EFFECT OF THE LOCKDOWN ON SPORTSWOMEN

As the world grapples with COVID-19, the plight of a yet another ignored category of women has come to surface in the recent weeks- female sportspersons, who, having been exposed to increased levels of stress and uncertainty induced due to the lockdown, have found themselves in an unanticipated crisis. Athletes around the world including multiple Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and decorated swimmer Michael Phelps have spoken about the effect of the lockdown on the mental health of athletes. This article makes an analysis of varied problems faced by athlete women in dealing with the pandemic and lockdown.

Exercise constraints and extreme changes in routine owing to the lockdown have had a direct impact on their menstrual symptoms including disruption in menstrual cycles, painful cramps and heavier bleeding. Period tracking app FitrWoman, which provides personalized training and nutritional assistance tailored to one’s menstrual cycle to improve athletic performance, has reported an exponential rise in such symptoms since the end of March. It has reported that up to 45% of female athletes using the app has experienced a disruption in their normal menstrual cycles. Menstrual cramps are up by half compared with those in pre-lockdown period (by 47%), followed by bloating and cravings (45%), sleep disruption (41%) and stress (20%), which have been attributed to irregularities within their cycles. Dr Brian Moore, CEO of sports science company Orreco, stated, “There’s a lot of catching up to do to better understand aspects of female physiology. The menstrual cycle is one key indicator of total body wellness and having more menstrual cycle symptoms or an elongated cycle may be a warning sign.”

With gyms, training institutes and associations having been closed down in the backdrop of the pandemic, athletes have been left bereft of exercising routines, supervision by trained professionals and social support structures. A direct outcome of this might be mental pathologies caused due to the expectation of better endurance capacities from sportswomen, a common perception stemmed from various social factors. The assumption of sportspersons being psychologically and physically stronger than their non-athletic counterparts may give rise to feelings of inadequacy, fear and uncertainty in the already distraught times.

Source: Unsplash By:Hipcarvo

 To one’s surprise, however, athletes, more so female athletes, are more susceptible to falling a victim to the virus, due to lesser immunity as compared to their ordinary counterparts. Respiratory diseases are among the most commonly seen conditions among athletes. If reports are anything to go by, intensive and rigorous exercise facilitates one’s body in falling vulnerable to respiratory problems, says Yang Zhigang, an associate professor of sports education at Fudan University. Data from the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics shows among the 292 diseases the Olympians caught during the Games, 47% affected their respiratory systems. VCD (Vocal Cord Dysfunction), a disorder caused due to the gradual shifting of vocal cords towards each other, narrowing the air passage and causing wheezing and difficulty in breathing is more frequent among women athletes aged 20-40. According to World Health Organization and Indian Council for Medical Research, Covid-19 majorly affects people infected with respiratory problems, allergies of the lungs, bronchitis and Pneumonia- an infection of the alveoli caused by bacteria and viruses especially coronavirus causing COVID-19. Due to their vulnerability to respiratory disorders, contrary to the popular perception of strong athletes, they are more susceptible to falling prey to COVID-19.

 State of mental equilibrium is reported to go for a toss owing to sudden lack of competitive environment, challenges and incentives. Psychosomatic and psychological despair caused by a pandemic is going to hover around a sportswoman’s life for the coming few months, say experts. In the light of restrictions imposed on sports activities, fears of losing one’s social support might create professional, financial and future-related uncertainty. Professional sport suffers from limits of age and a sudden avalanche of a pandemic will have long term ramifications for careers of both young and professional sportswomen, cutting short their trajectory greatly. ‘Burnout Syndrome’- a syndrome caused due to lack of thrill for sports might also find space in some of them. WHO specifically conceptualizes it as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been managed properly. For women sportspersons, fatigue and anxiety-induced on account of occupational stress will be primary symptoms of this syndrome.  For those sportswomen enjoying the highest order of success in pre-pandemic months, the lockdown has brought an additional fear of losing out on a successful professional life as also losing out on reputational camaraderie caused due to sudden interruption of the game. 

Source: Unsplash By:Adam Nieścioruk

Widely acclaimed as it is, a career in sports is subject to restrictions and stern requirements by the body. Any hindrance in the overall composition of body structure can have a serious bearing on the long-term game of an individual sportsperson. Here’s what happens to athletes while not undergoing training regularly. Lack of endurance or strength may cause certain health problems like sudden weight gain and a dramatic drop in the overall metabolism of the body. The game technique will also be affected to a great extent. For sports like shot put or weight lifting, requiring heavyweight load by the player, recovery would be prolonged given the amount of strength training that goes into building muscle mass. As a result, their body composition might change at a galloping rate, reducing muscle mass and increasing body fat.

Had circumstances been normal, the world today would have been gearing up for a much-awaited Tokyo Olympics, raising hopes for fresh learners and attracting the world-class professionalism of top-notch athletes. With COVID-19 emerging, stadiums closing down, world populations being hemmed in under the biggest lockdowns in the world and competitions being rendered into a far-stretched possibility, our budding sportswomen have been taken over by a miasma of despair that seems woefully unhindered by any sliver of hope. 

WAY FORWARD/SUGGESTIONS: 

With courts out of bounds due to the lockdown, Indian Badminton has gone online with chief national coach Pullela Gopichand handing out tips through videos to the country’s shuttlers. “We can only do fitness training because nobody has access to courts so we are doing what we can. I am sending the players videos of what to do in our WhatsApp group. It is a generic program but is tuned in such a way that it caters to the people (Olympic bound) who are important”, said Gopichand in an interview. Jamshedpur-born trainer Dinaz Vervatwala, who holds the credit of having worked with Saina Nehwal is also taking fitness classes for the Indian shuttlers via the Zoom app.

In these times when motivation levels tend to reach a new low, sports psychologists recommend that athletes should avoid things that could push them towards negativity. Maintaining a routine to keep oneself positive and fulfilled is an indispensable essential in these times, say doctors. Dr Divya, head of psychological services at Fortis Healthcare recommends following the same routine that sportswomen used to follow before the pandemic- waking up and sleeping at the same time, training at the same time, training in a proper environment with proper training clothes rather than casual wear to induce virtual seriousness. Sports scientist and psychotherapist Nikhil Latay, the go-to person for India’s top athletes believes that acceptance is the key to fighting this mental battle, diverting one’s attention and energies towards limiting the amount of deconditioning to get back faster. Accepting that situation has reached a new normal for every other competitor in this world in an alike manner is something that should provide solace to a restless mind in these times. Athletics’ Federation of India’s director Volker Herrmann while speaking on this explains how they have introduced basic core exercises: push-ups, planks, crunches and yoga through videos on the web to keep women athletes engaged. 

In the current circumstances, sportswomen can find a new sense of aliveness in being “in service” to others, bringing into use their social media platforms, embracing the challenge of teaching young aspiring sportswomen what they themselves already know. One has the opportunity now to be a learner again, to relish sports like they did as a kid and stretch their mind, soul and body away from game preparedness to the enjoyment of the game. To that end, many sportswomen can learn and remain fit by enjoying different kinds of virtual work out classes like Cardio Dance, Aerobics and Kick Boxing. These times have dawned upon the world this realization that a temporary shift away from specific sports training to trying something new is worth it. As this new normal settles itself in this world, one needs to adjust and find new goals that can still keep one in the game. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

WEB:

1)https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/what-lockdown-means-for-athletes-olympicscoronavirus-covid/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/2020/05/11/lockdown-effect-increase-femaleathletes-experiencing-changes/

2)https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/what-lockdown-means-for-athletes-olympicscoronavirus-covid/

3)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/2020/05/11/lockdown-effect-increase-femaleathletes-

experiencing-changes/https://covid-19.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/26/WS5e7bdb69a31012821728204a.html

4)https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/sport/badminton/tips-from-pullela-gopichand-on-keeping-mentally-and-physically-fit-during-lockdown/articleshow/75231036.cms

5)https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/indian-badminton-goes-online-due-tocoronavirus-lockdown/articleshow/74967180.cms

6)https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/indian-badminton-goes-online-due-tocoronavirus-

lockdown/articleshow/74967180.cms

7)https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/other/2020/mar/28/covid-19-lockdown-lack-oftraining-may-cause-health-problems-says-sports-authority-of-india-2122521.html

WRITTEN BY TANYA SOOD

INPUTS BY NIDHI KANAUJIA