| Keywords |
Female athletes ; Age at menarche ; Delayed menarche ; Age at MPV (Maximum Peak Velocity) ; Wavelet Interpolation Method (WIM) |
| Abstract |
In this study we established a system to evaluate delayed menarche in female athletes, applied delayed menarche evaluation equation to girls who played various sports, and reconfirmed the delay in menarche in athletes. Then, the delayed menarche evaluation equation was applied to general female high school students and the exercise status of female athletes was investigated in detail. The menstruation status after menarche was also analyzed. The female athletes were 144 girls in the Tokai Region who participated in regular, hard training before and after the age of menarche. The control group consisted of 209 girls from the same region who had little experience of regular training. A further 49 general high school girls from the same region were selected. The girls completed a questionnaire survey on age at menarche and exercise status. The general high school girls were also surveyed with regard to menstrual status after menarche. The medical records of these girls were examined, and longitudinal measurements of height and weight were obtained. The results confirmed late menarche in female athletes of all sports, and the delayed menarche evaluation system was recognized as being valid. Next, the number of general high school girls judged to have delayed menarche was found to be greater than usual, and it was found that the girls judged to have delayed menarche had in fact participated in regular exercise around the time of menarche. This suggests the possibility that delayed menarche is induced by the physical and mental stress of regular exercise (3-5/day, 4-6/week, 14-15/RPE). It was also found that more than half of girls judged to have delayed menarche have experienced menstrual irregularity or dysmenorrhea. This is the first study to obtain such findings, which suggest that the occurrence of late menarche may lead to menstrual abnormality. Therefore, regardless of the sport, if there is strong physical and mental stress around the time of menarche, delayed menarche may develop into menstrual disorders and trigger physiological risk in girls. Sufficient awareness of this possibility is needed in education. |