Menstruation in sports sciences: Bibliometric evaluation of studies in National Thesis Center

Spor bilimlerinde menstruasyon: Ulusal Tez Merkezi’ndeki çalışmaların bibliyometrik değerlendirmesi

Mine Akkuş Uçar¹ ,Tülay Ceylan² ,Levent Ceylan³

*Correspondence: Mine AKKUŞ UÇAR mineakkusucar@artuklu.edu.tr

¹ Mardin Artuklu University, School Of Physical Education and Sports, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Mardin, Türkiye.
mineakkusucar@artuklu.edu.tr  Orcid: 0009-0007-6903-8874                                                          

² Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University, Graduate School of Education, Samsun, Türkiye.
Orcid: 0000-0003-1884-4319 

³ Hitit University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Department of Sports Management, Corum, Türkiye.
Orcid: 0000-0002-3045-1211

Doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17428575

https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/issue2-volume3/ijoss-Volume2-issue3-14.pdf

Download Full Text

Received / Gönderim: 17.05.2025 Accepted / Kabul: 17.09.2025 Published / Yayın: 24.10.2025

Abstract

The aim of this research is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of graduate theses containing the word “menstruation” published in the field of sports sciences in Turkey until today. In this research, which is structured on a qualitative basis, the graduate theses included in the National Thesis Center were used. The necessary data were collected for the study to be carried out by analyzing the content. The research is limited to Decrees published between 1991 and 2024. A total of 28 graduate theses, 21 of which are master’s degree and 7 of which are doctoral, were included in the research by conducting examinations with the keyword menstruation. The theses were classified in detail in terms of various parameters and a bibliometric profile was created. The data obtained within the scope of the research were analyzed by percentage and frequency descriptive statistics with SPSS 20.0 program. As a result of the studies, it was seen in the theses how menstruation period and hormonal changes of female athletes have an impact on their performance, how physiological responses differ during exercise, and the effects of menstrual phases on various physiological, psychological and performance parameters in athletes were examined. It is thought that the examination of the graduate theses obtained within the scope of menstruation along with the obtained data will contribute to this field and shed light on the researchers who will conduct studies in this field later.

Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, menstruation, sports, national thesis center

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Türkiye’de spor bilimleri alanında bugüne kadar yayımlanmış “menstruasyon” sözcüğünü içeren lisansüstü tezlerin bibliyometrik analizini yapmaktır. Nitel bir temelde yapılandırılan bu araştırmada, Ulusal Tez Merkezi’ne dâhil edilen lisansüstü tezler kullanılmıştır. İçerik analizi yapılarak çalışmanın yapılabilmesi için gerekli veriler toplanmıştır. Araştırma, 1991-2024 yılları arasında yayımlanmış  lisansüstü tezler ile sınırlıdır. Menstruasyon anahtar sözcüğü ile incelemeleri yapılarak 21’i yüksek lisans, 7’si doktora olmak üzere toplam 28 lisansüstü tez araştırmaya dâhil edilmiştir. Tezler çeşitli parametreler açısından ayrıntılı bir şekilde sınıflandırılarak bibliyometrik profili oluşturulmuştur. Araştırma kapsamında elde edilen veriler SPSS 20.0 programı ile yüzde ve frekans betimsel istatistikleri ile analiz edilmiştir. Yapılan çalışmalar sonucunda tezlerde kadın sporcuların menstrüasyon dönemi ve hormonal değişikliklerinin performanslarına nasıl etki ettiği, egzersiz sırasında fizyolojik tepkilerin nasıl farklılaştığı ve menstrüel evrelerin sporcularda çeşitli fizyolojik, psikolojik ve performans parametrelerine etkilerinin incelendiği görülmüştür. Menstrüasyon kapsamında elde edilen lisansüstü tezlerin elde edilen verilerle birlikte incelenmesinin bu alana katkı sağlayacağı ve bundan sonra bu alanda çalışma yapacak araştırmacılara ışık tutacağı düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar kelimeler: bibliyometrik analiz, menstrüasyon, spor, ulusal tez merkezi

APA 7 Citation

Akkuş Uçar, M., Ceylan, T., & Ceylan, L. (2025). Menstruation in sports sciences: Bibliometric evaluation of studies in National Thesis Center. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS), 2(3), 166–175. https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/issue2-volume3/ijoss-Volume2-issue3-14.pdf https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17428575

References / Kaynaklar

• Bruinvels, G., Burden, R. J., McGregor, A. J., Ackerman, K. E., Dooley, M., Richards, T., & Pedlar, C. (2017). Sport, exercise and the menstrual cycle: Where is the research? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(6), 487-488.
• Constantini, N. W., Dubnov, G., & Lebrun, C. M. (2005). The menstrual cycle and sport performance. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 24(2), 51-82.
• Findlay, R. J., Macrae, E. H., Whyte, I. Y., Easton, C., & Forrest, L. J. (2020). How the menstrual cycle and menstruation affect sporting performance: Experiences and perceptions of elite female rugby players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(18), 1108-1113.
• Hood, W. W., & Wilson, C. S. (2001). The literature of bibliometrics, scientometrics, and informetrics. Scientometrics, 52, 291-314.
• Julian, R., Hecksteden, A., Fullagar, H. H., & Meyer, T. (2017). The effects of menstrual cycle phase on physical performance in female soccer players. Plos One, 12(3), e0173951.
• Kishali, N. F., Imamoglu, O., Katkat, D., Atan, T., & Akyol, P. (2006). Effects of menstrual cycle on sports performance. International Journal of Neuroscience, 116(12), 1549-1563.
• Knowles, O. E., Aisbett, B., Main, L. C., Drinkwater, E. J., Orellana, L., & Lamon, S. (2019). Resistance training and skeletal muscle protein metabolism in eumenorrheic females: Implications for researchers and practitioners. Sports Medicine, 49, 1637-1650.
• O’Brien, S., Rapkin, A., Dennerstein, L., & Nevatte, T. (2011). Diagnosis and management of premenstrual disorders. BMJ, 342.
• Özkan Buzlu, M. (2015). Recreation research and curriculum coverage proposal for recreation departments: A scientific study (Master’s thesis). Mersin University Institute of Social Sciences, Mersin.
• Pritchard, A. (1969). Statistical bibliography or bibliometrics. Journal of Documentation, 25, 348.
• Song, Y., Chen, X., Hao, T., Liu, Z., & Lan, Z. (2019). Exploring two decades of research on classroom dialogue by using bibliometric analysis. Computers & Education, 137, 12-31.
• Tingle, C., & Vora, S. (2018). Break the barriers: Girls’ experiences of Plan International UK, 1–68.
• Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2015). Bibliometric methods in management and organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429-472.