Why the study?
Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect physical performance and increase injury risk in female athletes, but the risk of injury across specific cycle phases remains to be evaluated to inform prevention and training strategies.
Does the phase of the menstrual cycle affect the risk of injury in professional female soccer players?
Does the phase of the menstrual cycle affect the risk of injury in professional female soccer players?
The early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle is associated with a significantly increased risk of injury in professional female soccer players.
Early follicular phase injury association in female soccer players warrants training caution; leaves open causal effects and practice changes without prospective data.
The Menstrual Cycle (MC) involves hormonal changes that impact physical performance and increase the risk of injuries in female athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the injury risk in female soccer players during different phases of the MC, along with their characteristics, aiming at prevention and training strategies. It is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and retrospective study with Brazilian professional female soccer players. The sample consisted of 53 athletes (mean age 21.7 ± 4.9 years), 20 (37.7%) of whom had injuries in the last season. All participants had a regular MC and were registered in the professional roster. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, covering personal and sports information, injury history in the last 12 months, and gynecological conditions. Injuries were correlated with the phases of the MC. The statistical analysis used the Pearson χ2 test to compare the occurrence of injuries between the MC phases, with significance set at p < .05. A significant association was found between injuries and the phases of the MC, with the early follicular phase showing the highest proportion of injury rates (35.0%; p < .001; OR = 37.20), especially among midfielders (42.8%). Of these, 66.7% sustained contact injuries, all during training, with joint origins localized in the knee. Thus, we suggest that the early follicular phase may represent a period of increased vulnerability to injury risk. However, prospective and longitudinal studies across various leagues are needed to clarify the influence of the MC on these athletes’ injuries.
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Santos et al. (2025) studied this question.
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