UTS PhD student Georgia Brown is researching the impact of the menstrual cycle on female athletic performance. This year, she got to work with the Matildas.
Brown's responsibilities with the Sports Science and Sports Medicine team for the Matildas at the FIFA Women's World Cup included assisting with nutrition, recovery sessions, and conditioning sessions. Photo: Rachel Bach/ By The White Line.
In recent years, there has been a discernible shift in acknowledging that the menstrual cycle affects athletes. Nevertheless, in-depth research on this topic is still in its nascent stages.
UTS researcher and sports scientist Georgia Brown is determined to help change this, with her PhD research examining the menstrual health of football players and the effects of the menstrual cycle on performance and recovery.
Brown's journey took an exciting turn in mid 2023 when she had the opportunity to work as a sports scientist with the Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The experience led to valuable insights into the practical aspects of sports science, which will help inform the application of her research.
A research focus on menstrual health
Brown's research centres on two critical aspects of women's football: menstrual health and the influence of the menstrual cycle phase and symptoms on performance and recovery.
Her work aims to unravel the complex relationship between an athlete's menstrual wellbeing and their on-field performance.
Brown is researching whether the menstrual phase and symptoms they’re experiencing changes what they do during a match. Photo: Rachel Bach/ By The White Line.
By examining the role of the menstrual cycle in football, Brown hopes to dispel myths and provide evidence-based insights.
Brown’s first steps were to help create a Menstrual Health Screening tool for Football Australia, to help detect issues and understand how players perceive the menstrual cycle affects their performance.
“Menstrual health is really important: often, athletes, and women in general, don't understand what a normal menstrual cycle should be and how it can impact their overall health and athletic performance,” says Brown.
“For instance, they might think that skipping their cycle is normal, but it’s not and can be a sign of underlying health issues with potentially serious health and performance consequences.
“Players often feel they perform worse during certain menstrual phases due to symptoms like fatigue, cramps, headaches or nausea, which makes sense, but there isn't enough scientific evidence around whether this is actually translates to worse performance.”
Brown's research aims to bridge this knowledge gap, providing female athletes with the information and support they need to optimize their performance and health.
Empowering conversations about periods
One of the key challenges Brown faces in her research is changing the narrative around menstrual health.
Open conversations about periods and menstrual cycles are crucial, and she believes that such discussions are becoming more prevalent.
"Players are definitely becoming more open to it, which is important because you can then pick up on issues earlier," she says.
By creating an environment where athletes feel comfortable discussing their menstrual health, Brown hopes to empower them to seek help when needed.
“This shift in perspective is vital, as it not only improves the players' physical wellbeing but also contributes to their mental resilience and confidence on the field,” says Brown.
Brown says she gained invaluable insights while working with the Matildas at the FIFA Women's World Cup (Georgia Brown, far right). Photo: Rachel Bach/ By The White Line.
The Matildas experience
While undertaking her PhD, Brown also worked as a sports scientist, with the Australian women's national under-20 football team.
However, the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup brought about the opportunity to work closely with the Matildas, Australia's national women's football team.
Her role took her to the heart of the action, where she collaborated with the Sports Science and Sports Medicine team to support the athletes' physical and psychological performance.
Her responsibilities extended to assisting with nutrition, recovery sessions, and conditioning sessions.
“This hands-on experience with world-class athletes provided me with some invaluable insights that will continue to influence my research and future practice,” says Brown.
Reflecting on her time with the Matildas, Brown recalls the electrifying atmosphere.
"We couldn't leave our hotel without fans everywhere and cameras everywhere, which was pretty exciting. The momentum that built around the team was just awesome."
The impact of the menstrual cycle on performance and recovery
An exciting part of Brown’s research is working with A-League Women players to explore what aspects of athletic performance and recovery are affected by the menstrual cycle.
“We’re looking at whether the menstrual phase and symptoms they’re experiencing changes what they do during a match.
UTS PhD Candidate Georgia Brown
“We’re also investigating if recovery from a match, including sleep and nutritional intake, is affected by menstrual phase and symptoms.”
Brown’s UTS PhD supervisor and Head of Research at Football Australia, Professor Rob Duffield, says “Georgia has cemented herself in an excellent position within professional football in Australia to allow her research to have direct translation to support player health – especially in women’s football that has been under-resourced for so long.”
Brown hopes this research will help guide monitoring processes and strategies to overcome negative side effects of the menstrual cycle for adolescent to professional football players.
She says better understanding and management of menstrual cycles in sports can make a significant difference.
“Girls should be equipped with the knowledge and tools to confidently participate in sports, even during their periods."
Learn more about studying Sport and Exercise at UTS.