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Kids and Teens Pelvic Pain Clinical Network

Supporting young people to stay active

  • As a coach, teacher or community leader, you can lead cultural change to support girls, young women, and people who have periods. Healthy support in childhood and adolescence create empowered adults in the future.

    Fast facts

    • Pelvic health is a key part of overall health and performance.
    • As a coach, you play an important role in creating a safe, inclusive environment where athletes .can confidently manage their periods or menstrual cycles and their overall health.
    • By understanding how pain and heavy periods impact people, you can better support them.
    • Look out for signs of pain or that a team member is struggling.
    • If they’re comfortable, you can chat with them about what support would help them the most.
    • You can make adjustments to training and competition to help them participate.

    Understanding pain and heavy periods

    Young people who have periods can sometimes experience significant pain, including:

    • cramping
    • back pain
    • nausea
    • headache
    • heavy bleeding.

    These signs and symptoms can impact their ability to take part in sport, recreation, dance and other activities.

    A person’s pain is real and individual. It’s important that you always take a young person’s pain seriously.

    Setting the right team culture

    The start of the year or season is a good time to acknowledge pelvic pain management as part of physical health. This helps to encourage a respectful and inclusive environment.

    Let young people with periods know:

    • you’re comfortable to talk about anything with them and that it won’t be “weird”
    • they can take breaks from the activity at any time
    • you can adjust the intensity of an exercise or drill
    • they can ask for help if they need it
    • you’ll maintain privacy, consent, and confidentiality.

    Signs of pelvic pain

    It’s not always possible to know when someone’s in pain or struggling with their period unless they tell you.

    As a coach, teacher or community leader, some signs to watch out for include:

    • signs of physical pain, including:
      • wincing
      • holding their stomach
      • doubling over.
    • frequent bathroom breaks
    • reports of dizziness, light-headedness or fainting
    • extreme fatigue or reduced performance
    • nausea or vomiting
    • withdrawal or avoidance of training or matches
    • wearing different clothing, including:
      • long pants
      • extra layers
      • different swimwear.

    How to talk with an athlete

    If you’re worried about how a young person’s pelvic pain or period is impacting them, it’s best to speak with them directly rather than to assume.

    • find a time to talk with them privately, away from a group
    • listen without judgement and approach the conversation with curiosity
    • speak calmly
    • offer them the choice to speak with another trusted adult or a female staff member
    • respect their confidentiality.

    Conversation starters

    If you’re not sure how to start the conversation, here are some ways to ease in.

    Remember, if a young person doesn’t open up, it’s important to respect their privacy rather than continually asking.

    You could start by asking:

    • “Would you like to talk now or later?”
    • You looked like you were doing it pretty tough out there, is there anything I can do to help?”
    • “You mentioned you were in a lot of pain, what would help you feel better?”
    • “I noticed you’ve missed a couple of trainings, is there anything I can do to help when you can’t get here?”
    • “It looked like you were struggling with those exercises, if you need more breaks or a longer recovery time, we can factor that in.”
    • “You mentioned you’re sometimes in a lot of pain, is there anything I should look out for?”

    .

    Support and adjustments during training or competitions

    There are many great ways to support a young person while they’re managing pelvic pain.

    You could consider:

    • setting aside a quiet place for them to rest
    • making sure they have water and bathroom access
    • allowing them to take time out without penalties
    • providing access to menstrual products such as pads and tampons (if available)
    • allowing them to take extra breaks, if needed
    • offering heat packs and approved pain-relief medicine (if authorised)
    • adjusting training sessions, such as:
      • lowering the intensity
      • shortening the duration
      • changing positions or making substitutions
    • being flexible with expectations when their symptoms flare up
    • making sure you still include them, even if their roles are modified
    • helping them adjust their training schedule
    • allowing them to change parts of their uniform
    • sharing exercises they can do at home if they miss training.

    When to seek help

    Call an ambulance (000) immediately if a young person:

    • faints or almost faints and doesn’t improve after resting and hydration
    • finds it hard to breathe
    • feels extremely dizzy.

    A young person should speak with a health professional if they:

    • has pale skin or extreme fatigue
    • have severe or worsening pain
    • have ongoing heavy bleeding
    • struggle to participate in sports due to lethargy or tiredness.

    These could be signs of conditions such as anaemia or hormonal issues. There are health professionals who can provide help for these problems

    Support options

    You can always recommend the young person chats to:

    • a school nurse or wellbeing staff member
    • another sports trainer, such as a physiotherapist
    • their general practitioner (GP) or an adolescent health specialist.

    Quick Coach Checklist

    • Offer privacy and ask how you can help
    • Allow rest and bathroom access
    • Adjust intensity/duration of exercise as needed
    • Know the warning signs of a medical emergency
    • Maintain confidentiality
    • Involve caregivers and/or medical staff when appropriate
    • Document the support you provide, in line with your club or organisation’s policy.

  • Disclaimer

    This information is intended to support, not replace, advice from your doctor or healthcare professionals. It is general information only and may not apply to your individual circumstances. You should always check with your healthcare provider before making decisions about your care or starting, stopping or changing any treatment.

    The authors of this consumer health information have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up-to-date and easy to understand. The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Medical knowledge can change over time and the information contained in the handouts is updated regularly. Therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout. The onus is on you, the user, to ensure that you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of a consumer health information handout.

    Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne Kids and Teens Pelvic Pain Clinical Network multidisciplinary team, supported by RCH services.

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