placed on the player’s ankle. Our results showed significantly lower distances covered at moderate and high velocity in the EF phase than in the LF and ML phases (Cohen’s d effect size = 1.03 and 0.79, respectively). The total distance covered during matches and the number of sprints also were reduced during EF compared with LF (d = 0.78 and 0.7, respectively). Overall, the total distance and distance covered at low velocity were significantly lower during the second half-time of the matches (d = 1.51), but no menstrual cycle phase × game period interaction was noted. In conclusion, our study suggests that EF may impact the movement pattern of sub-elite women soccer players during competitive matches, without any modulation of this effect by the playing time. Despite the low sample size, these results can be useful for coaches and support staff to modulate training loads and player rotation during soccer games.

Keywords: women soccer players; menstrual cycle phase; menstruation; performance; football (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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