The effect of menstrual cycle phase on multiple performance test parameters

Abstract

Objective: To determine changes in flexibility, dynamic balance, agility, vertical jump, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, and muscle strength performances in women in the early follicular and midluteal phases of the menstrual cycle.

Material and Methods: The study included eumenorrheic women over 18 years of age. Ovulation was detected using LH urine kits. Physical activity levels were determined using the "International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form". Flexibility was evaluated with the sit-and-reach test, dynamic balance with the Y balance test, agility with the hexagon agility test, anaerobic power with the vertical jump test, aerobic capacity with the 20-meter shuttle run test, anaerobic capacity with the Wingate test, and muscle strength with an isokinetic dynamometer.

Results: Twenty women participated in the study. The average age was 22.4 ± 0.9 years, and the average level of physical activity was 1162.2 ± 189.1 MET-min/week. The average menstrual cycle was 30.3 ± 0.5 days. The ‘minimum power’ value in Wingate test was higher during the midluteal phase compared with the follicular phase (p=0.048). The remaining parameters were not statistically different for the two menstrual phases (p>0.05).

Conclusion: We conclude that different phases of the menstrual cycle affect performance parameters minimally and do not cause a statistically significant difference. Nevertheless, instead of establishing these changes as ‘clinically non-significant’, each athlete should be evaluated on an individual basis to develop individual training programs by taking into account the phases of the menstrual cycle.

Cite this article as: Ogul A, Ercan S, Ergan M , Ince Parpucu T, Cetin C. The effect of menstrual cycle phase on multiple performance test parameters. Turk J Sports Med. 2021;56(4):159-65; http://dx.doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0552

The approval for this study was obtained from Institutional Ethics Committee of Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey (Decision no: 323 Date: 29/11/2019).

Concept: SE, Design: SE, Supervision: CÇ, Materials: SE, Data Collection and/or Processing: AO, ME, TP, Analysis and İnterprepation: SE, Literature Review: AO, Writing Manuscript: AO, SE, Critical Reviews: All Authors.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ferdi Başkurt for their contributions in the design phase of the study and Res. Asst. Dr. Esma Arslan for their assistance in the data collection phase.