Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Sport Performance in Archers

Abstract

A total of 142 women participated in the 2019 archery archers competed in the Turkey championship. A questionnaire containing questions about the menstrual cycle was administered to the archers participating in the study. There was no statistical difference in the frequency of menstruation according to the age category of the archers, while a statistical difference was found in the bleeding times. While there was no statistically significant difference in bleeding times according to body mass index. A statistical difference was found in the frequency of menstruation. In general, regular and irregular menstruation did not differ statistically according to age category, but showed a significant difference according to body mass index categor. A statistically significant difference was found according to age groups in the periods when the performance was highest. There was no statistically significant difference according to age groups in case of being affected while shooting arrows in the menstrual period. Conclusively, the competitor archers who participated in our study had regular menstruation, but some of them had an increase in menstrual irregularity during the competition period. Perhaps irregularities during menstrual cycle is due to the stress experienced by many athletes during the preparation and competition period, the violent training that the athlete is in, and the emotional tensions experienced in addition to this, may increase these irregularities.