Research brief: Menstruation can lead to higher injury risk
Menstruation increases the risk of injury in women soccer players, claim Swedish researchers. A study of 446 injuries from 30 women’s soccer teams in Sweden showed that women were more injury-prone during menstruation. Injuries, mostly to the ankle, knee and thigh, were caused by an increase in the levels of the hormone relaxin, which relaxes or slackens the ligaments during menstruation (Swedish Research Council Online).