Monitoring Readiness to Train and Perform in Female Football: Current Evidence and Recommendations for Practitioners

The latest research on women’s football delves into readiness monitoring and the menstrual cycle’s impact on performance. It emphasizes the need for a balanced approach, combining objective metrics like heart rate with subjective measures such as athlete-reported outcome measures (AROM). Reliability checks are essential before implementing these measures. In settings with limited technology, AROM instruments can be valuable, though caution is advised due to validation concerns. Tracking the menstrual cycle helps identify issues like low energy availability. Nutritional strategies, particularly for iron deficiency, are crucial, supported by nutrition professionals throughout the season. While progress is evident, there are still limitations, highlighting the need for further research and adaptation of recommendations, especially for amateur clubs.

A few key points of note are:

• Objective and Subjective Measures: Practitioners are advised to include both objective (e.g., heart rate, countermovement jump) and subjective measures (e.g., athlete-reported outcome measures) in their monitoring practices to gain a comprehensive understanding of female players’ readiness.
• Assessment of Reliability: Before implementing monitoring tools, practitioners should assess the reliability of both objective and subjective measures to ensure accurate data collection.
• Role of Athlete-Reported Outcome Measures (AROM): AROM instruments can be valuable, especially in contexts lacking technology, such as semi-professional and amateur clubs. However, practitioners should be cautious as many single-item AROM instruments lack proper validation.
• Menstrual Cycle Tracking: Monitoring the menstrual cycle can help identify menstrual dysfunction, indicating potential underlying issues like low energy availability or gynecological problems. Practitioners should pay attention to the menstrual and premenstrual phases, which are key time windows for symptom monitoring.
• Iron Metabolism Consideration: Iron deficiency is common in elite female football players. Practitioners should consider implementing nutritional strategies, particularly with the support of nutrition professionals, throughout the football season.
• Limitations and Future Directions: The review acknowledges limitations, including potential selection bias and reliance on expert opinions. Future research is needed in women’s football, particularly in understanding the impact of readiness monitoring and the menstrual cycle. Additionally, recommendations should be adapted for contexts with limited resources, such as amateur clubs, where subjective monitoring tools can be valuable for planning training programs and individualizing recovery strategies.