AN ANALYTICAL STUDY ON THE REALITY OF SPORTS INJURIES DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE STAGES WHEN APPLYING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN FEMALE STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The significance of this research lies in understanding the impact of bodily changes during the stages of the menstrual cycle and identifying the injuries sustained during this phase, or whether these changes have no effect on the body and are not related to sports injuries by analysing the reality of sports injuries during the menstrual cycle. Most women face physical and psychological challenges during this period, which may increase the risk of injuries while engaging in sports activities. For instance, hormonal changes and mood swings during the menstrual cycle lead to mood fluctuations and increased nervous tension, thus affecting physical performance and concentration, making them more susceptible to sports injuries. The study aimed to examine the impact of the different stages of the menstrual cycle on some sports injuries during physical activities in both married and unmarried female students.

The research sample was deliberately chosen and consisted of 100 unmarried female students and 50 married female students from the Colleges of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Thi-Qar. The researcher prepared a special questionnaire form mentioning the most common injuries and those related to physiological and psychological factors during the menstrual cycle and while engaging in physical activities. After explaining the main objective of the research to the sample, the questionnaires were distributed and statistically analysed to identify the most frequent injuries during this period, which was the main objective of the study.

One of the primary conclusions reached by the researcher is that the stages of the menstrual cycle have a direct impact on the incidence of certain sports injuries among unmarried female students. Some recommendations included the necessity for trainers to consider the psychological state experienced by female students during the menstrual cycle stages and to reduce physical exercises during these periods due to the psychological and mood changes in female students.