A study of professional female football players suggests that injuries sustained during menstruation lead to longer recovery times. Researchers found that while injury rates do not increase during periods, the injuries appear more severe. This finding highlights potential hormonal influences on athletic recovery.
Researchers at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona tracked 33 players from the FC Barcelona women's football team over four seasons from 2019 to 2023. As part of routine training, the athletes self-reported their menstrual cycle days. Doctors assessed any injuries using a standard severity scale.
The analysis revealed no higher incidence of injuries during menstruation—11 occurred while bleeding compared to 69 on non-bleeding days. However, those during periods were notably more severe. For example, soft tissue injuries in this phase resulted in over three times the training days lost versus other cycle stages.
Low estrogen levels during menstruation may play a role, as this hormone supports muscle recovery and repair. Eva Ferrer, lead researcher, noted: “The combination of low estrogen, possible iron loss, more intense symptoms [such as cramps] and greater fatigue could contribute to a worse prognosis for injuries at this stage.”
Stuart Phillips from McMaster University cautioned that estrogen's protective effects on muscles are mainly evidenced in animal studies, with limited human data. The study did not measure iron levels or factors like fatigue, and the small number of period-related injuries (11) limits generalizability. Ferrer acknowledged: “A small number of very serious injuries can skew the overall impression if the sample size and confidence intervals are not taken into account.”
These results may not apply to recreational athletes. Ferrer advocates for personalized training adjustments during menstruation, based on individual symptoms, injury history, and metrics like load and well-being, while calling for more research incorporating hormonal and nutritional data.
The findings were published in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living (DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1665482).
