The effects of the menstrual cycle on the static balance in healthy young women.
Byung Joon Lee, Ki Hun Cho, Wan Hee Lee
PMID 29200635WHAT IT FOUND
In 18 healthy young women, sway while standing was higher at ovulation than early in menstruation.
Higher sway means less steady balance. Consider lower intensity balance training at ovulation.
Key findings
01Postural sway speed and velocity moment were significantly higher at ovulation than at the beginning of menstruation.
02Medio-lateral speed was 3.18 ± 0.87 mm/s at the beginning of menstruation and 4.18 ± 1.84 mm/s at ovulation.
03Velocity moment was 9.89 ± 6.79 mm2/s at the beginning of menstruation and 14.01 ± 10.93 mm2/s at ovulation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 18 healthy young women were studied, so the finding may not apply to older adults, injured patients, or people with balance disorders. Balance was measured only at the beginning of menstruation and ovulation, not across the full cycle. Only static standing balance was measured, not dynamic balance or actual injury rates. The paper describes ovulation as 12 to 13 days after menstruation but does not report hormone levels. The methods describe paired measurements in the same 18 women, not randomisation or a control group.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that menstrual hormones caused the balance change or that timing exercise around ovulation prevents injuries. The study measured static sway in 18 healthy women at two cycle time points and did not test an intervention or injury outcome.