Research summary · Women's sport
Menstrual-cycle phases and intrinsic injury-risk factors
A systematic review examines anatomical, biomechanical and neuromuscular injury-risk factors across at least three verified menstrual-cycle phases.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review
- Journal
- Sports
- Population / context
- Eumenorrheic female athletes and physically active women
What the publication reports
Eleven studies were included. Late follicular and ovulatory phases tended to show more favourable biomechanical or neuromuscular profiles, while menstrual and premenstrual phases showed less favourable patterns in some outcomes.
Limits and interpretation
Methodological heterogeneity, small evidence volume and inconsistent phase verification prevent firm conclusions. The review does not justify universal cycle-based restrictions or injury predictions.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
The Influence of the Phases of the Menstrual Cycle on Intrinsic Injury Risk Factors in Eumenorrheic Female Athletes or Physically Active Women-A Systematic Review
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42506840DOI: 10.3390/sports14070297Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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