Wee spot of bother for one-in-three female players

MORE than one third of women playing Gaelic football and camogie experience urinary leakage during training and match play, research has found.

- BY CATE McCURRY

Urinary leakage - a form of incontinence - remains a hidden struggle for many female athletes, largely due to embarrassment and stigma, a report found.

Dublin City University’s research, published in Science and Medicine in Football, explores how menstrual cycle-related symptoms, hormonal contraceptive use, and indicators of pelvic floor dysfunction affect players of ladies Gaelic football and camogie.

Among players not using hormonal contraceptives, 97.7% reported menstrual cycle-related symptoms, most commonly abdominal cramping (84%) and fatigue (82.2%).

STRENGTH

Around 85% believe their menstrual cycle affects on-field performance, with 59% indicating a negative impact.

Approximately 37% of athletes experienced urinary leakage during training or matches, suggesting potential pelvic floor concerns. A high proportion also experience urinary urgency (47.8%) and genital pain (43.4%).

Dr David Nolan, assistant professor of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the DCU School of Health and Human Performance, said urinary leakage is a current taboo in women's sports.