Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THIS year’s edition of the Cosafa Women’s Championship presented teams and match officials with an opportunity to study the impact of the menstrual cycle and its bearing on the training and performance of female athletes.
In recent years, a number of top sportswomen have spoken about the impact of their menstrual cycle on their training and performance.
The topic of the menstrual cycle has historically been ignored and even considered somewhat taboo.
However, female physiology and training is now being discussed among female athletes and coaches in practice and, fortunately, the world of sport is now beginning to embrace this important distinction between the sexes.
Though talk surrounding the topic has generally been low, research is being done to ascertain how much knowledge football stakeholders have on the matter.
The most common side effects for women on menstrual cycle are cramps, back pain, headaches and bloating, which hamper their performance and training.
Speaking at the just-ended Cosafa Women’s Championship, sports physiotherapist and exercise scientist Nonhlanhla Mkumbuzi said she was presently seized with research on the knowledge football stakeholders have on the menstrual cycle.
“For this year we are involved in two research projects; one on injury surveillance study and the other on menstrual cycle and its impact on performance.
“On the injury surveillance, we are looking at injury characteristics: what kind of injuries are the players getting and at what time and what causes these injuries. Understanding these characteristics allows us to make informed decisions on injury prevention and management,” Mkumbuzi said.
“We are also doing research on the menstrual cycle; that is the knowledge and attitude of football stakeholders to the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is an important occurrence in women and girls, and as a result it affects performance. We know when you are on your cycle there are differences in your use of fuel in the body. Sometimes you have symptoms that might have an effect on training and this ranges from period pain and if you are in pain you cannot concentrate on training and performance.
“Attitude towards menstruation tends to be negative and as a result it becomes difficult for the athletes. Our study is trying to unravel what football stakeholders know about the menstrual cycle and menstrual health in general. This will enable us to develop better training and educational materials and for us to come up with better plans for physically active women and girls,” she said.
Meanwhile, East African guest nation Tanzania were crowned winners of the 2021 Cosafa Women’s Championship after edging Malawi 1-0 in the final played at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
The Tanzanians now hold titles in all the women’s categories in Cosafa after also scooping the Under-17 and Under-20 titles this year. – @innocentskizoe
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