Menstrual cycle phase effects on performance and fatigue of team sport athletes

Participation involves completing menstrual cycle diaries (to be completed daily to indicate whether menstrual bleeding has occurred and if any menstrual symptoms occur) throughout the during of the data collection period, which will last approximately 2-4 months depending on the participants menstrual cycle length and which phase of the menstrual cycle they will have their first testing session in. Participants must also attend 3 testing sessions, 1 session in each of the 3 main phases of the menstrual cycle (early follicular, ovulatory and mid luteal), which are approximately 1-2 weeks apart (depending on menstrual cycle length). Testing sessions will take place in a laboratory at the University Campus and will be face-to-face, only participant will be tested at a time. 1 or 2 of the listed researchers and a maximum of 2 research assistants will be present at each testing session, and the sessions will be supervised by one of the listed researchers. During every testing session, participants will have a venous blood sample collected by a trained researcher (or phlebotomist or nurse) - so serum estrogen and progesterone may be measured to confirm menstrual cycle phase - and complete subjective assessments including Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire and Recovery Stress Questionnaire for Athletes and muscle soreness visual analogue scale. Participants will then wear a heart rate monitor attached to chest strap, and complete the objective performance and fatigue testing which includes a 5 minute submaximal treadmill test - to allow for maximal rate of heart rate increase to be recorded, 3 trials of a countermovement jump test where participants will perform a maximal vertical jump (with 2 minutes of passive recovery provided between trials), isokinetic dynamometer testing including 3 trials assessing concentric hamstring and quadriceps peak toque and eccentric hamstring peak torque on the dominant and non-dominant limbs (with 30 seconds recovery between each trial) and one time trial will be conducted on a treadmill, where the participants controls treadmill speed and aims to complete 1500m as fast as possible. 2 minutes of rest will be provided between the countermovement jump, isokinetic testing and treadmill time trial. Immediately following the treadmill time trial participants will provide a rating of perceived exertion and lie, quietly, in a supine position for 60 seconds - to allow for heart rate recovery to be recorded. Participants will then be allowed up in their own and remove the heart rate monitor and strap, and no further testing will be required until the next testing session. It is estimated 1 entire testing session will take approximately 75 minutes; an introduction, the blood collection and completion of the subjective assessments will take approximately 25 minutes and completing the submaximal treadmill testing and jump test, isokinetic tests and 1500m time trial (including assessment of heart rate recovery post-time trial) will take 50-55 minutes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 3 groups, these groups indicate which menstrual cycle phase participants will have their first testing session in. Randomisation will occur once participants are recruited and will be completed using MS Excel. Testing sessions will occur in consecutive phases and no washout period to allow a full cycle to elapse before the next session will be provided.