Competing with Hormones

A three-page feature on ACL injuries and menstrual-cycle research. Work by FIFPRO, the PFA, Nike and Leeds Beckett University finds female players between two and six times more likely to rupture an ACL, with two thirds of those injuries occurring without contact. A Barca Innovation Hub study of 33 players, 852 cycles and 80 injuries found incidence unchanged during menstruation but severity roughly tripled in days lost. FUTPRO’s 2025 report records 75 per cent of Spanish players saying menstrual pain affects performance and nearly 70 per cent receiving no club guidance. Dr Ramon Cugat points to neglected physical preparation, and Michele Kang’s Kynisca Innovation Hub aims to raise 100 million dollars for women-specific research.