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Survey study, 2025

How common is PMS in adolescent female athletes?

PMS was present in 16.33% of adolescent female athletes. Rates varied by sport, with karate players having the highest rate at 25% and sprinters having the lowest at 12.12%.

Moderate study design 147 adolescent female competitive athletes aged 13-17 in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India

What they did

Observational study of 147 adolescent female competitive athletes aged 13-17 in India playing different sports including football, sprinting, badminton, volleyball, cricket, and karate. Researchers measured menstrual characteristics and PMS using a questionnaire.

What they found

24 out of 147 athletes (16.33%) had PMS. Rates varied by sport: football 16.96%, sprinters 12.12%, badminton 18.8%, volleyball 15.79%, cricket 16.67%, and karate 25%.

What it means for you

PMS appears less common in competitive female adolescent athletes compared to the general population. Karate players had the highest PMS rate. However, the study was in one region of India and results may not apply to athletes in other countries or sports not studied.

16.33%

overall PMS prevalence

24 out of 147

athletes with PMS

25%

PMS prevalence in karate players

About the study

Original title
Menstrual Characteristics and Premenstrual Syndrome in Adolescent Competitive Female Athletes – An Observational Study
Authors
Srishti Sandeep Nayak, Arati Vinay Mahishale
Journal
Indian Journal of Physical Therapy and Research
Year
2025
Study design
Survey study
Participants
147
What was tested
None
Open access
Yes

Topics