Mirabai Chanu Opens Up About Her Period Struggles: How Athletes Handle Menstruation During Competition

Paris Olympics 2024 trended on social media platforms for being the first edition of the Olympics to promote gender parity, meaning an equal number of female and male athletes were selected.

This edition also broke a lot of taboos, including mental health and reproductive health.

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu who finished fourth in the women’s 49 Kg event at the Paris Olympics talked about how menstruation affected her performance. She said that she was “feeling weak” as it was her third day of the period.

Dr Nishi Singh, gynaecologist and obstetrics and Head of fertility at Prime IVF who has been practising for over 20 years says, “Menstruation can have a significant impact on female athletes, presenting unique challenges that can affect their performance. During menstruation, women may experience symptoms such as cramps, fatigue, bloating, and mood swings, all of which can impact their athletic performance. These symptoms can reduce energy levels, impair focus, and cause discomfort, making it more difficult to train and compete at peak levels.”

Breaking the Period Silence

Swimmer Fu Yuanhua from People’s Republic of China who lost a medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 said, “Actually, my period started yesterday evening. That’s why I feel very weak and tired, but this is not an excuse. At the end of the day, I simply did not swim very well.” This earned Fu a lot of praise on social media for breaking the taboo around period and how it affects athletes and their performance.

A French handball Olympic champion Estelle Nze Minko in 2020 said that she had been practicing high-level sport for over a decade, however, it was only a year before when she was asked about menstruation. This shows how this topic is often ignored even in the sports fraternity.

However, just before winning a double Olympic crown in judo in Tokyo 2020, France’s Clarisse Agbegnenou became the ambassador for French menstrual underwear, educating women on menstruation and women’s sports.

Gradually, women athletes are opening up on menstruation and how it affects their performance. New Zealand’s golf player Lydia Ko said, “the younger me would say it is embarrassing, but now I don’t think it is that embarrassing to say it anymore because I am not the only one, right?”

Systematic Changes

French figure skater Mae-Berenice Meite featured many other women athletes on her YouTube channel who talked about their experiences with menstruation and sports. With women athletes speaking up on this topic, which was considered taboo before, changes in the game rules were seen.

In the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, several women's football squads switched to playing with dark-coloured shorts. All thanks to Great Britain women’s footballer Beth Mead who said, “white is not practical when it is the time of the month.”

In 2023, even in Wimbledon, women tennis players were allowed to wear dark-coloured undershorts for the first time in the tournament's history. This was a historical and landmark decision, as it happened 146 years after the game’s launch.

How Does Period Affect Performance?

Six-time Olympic medalist and former American gymnast Aly Raisman said, “when you are really nervous, you have butterflies in your stomach, and you have your period, it is just not a good combination.” Israeli marathon runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter also acknowledged that period cramps affect one’s performance. She said that her cramps were so bad that she had to take a break during her race at the Tokyo Olympics.

A woman undergoes four different phases in her menstrual cycle, namely menstruation, follicular, ovulation and luteal. The shift from one phase to another may cause weakness, cramps, and loss of sleep.

Inflammation increases during ovulation when the ovary releases an egg.

Research by UCL and the University of Bath studied football players of the Women’s Super League and found that athletes were six times more likely to get a muscle injury during the pre-menstrual phase. While they were six times more prone to an injury during the mid-luteal phase.

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Another 2021 research that studied female footballers stated that fluctuation in female sex hormones may lead to injuries in their muscles, tendons and ligaments. The study found that 88 per cent of the chances of getting a muscle or tendon injury increase during the follicular phase.

“Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle can lead to fluctuations in energy and endurance,” says Dr Singh.

How to Manage It?

Dr Singh says that athletes must focus on self-care during their menstrual cycle.

Staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet with iron-rich foods to combat potential anaemia, and ensuring sufficient rest and recovery are some of the common ways to manage it.

Some athletes also use period-tracking apps, while others choose birth control pills to delay their menstruation. However, they come with their own side effects.

“Coaches play a crucial role in supporting female athletes during their menstrual cycle by being attentive to their unique needs. By adjusting training routines and providing personalised care, coaches can ensure that athletes maintain their performance levels and overall well-being, even during challenging phases of their cycle,” says Dr Singh.