Industrial - Bachelors
Emerging evidence suggests a significant opportunity to optimise the training and performance of elite athletes based on their menstrual cycle phase. Despite this, there is relative disconnect between the elite athlete and their body. The Era is a clip-on wearable device which provides athletes with their individual menstrual cycle profile, enabling them to plan their nutrition, rest and training programs in advance.
There is an increasing awareness of the potential training and performance benefits afforded by targeting training to the menstrual cycle phase. The body undergoes discernible fluctuations in progesterone and estrogen hormones across the menstrual cycle, which is commonly divided into three distinguishable phases based on these hormonal concentrations. The first phase is the follicular phase, followed by the ovulatory phase and then finally the luteal phase. These hormonal fluctuations impact the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, metabolic, thermoregulation and fluid regulation systems and thus may tangibly influence athletic capacity differently in each phase [1].
However, there exists relative disconnect between the elite athlete and their body. Various apps claim to predict menstrual cycle phase but rely on subjective self-reporting of symptoms such as mood, energy, and pain, and are therefore inaccurate in their predictions [2], [3]. These apps are also based on traditional understandings of the standard menstrual cycle and therefore do not cater to the wide range of individualised experiences. Without using inconvenient methods such as salivary or blood testing, the elite athlete is unable to draw definite and useful conclusions on their menstrual cycle phase.
[1] K. L. McNulty et al., “The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis,” Sports medicine (Auckland), vol. 50, no. 10, pp. 1813–1827, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s40279-020-01319-3
[2] M. L. Moglia, H. V. Nguyen, K. Chyjek, K. T. Chen, and P. M. Castaño, “Evaluation of Smartphone Menstrual Cycle Tracking Applications Using an Adapted APPLICATIONS Scoring System,” Obstetrics and gynecology (New York. 1953), vol. 127, no. 6, pp. 1153–1160, 2016, doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001444.
[3] B. E. Hohmann-Marriott, T. Williams, and J. E. Girling, “The role of menstrual apps in healthcare: provider and patient perspectives,” New Zealand medical journal, vol. 136, no. 1570, pp. 42–53, 2023.
We need a convenient, accurate and non-invasive method of determining menstrual cycle phase for elite athletes.
Through a review of existing literature pertaining to topics such as menstrual cycle biology, biomarker technologies, and training adaption to the menstrual cycle, as well as targeted end-user surveys and interviews, an understanding of the implications for product design was garnered.
The menstrual cycle can be categorised in three distinct phases: follicular, ovulatory and luteal. These phases are defined by the fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone. For example, the ovulatory phase is identified by a gradual rise in progesterone and a sharp peak in estrogen.
Currently these hormones are tested in urine, blood and saliva. A singular measurement of hormones does not provide any context, as the peak progesterone concentrations for one individual may be a low progesterone amount for another. Instead, monitoring must occur long-term, with current testing in studies usually ranging from daily to three times per week.
Sources identified the capacity for biological markers normally tested in blood or urine to be measured using sweat analysis techniques. These incorporate sensors which utilise electrochemical technology to collect the sweat sample and perform chemical analysis.
Additionally, distal skin temperature and heart rate variability have been found to provide menstrual cycle phase prediction.
Studies have demonstrated correlations such as higher gains in muscle strength and muscle diameter based on resistance training in the follicular phase, reduced ventilatory efficiency impacting recovery post exercise during the mid-luteal phase, increased severity of exercise induced bronchoconstriction experienced by mild asthma sufferers during the mid-luteal phase compared to the mid-follicular phase, and reduced collagen production which is linked to higher knee joint laxity and therefore knee injury risk during the ovulatory phase.
The Qualtrics survey platform was used to distribute a survey with multiple choice, short text entry and slider rating questions addressing the topic areas. To be eligible, respondents had to be over 18 years old, experiencing a menstrual cycle and complete land-based exercise more than three times a week.
Land-based exercise was defined to exclude swimming and water-sport activities which were hypothesised to create additional complexity in the data captured, which could not be adequately investigated in the timeframe of the project.
The survey was completed by 32 eligible participants, ranging in age from 19 to 52, with a mean age of 28.62.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three elite female athletes: Australian representatives in track, archery and triathlon. These participants were recruited through directly targeted invitations as they met the criteria for inclusion; being over 18, competing at a national or international level and experiencing a menstrual cycle. The interviews were conducted using the zoom online meeting platform to reduce travel requirements. An additional singular interview was performed with a highly active recreational athlete with expertise in the topic, providing a set of data to compare to the elite athletes.
Seven initial concepts were generated based on the design implications.
Concept 7 – Clip on Pod, was selected to be progressed through the second phase of the double diamond design thinking process. Through cycles of ideation, iteration, prototyping, testing and modelling, the clip-on pod was refined to become the Era.
Jacinta is an industrial designer with a passion for innovative and future-focused design. Whilst studying a dual degree in both industrial design and mechanical engineering, she has developed a keen interest in the relationship between technical and aesthetic aspects of design. Jacinta has industry experience working in marketing, engineering and project management.