Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1006469
ladiesgaelic.ie // 31 rreco's Product Development Manager Gráinne Conefrey began working with the company in 2012. At that point the company was working with a growing number of elite athletes. Orreco currently provides support to a wide range of athletes. They do this by analysing specific biomarkers in order to help inform the training and recovery strategies athletes employ in order to achieve peak performance. The FitrWoman App grew from conversations that Conefrey & her colleague Georgie Bruinvels had in relation to the changes in women's physiology during their menstrual cycle and the knock on effect this could have on performance and training. "Georgie was completing her PhD at the time and she was focusing on how the menstrual cycle could effect performance. We just started chatting about various things such as joint laxity which could have an effect on injury rates or changes in the fuel sources that the female body uses during different phases of the cycle. It was from these conversations that the vision for Fitrwomen developed, a platform upon which we could provide all this type of information to female athletes everywhere." At Orreco everything is scientific and research driven, this is also true for FitrWoman. One of the main aims for the creation of the App according to Conefrey is to open up more honest conversations about the menstrual cycle for female athletes. "The research is clear when it comes to how the menstrual cycle can effect female participation in sport. 54% of women have said that their menstrual cycle has made them stop playing sport or exercising, this is even higher with 16 – 24 year olds – at this age group it is up to nearly 75%. The menstrual cycle has been something that female have been embarrassed about but really it is just the physiology of the female body and we want athletes and coaches to start treating it as such. We need to work with female physiology instead of it becoming an unnecessary barrier to participation or performance." The FitrWoman App provides personalised day-to-day evidence based training and nutrition suggestions tailored to the changing hormones in a woman's cycle. This sort of information can be invaluable to any athlete – even from the standpoint of understanding why they might be feeling different or seeing performance FITRWOMAN Volume 14 | Issue No 2 | PEIL Summer O fluctuations during training. Simply being armed with more scientific information can have a significant empowering effect on athletes. FUTURE RESEARCH Conefrey outlined three pillars that the FitrWoman team are currently focusing on. The support of elite athletes, undertaking valuable research for the female athlete and providing education for athletes and coaches in order to tackle the potential barrier of menstrual cycles for female athletes. "We want to open up the conversation with coaches and athletes alike. Again the menstrual cycle is just physiology and when you have the right information it is possible to work with the cycle of a female athlete." Under the partnership, Orreco scientists and performance experts will work with the LGFA to deliver provincial coach education workshops and provincial player education workshops. Orecco will also conduct LGFA specific research to benefit girls and women playing Ladies Gaelic Football. LGFA/FitrWoman ambassadors are Noelle Healy (Dublin), Tracey Leonard (Galway), Noelle Gormley (Sligo), Bernie Breen (Wexford), Sinéad Delahunty (Tipperary) and Marian McGuinness (Armagh) Along with leading Gaelic Football players Orreco's clients include Premier League side Newcastle United, GB distance runner Emelia Gorecka, Formula 1 drivers, PGA tour golfers including Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell, American sports franchises in the NBA/NFL. FitrWoman App is available to download on IOS and Android: App Store: ow.ly/ROXr30khQHg Google Play: ow.ly/5cqh30khQIb PHYSIOLOGY It's Just Female