Can walking football help with symptoms of the menopause?
- Mar 11
- 2 min read
Most of us know how happy walking football makes us feel, but what if it could bring physical benefits for those of us experiencing symptoms of the menopause? We look at the recent research that is out to prove walking football is not only great fun to play but can also have positive health benefits for perimenopausal and menopausal women.
The average age for women to reach menopause is 51, though symptoms of perimenopause can occur a lot sooner. As well as the well-talked about hot flushes, women might experience joint aches, fatigue, insomnia, plus mood swings or mental ill-health.
Research from Women In Sport suggests that, despite understanding the benefits of exercise, “A third of women aged 41 to 60 are not meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of 150 minutes per week of exercise and a fifth are not achieving even 30 minutes per week.”
There could be many reasons for this. After all, women in this age bracket often have to juggle the responsibilities of work and caring for children or elderly parents. There are also lots of women who might be put off walking football because they’ve never considered themselves sporty.
A study by the University of West Scotland says that walking football can benefit both the mental and physical health of women going through the menopause. Research led by Dr Laura Wallace shows that the women who took part “generally felt less tired since starting to play walking football”. The evidence also suggests, “Those who had joint pain found an improvement since starting to play.”
Though the research only focussed on a small group of menopausal women who play walking football in the West of Scotland, it does show the benefits to both mental and physical health led to “improved mood, better sleep, and improved fitness”.
Dr Wallace’s research supports the findings of earlier studies carried out at South Wales University, that claim, “Female participation in walking football can have a massive positive impact on a player’s mental and physical welfare when they are going through menopause.” Egan Goodison, who completed the research with funding from the Coalfields Regeneration trust, says that as well as the positive effects walking football has on women’s physical health “the camaraderie involved in being part of a female walking football team was very much appreciated.”
While research into the specific benefits of walking football for menopausal women is still developing, the early findings are encouraging. Whether it’s improving sleep or joint pain, or making women feel happier with like-minded, supportive teammates, it seems walking football offers a range of benefits to women’s physical and mental health in midlife.
Find out more about the recent research:
Could walking football improve women’s quality of life throughout the menopause? An exploration of perimenopausal walking footballers in Scotland by Laura Wallace
University of the West of Scotland, University Avenue, Ayr, South Ayrshire, KA8 0SX Scotland, UK
Research Report: Menopause, Me and Physical Activity
Published 31 May 2018
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