Sports and Your Period: Play With Confidence

Here's something worth knowing: having your period doesn't have to keep you out of the sports you love. And on the days it genuinely hurts too much to play, resting is the right call, and it's worth telling an adult rather than pushing through. Athletes at every level, all the way up to the Olympics, compete during theirs. With a little prep, you can too. Let's sort it out together.

You're in great company

Loads of professional and Olympic athletes play and compete during their periods. It's completely normal and totally manageable.

Choosing the right products for sports

For most sports

• Tampons: they stay put while you move.
• Period underwear: great under sports kit.
• Menstrual cups: can stay in for up to 12 hours, so a match or a training session is easily covered.

For swimming

• Tampons: the most common choice.
• Menstrual cups: a great alternative.
• Period swimwear: made for exactly this, and nothing goes inside you.
• Not pads: they soak up the pool water.

For contact sports

• Tampons or cups: nothing on the outside to think about.
• Period underwear as a handy backup.

Tips for your sport

Swimming

• Pop in a fresh tampon right before you get in.
• It's hygienic, and it's safe as long as you stick to the timings in the safety section below.
• You might notice less flow while you are actually in the water, but do not count on it: your period carries on as normal, so wear your tampon or cup exactly as you would on land.
• Change into a fresh tampon when you're done.

Dance and gymnastics

• Tampons or cups work best.
• Leotards and tight outfits are absolutely fine!
• Dark-coloured bottoms can help you feel relaxed.
• Change before a performance.

Team sports (football, basketball, and the like)

• Whatever you're comfortable with works.
• Bring spare supplies to games.
• Wear dark shorts or leggings under your kit.
• Half-time is a good moment to check.

Running

• Tampons or period underwear are great picks.
• Stay hydrated, since periods can affect your energy.
• Don't be afraid to slow down if you need to.

Handling leaks

Preventing them

• Use the right absorbency for your flow.
• Change your product before you play.
• Wear dark-coloured bottoms.
• Add a backup, like period underwear plus a tampon.

If one happens

• It's really not the end of the world!
• Tie a jacket or top around your waist.
• Ask a teammate or friend for a hand.
• Honestly, most people won't even notice.

Talking to your coach

You don't have to share any details, but it's perfectly okay to:

• Ask for a bathroom break.
• Sit out if your cramps are severe, and tell a parent or another adult at home as well, because cramps bad enough to keep you off the pitch are worth a doctor's opinion.
• Ask about darker kit options.

A good coach will understand.

Your cycle and how you feel

Fun fact: how you feel athletically can shift across your cycle. Many people feel strongest in the days after their period, notice a little less endurance during it, and feel heavier or slower just before it arrives. That's all normal, and even elite athletes track their cycles to understand their bodies better.

Using tampons and cups safely

If you are using something that goes inside you, two things matter more than anything else on this page.

• Change a tampon every 4 to 6 hours, and never leave one in for longer than 8 hours, not even overnight.
• Empty a menstrual cup at least every 12 hours, and more often on a heavy day.
• Wash your hands before you put one in and after you take it out, and wash the cup too.

Those timings exist because of toxic shock syndrome. It is rare, and it can happen with a tampon or with a cup. Take the product out and get an adult straight away if you get a high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery, aching muscles, a raised rash that feels rough like sandpaper, or something that comes on fast and feels like flu. Tell the adult you were using one, because that changes what a doctor looks for, and get help the same hour rather than waiting to see if it passes. If you also feel confused, faint or short of breath, that is an ambulance.

Pads and period underwear stay outside your body, so none of this applies to them.

Remember

Your period is just part of life, and it doesn't have to stop you doing what you love. With a little preparation, you can play any sport, on any day, and feel great doing it. Go get 'em, Sosô's right behind you. 💛