The physicality of female sport (a postscript)

Earlier this month I posted on this august organ a piece listing some of the physiological differences between men and women (The physicality of female sport – 11th March 2021) and discussing how, in modern sport – attended as it is by the strains of extreme training and strength and conditioning work – these inevitably mean that elite sportswomen face an increased risk of suffering from some of the specific catastrophic injuries or conditions that often afflict their male counterparts.

Especially so in sports or events in which what one might describe as the ‘traditional masculine attributes’ – power, strength an explosive speed – are at a premium and/or give an advantage to female athletes who either to some degree possess them innately through genetics and/or develop them over time during their sporting careers.

Yesterday, quite by chance, I came upon a piece in The Guardian newspaper by Fiona Tomas on aspects of menstruation (the female monthly cycle) as they can affect sportswomen. It was first published on 26th February and – had I spotted it during my researches in preparing to write my above-mentioned post to the Rust – almost certainly I would have included a reference to it.

Today I provide sport-interested Rusters with a link to Ms Tomas’s article both because it adds weight to the issues I raised in my earlier post and may also be of general interest – see here, on the website of – THE GUARDIAN