An Investigation into Alternative Ways of Menstrual Cycle Tracking in Professional Sports

Advances in sports science and emerging interest in human–computer interaction highlighted the importance of tracking menstrual cycles (MC) for optimising athletic performance. However, existing MC-tracking solutions are often intrusive, labour-intensive, or insufficiently tailored to the demanding routines of professional athletes. To address this gap, we collaborated with a professional women’s football club and explored athlete and coach needs. We conducted exploratory workshops with N=13 players and three coaches to uncover preferences MC tracking methods and to identify communication challenges around MC data. Drawing on these insights, we conceptually developed and evaluated (with N=19 athletes) a MC-tracking tool and a companion mobile app. Our findings highlight that MC data is inherently sensitive and must not be treated as just another parameter within the already multifactorial landscape of athletic performance and injury risks. We contribute to SportsHCI by providing a foundation for future research on the tracking of MC in sports.