Vicki Harber LA GIOVANE ATLETA Il ciclo mestruale, punto di riferimento per un sviluppo sano della giovane atleta Nel processo di sviluppo delle giovani atlete è necessario che siano integrati il monitoraggio continuo del menarca e il controllo del loro stato mestruale. Promuovere lo sviluppo di una giovane atleta e supervisionarne l’allenamento è impegnativo e complesso. Se dispongono di una conoscenza maggiore della funzione mestruale le giovani atlete e le loro famiglie hanno strumenti migliori per rispondere alle esigenze dell’allenamento e delle gare. Lo stato mestruale rappresenta un indicatore globale della salute e del benessere che fornisce informazioni che riguardano l’energia, il rischio di lesioni scheletriche e muscolari, l’apporto alimentare, il profilo metabolico e ormonale, il recupero e altri elementi, importanti per la prestazione. Inoltre, con l’uso crescente dei contraccettivi orali da parte delle giovani atlete che non hanno raggiunto la loro maturità scheletrica, allenatori, allenatrici e genitori debbono essere informati dei risultati recenti che riguardano la salute delle ossa.

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