WOMEN AND SPORTS

For a long time now, women particularly in Ghana have refused to take part in sporting activities and the few that do so stop a little at puberty. This negative attitude can be explained by some misconceptions females and the general public hold about women participation in sports, thus-

·         Women athletes have irregular  or no menstruation

·         Women athletes have problems with child birth

·         Women athletes become masculine

It should be noted that male and females respond almost equally to physical training at certain ages. Because males and females do not differ physiologically in their youth there is no point designing different physical activities for them.

MENSTRUATION: all things being equal, the start of menses is delayed in athletes than non-athletes.

Experiments prove that exercises decrease the pituitary production of PROLACTIN which makes the breast ready for nursing (lactation). The result is that, there is further delay in the menstruation of the ovary by another hormone called FOLLICE. When a female delays in maturing through delayed menses it gives these advantages

·         Physiologically they get longer legs, narrower hips, less weight and relatively less body fat. All these help to attain success in athletic performance. However, this may not give any advantage in certain events like swimming, in which greater strength and body fats help a lot.

·         Sociologically, it is seen practically among students of senior High Schools that female participation is more in the lower classes than in the higher. In the upper classes, they experience their rounding and plumpy breast and other body parts. They therefore feel shy to expose themselves.

At this time, the girls develop the full sexual characteristics of the adult woman. Their interests are therefore directed away from sports.

EXERCISES AND MENSTRUAL DISORDER

Generally, an exercise does not appear to bring about menstrual disorders. However, certain females who involve in high intensity training and competition. E.g. long distance running, gymnastics and swimming may have changes in the menstrual cycle. There are some who may stop menstruation completely-(AMENORPHEA). This period is but a transitory because as soon as heavy exercise stops, the cycle will come back to normal. In some cases, participation in sports can reduce painful menstruation-DYS-MENORRHEA

Menstruation can have negative effects on endurance athletes e.g. tennis players; little effect on volleyball, basketball, swimmers, gymnasts and yet very little on sprinters. The negative effects of menses on sports performance may be due to uneasy feeling from loss of blood-

ANAEMIA. Medically, it is advisable to exempt females with menstrual disorders from training and competitions. On the other hand, if through experience she has no unpleasant feeling and that performance would not be affected adversely, she may be encouraged to participate.

SPORTS AND FEMALE MASCULINITY

Experiments have shown that masculine females are born with that feature- HEREDITARY-. However, it is true that the body would become hard.

PREGENANCY AND CHILD BIRTH

Exercises reduce the pain associated with labour and diversity due to stronger abdominal muscles. Female athletes also have fewer complication involved in pregnancy and child birth than non-athletes. It is however in some areas that female athletes develop pelvic hypertrophy, as a result, they cannot extend during labour and delivery difficulties occur.

SPORTS AND PREGNANCY

It has been proved physiologically that neither does pregnancy have effects on performance nor performance on pregnancy.

Champion athletes are believed to compete during 3 or 4 months of pregnancy and some even up to the on-set of labour. It is only in activities in which lifting is involved that dangers must be expected of pregnant athletes. It is not uncommon to hear DOCTORS prescribe various forms of exercises during pregnancy.

Studies following the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games indicate that 46% of the women who continued to take part in sports one year after birth performed better, 31% did better at the end of 2 years after birth. It should however, be noted that injuries in athletics occur more in females than in males.

V.H.K TAY

H.O.D (PE)