Menopause and elite sport: an exploration of national level female athletes' and rowers' menopause experiences

As most elite athletes retire before reaching menopause, those who continue to compete are largely neglected in research. With the growth of masters / seniors competition, many women continue to perform on a national stage, throughout their menopause journey. Menopause symptoms can have a significant impact on many aspects of a woman’s life, though previous research suggests support for many is limited.

Competing in elite sport brings unique challenges to all who make it to this level, while menopause symptoms are likely to further compound these challenges. Therefore, it is important that the impact of menopause symptoms on training and competition is understood, to allow women to be supported throughout this life stage.

This research is at an early stage, but is already starting to show how track and field athletes, and rowers, have continued to train and compete throughout menopause, using their own coping strategies, with little / no support from coaches, clubs, and governing bodies. It is hoped that the final study will include another group of women from a different sport, and will bring together their experiences to draw wider conclusions, that may inform future policy and practice.