The Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Physical Performance in Healthy Adolescent Girls

Menstrual cycle is associated with hormonal fluctuations that can affect physical performance in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the menstrual cycle phases on physical performance in healthy adolescent girls.
The present study was a quasi-experimental research. For this purpose, 30 subjects were selected and according to the menstrual cycle they were allocated into three groups: bleeding, follicular and luteal groups. General physical performance tests of endurance, coordination, explosive power and muscular strength were carried out in experimental conditions. The data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and post hoc tests in SPSS.20 at the significant level of α The results showed that except for 540-m running test and sit-ups, in other tests, there weren’t any significant differences between groups. There was a significant difference between bleeding and luteal group in 540-m running test (p=0.032). In sit-up test, a significant difference between bleeding group with Luteal (p=0.007) and follicular (p=0.006) groups were observed.
It seems that adolescent girls can perform speed, strength and power, balance and flexibility activities in all periods of menstrual cycles, but the effects of menstrual cycle phases on the performance activities such as sit-ups and 540 meters run are not the same.