ArticlePM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation2016
Influence of Menstrual Cycle and Oral Contraceptive Phase on Spinal Excitability.
Article in PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05028959 (Menstrual Cycle, Amenorrhea and Contraception in Elite Female Athletes), which is not on this map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Menstrual Cycle, Amenorrhea and Contraception in Elite Female Athletes: Impact on Performance, Health and the Athlete's Biological Passport
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Contralateral training effects of low-intensity blood-flow restricted and high-intensity unilateral resistance training.European journal of applied physiology · 2021Trial
- Menstrual cycle effects on sex differences in motor control during dynamic balance perturbations.Experimental physiology · 2026Article
- Gender Differences in the Incidence and Types of Sports Injuries Among Female Athletes: A Scoping Review.Journal of nursing management · 2025Article
- The effect of the menstrual cycle phases on back squat performance, jumping ability and psychological state in women according to their level of performance -a randomized three-arm crossover study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Effects of different fabrics on the Hoffmann reflex during local heat exposure.Journal of physical therapy science · 2024Article
- The Association Between Menstrual Cycle Phase, Menstrual Irregularities, Contraceptive Use and Musculoskeletal Injury Among Female Athletes: A Scoping Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Article
- Biomarkers for rapid H-reflex operant conditioning among females.Journal of neurophysiology · 2023Article
- Sex hormone mediated change on flexion reflex.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Article
- Corticospinal excitability after 5-day Dry Immersion in women.Frontiers in neural circuits · 2023Article
- The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle and Oral Contraceptive Cycle on Muscle Performance and Perceptual Measures.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Stand Up to Excite the Spine: Neuromuscular, Autonomic, and Cardiometabolic Responses During Motor Imagery in Standing vs. Sitting Posture.Frontiers in physiology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRates of musculoskeletal injury differ substantially between the genders, with females more likely to experience conditions such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries than males in the same sports. Emerging evidence suggests a significant hormonal contribution. Most research has focused solely on how hormonal fluctuations affect connective tissue, but a direct link between hormonal shifts, ligamentous laxity, and ACL injury has not been borne out. There is also evidence to suggest that sex hormones can modulate the central nervous system, but how this affects neuromuscular control is not well understood.
objectiveTo determine whether changes in sex hormone concentrations would alter spinal excitability, measured across the menstrual and oral contraceptive pill cycle. We hypothesized that spinal excitability would fluctuate across the menstrual cycle (with increased excitability during the periovulatory phase due to peak estradiol concentration), but that there would be no fluctuation in oral contraceptive users.
designThis was a prospective cohort study.
settingThe study took place at a biomechanics laboratory at a rehabilitation hospital.
participantsA total of 30 healthy women aged 18-35 who were similar in age, body composition, and exercise-training status were included. Fifteen of the women were eumenorrheic and nonusers of oral contraceptives (nonusers), and 15 of the women were taking oral contraceptives (users).
main outcome measuresH-reflex (Hmax/Mmax ratio), serum estradiol, and progesterone concentrations were measured at 3 time points during the menstrual and contraceptive pill cycle.
resultsThe H-reflex (Hmax/Mmax ratio) remained stable across the menstrual and contraceptive pill cycle. Spinal excitability was lower in the users compared with the nonusers across all testing sessions, but this was not statistically significant.
conclusionsOur results suggest that acute fluctuations of endogenous estradiol and progesterone do not modulate spinal excitability. However, long-term exposure to exogenous estrogen and progesterone (oral contraceptives) might have an impact on spinal excitability and neuromuscular control. Further research is necessary to better understand the potential differential effect of endogenous and exogenous sex hormones on spinal excitability.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.