MENSTRUAL PERIODICITY IN YOUNG P.E. STUDENTS. Issue 1 (November 1973) - Thomason, H.
Abstract : In a study involving women physical education students and non-physical education students, Rougier and Liquette (1962) could establish no physical difference in the characteristics of the menstrual periods of both groups. Agreement with this work was expressed by Mean and von Neiderhaeusern (1966), except that more abnormal menstruations were found in sporting women. Klaus and Schubert (1961) observed that the appearance of dysmenorrhea and anomalies of the menstrual period were present during hard physical training. In this study menstrual periodicity, blood flow time and the incidence of dysmenorrhea were investigated using women undergoing a three year course of physical education. Group A, Experimental Population — students undergoing a three year physical education course, n = 28. Group B, Control Population — students undergoing a three year non-physical education course, n = 15. Data collected over the three years of the investigation was subjected to detailed statistical analysis. No significance could be demonstrated between the two groups in respect of menstrual cycle time. However, group means and standard deviations of both groups after the first six months course work are interesting: [Table: see text] Significant differences were demonstrated between the groups in respect of blood flow time. (P ≥ 0.05) The incidence of dysmenorrhea was significantly different with Group A in respect of physical work load and significantly different between groups. (P ≥ 0.05) These findings agree with those of Rougier and Liquette (1962) in that no significant difference could be established between the two groups in respect of mean periodicity and with Mean and von Neiderhaeusern (1966) that abnormal menstrual periodicity was found in some sporting women. The incidence of dysmenorrhea was similar to that seen by Klaus and Schubert (1961) in that dysmenorrhea was present during hard physical training in some women.