The Link Between Dysmenorrhea and Injury

Studies have shown that women involved in endurance sports, or are underweight, exhibit menstrual dysfunction more often than their normal counterparts. They also miss more training time and take longer recovery time from injury than those with regular menses.

The hormonal theory is the most popular explanation for the increased injury rate in dymenorrheic woman. Low estrogen is often cited as causing fragile bones similar to older women going thrugh menopause. High cortisol which is a stress hormone is also discussed.

The type of injuries suffered by dysmenorrheic women are usually tendonitis, strained ligaments, fractures, tendonitis, inflamed muscles and other musculoskeletal injuries. Further, those that have menstruated less frequently (less than once every six months) were sidelined by injuries for a longer period of time.

Besides hormones, nutritional deficiencies, which themselves can inhibit the healing process, may be a contributing factor.. Many dysmenorrheic athletes have too low percentage body fat and many low body fat athletes have eating disorders. The lower percentage of fat can create the low estrogen profiles mentioned earlier. If the individual is anorexic or a binge eater then some nutritional problems could easily exist.

Finally, athletes with dysmenorrhea tend to overtrain. This overtraining may be a factor in their failure to recuperate normally from injuries. Studies show that dysmenorrheic athletes trained about 25% more hours per weeks than normally menstruating woman.

The dysmenorrheic athlete is complex. They have some psychological issues to work through regarding their drive to over train and their need for a low percentage body fat. They must be taught that being in a hormonal state of dysmenorrhea is not normal and will certainly not help their athletic performance. It will reduce their recovery from injuries from overtraining. They have hormone profiles that weakens bones and other parts of the musculoskeletal system.

I was once a dysmenorrheic swimmer. I lost 30 lbs, would do extra training on my own, had estrogen levels nearly nonexistent. Yes. I killed myself dieting and doing extra training and, of course, my performance went way down. It took my coaches a year to "get me straightened out" but I showed up at the 1884 Olympic Games 5'9, 155, solid, benching 170 and I won a gold medal on the freestyle relay. Take it from someone's been there. You need that extra weight for strength and power, perfect nutrition is essential and your hormones must at tip top level. And you definitely need to have a lightening recovery system for both workout to workout and any mishap injury.

Dr Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. For more savvy fitness information go to http://www.aerobics-exercise-coach.com