Colloquia

Summary

The increasing number of women in sports has shown the need for research focused specifically on female athletes. Biological differences between males and females make it clear that findings from studies on male athletes cannot simply be applied to females. Although there has been progress, there is still a lack of high-quality studies dedicated to female athletes, especially regarding how the effect of the menstrual cycle. This study aims to look into the current state of this issue, identify key challenges, and developing a solution tailored to a specific group: FC Twente Vrouwen. The research uses the Design Thinking framework, starting with analysing existing knowledge and then focusing on the FC Twente Vrouwen team. From this, the study sets a research question: How can we improve menstrual cycle tracking and use this data to enhance the well-being and performance of female football players? The results show that simple, easy-to-use solutions integrated into athletes’ routines could be a good starting point. These tools can help athletes become more aware of their menstrual cycles, improve communication with coaches and staff, and gather better data for future research. Over time, this could provide deeper insights into how the menstrual cycle is linked to performance and potentially injuries. In conclusion, this study contributes to the field of industrial design by using the Design Thinking framework to address an important issue in the sports field. By truly understanding the needs and requirements of real athletes, this study aims to serve as a new starting point for future, higher-quality, and hopefully conclusive research on the menstrual cycle in sports.