Dublin, Ireland — December 16, 2025 — A new global study from Kitman Labs, the leader in human performance intelligence, reveals that while menstrual health is almost universally recognised as a critical factor in women’s performance, few professional sports organisations have the systems or structures to address it.
Drawing on data from practitioners and athletes across sports such as football, rugby, basketball, hockey — and spanning Europe and North America — the research quantifies what many in women’s sport have long suspected: the menstrual cycle (MC) is perceived to influence performance, recovery, and availability — yet a systematic approach to understanding, measuring, and managing it still lags far behind.
Key Findings
- 88% of support staff working in professional settings are aware of the potential effects of the menstrual cycle on performance.
- Of the professional staff respondents, only 49% reported that their organisations systematically track menstrual cycle data.
- Only 26% of practitioners work with systems that they deemed suitable for assessing MC effect on health and performance.
- Despite growing awareness, 86% of athletes said they receive no menstrual-specific support or interventions within their sporting environment.
- Fewer than 1 in 5 support staff report having any formal policy, protocol, or workflow related to menstrual health within their organisations.
- Among the professional cohorts, the majority (71%) of support staff view MC-related communication as very important, yet less than half of the athletes report conversations taking place. They cited cultural discomfort, stigma, or lack of confidence as barriers to action.
A Global Blind Spot
“This study puts numbers behind what practitioners have been telling us for years,” said Anne Makinen, Lead Author and Performance Strategist. “Even though many seem to understand that menstruation health has an impact on athlete performance and injury risk, most organisations still can’t see it, measure it, or manage it. The result is a blind spot in athlete care and competitive performance.”
Researchers describe the global pattern as “impact without infrastructure” — a situation in which awareness of menstrual health’s importance far outpaces the systems, technology, and education required to support it. The study also links this imbalance to what it calls the gendered sporting context – a legacy of male-defined systems, research and coaching models that were never redesigned for female physiology.
The absence of structured tracking and policies has real consequences: menstrual dysfunctions such as amenorrhea or heavy bleeding can elevate risk of overuse injuries, chronic fatigue, and poor recovery. Without visibility or confidence to address these issues, practitioners are often forced to make critical decisions without vital physiological data.
From Awareness to Action
The findings call for a fundamental redesign of high-performance systems through a female physiological lens. Awareness alone is not progress — progress requires structure, accountability, and data. It also requires confronting the gendered foundations of sport itself – where training, testing and health protocols were long built around male physiology and replicated into women’s programs by default.
The study identified seven support considerations for a Female athlete supportive environment (FASE): education, communication, training & performance, medical, wellness, resources, and research.
“This isn’t about placing blame,” said Stephen Smith, Founder & CEO, Kitman Labs. “It’s about performance risk and organisational evolution. Women’s sport has been forced to rely on male-dominated physiological models and research. If women’s sport is going to advance, its frameworks must be rebuilt through a female lens — grounded in evidence, not assumption.”
A Turning Point for Women’s Sport
The findings arrive as investment and professionalism in women’s sport accelerate globally. The researchers warn that if menstrual health remains unmanaged, teams and governing bodies risk falling behind — competitively, ethically, and medically. As the study notes, overcoming the inertia of the gendered sporting context – and rebuilding sport systems around female data and physiology – will define the next frontier of competitive advantage in women’s sport.
“The stakes are clear,” added Smith. “You can’t claim to optimise performance if you’re ignoring the data that defines half your athletes. This is about redefining what world-class looks like and we’re committed to collaborating with our partners to help establish that.”
Access the Full Study
The full report — Menstrual Health in Elite Sport: Understanding the Gaps, Risks, and Path Forward — is available to download here.
Journalists interested in covering the findings or interviewing Kitman Labs researchers can contact: kitmanlabs@thephagroup.com
About Kitman Labs
Kitman Labs is the world’s leading sports science and Performance Intelligence Company. Kitman Labs powers iP: Intelligence Platform, the advanced operating system used by the largest and most innovative leagues, teams and regulatory bodies in elite Sport and Defense. Our software solutions – Performance Medicine, Performance Optimisation, Coaching & Development and League Operations – have been designed to optimise human performance; enhance overall health, wellness and longevity; reduce injury risk; and drive operational efficiencies and value. Kitman Labs is headquartered in Silicon Valley and Dublin.
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The PHA Group
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