Prevalence And Risk Factors For Premenstrual Syndrome In Korean Female National Athletes

Abstract

Premenstrual syndrome is common in female athletes, and related symptoms, such as anxiety, anxiety, breast tenderness, and bloating, can negatively affect performance. However, there are very few studies on premenstrual syndrome in female athletes worldwide. A survey of PMS is needed to provide proper medical support and to improve performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and related risk factors in elite female athletes. METHODS: A survey about premenstrual syndrome was conducted among female athletes training at national training centers. Premenstrual syndrome was diagnosed using the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool (PSST). Mann-Whitney test was performed to determine differences in age, training time, and body mass index (BMI) according to premenstrual syndrome. The chi-square test was performed to investigate differences in alcohol and coffee intake, diet for weight loss, stress fracture, and menstrual regularity according to premenstrual syndrome. RESULTS: The average age of 124 female athletes across 17 sports was 24.36 (± 4.68) years, and the mean BMI was 22.19 (± 3.81). Of the 124 patients, 17 met criteria for moderate to severe PMS, and one met the criteria for premenstrual discomfort. Athletes diagnosed with moderate to severe PMS complained of fatigue (100%), irritability (78%), difficulty concentrating (78%), joint and muscle pain (56 %), bloating (56 %), and weight gain (56%). Age, type of sport, BMI, training time per week, menarche age, and coffee and alcohol consumption were not significantly related to the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome. Overall, 76.6% of the female athletes felt that premenstrual symptoms interfered with their performance; however, only five out of the 18 athletes with moderate to severe PMS visited their doctors to discuss it. CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study of the prevalence of and risk factors for premenstrual syndrome in Korean female athletes found that 18 (14.55%) of 124 athletes had moderate to severe PMS, and no risk factors for developing premenstrual syndrome were discovered.