Periods & Disability in Sport
Based on the Powering Participation: Insights on menstruation support needed for people with disability in sport research by Victoria University and Share the Dignity (2026)
Why This Matters
Menstruation is a significant and largely invisible barrier to sport participation for people with disability. New Australian research has confirmed what many athletes with disability already know: the systems, products, facilities, and conversations around periods in sport are not built with disability in mind.
Only 12% of women with disability in Australia participate in sport regularly. While the reasons are many and varied, menstruation is one of the most underaddressed barriers, and one of the most preventable.
About the Research
In 2026, Victoria University, led by Professor Clare Hanlon, Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair — partnered with national menstrual equity charity Share the Dignity to conduct a world-first Australian study into how menstruation affects sport participation for people with disability.
273 people with disability who menstruate took part, aged 15–53 (average age 32), from across Australia. Participants were recruited through sport and recreation organisations, government agencies, disability service providers, and non-profits.
The findings informed a new guide: Powering Participation: Insights on menstruation support needed for people with disability in sport*, available via the Share the Dignity Education Hub.
Key Statistics
67% of physically active respondents chose not to participate in sport while menstruating.
65% of inactive respondents said their period was a reason they did not take part in sport.
Around 40% of respondents who skipped sport identified period products as a contributing factor.
39% of inactive respondents said they would consider participating if period product support was available.
78% of respondents felt anxious about their period when playing sport.
Only 1 in 10 respondents had ever received information on managing menstruation in a sporting context.
81% of NDIS participants were unaware they could access funding for adaptive menstruation products.
61% of respondents were unsure how to communicate their period-related needs to sports personnel.
The Disability-Specific Barriers
The research identified barriers faced specifically because of the intersection of disability and menstruation — challenges that standard period support simply does not address.
Physical & Sensory Barriers
Limited hand function or fine motor difficulties make standard products (tampons, cups) inaccessible
Nerve pain from tampon use is a documented experience for some disabled athletes
Reduced physical sensation increases fears of leaking, making sport participation high-anxiety
Needing additional space, surfaces (tables, shelves), or time to change products independently
Facility Barriers
Changing rooms and accessible toilet stalls that are too small to accommodate mobility aids alongside product changes
No sanitary disposal bins in accessible toilets at sporting facilities
Bathrooms without accessible surfaces to support independent management
Products & Support Barriers
Standard products physically inaccessible yet adaptive alternatives are expensive and rarely promoted
Sensory sensitivities making certain product textures, materials, or insertion processes unusable
No sport-specific guidance on managing periods with a disability, only 1 in 10 respondents had ever received any
Communication & Social Barriers
61% were unsure how to talk to coaches or teammates about period-related needs
Coaches and officials rarely trained to support athletes around menstruation, let alone disability-specific needs
Stigma and embarrassment compound the difficulty, particularly in mixed-disability or co-ed environments
NDIS & Funding: Know Your Rights
Under the NDIS Transitional Rules 2024, modified and adaptive period products are now officially recognised as assistive products for personal care and safety.
NDIS participants may be eligible for funding for:
Period underwear
Tampon applicators and insertion aids
Other modified or adaptive products needed to manage menstruation
Despite this entitlement, 81% of NDIS participants in this study were completely unaware they could access this funding, representing a critical gap in information. If you support an athlete who uses the NDIS, this conversation could be a game-changer.
What Sport Organisations Can Do
The Powering Participation guide and the companion Bloody good idea guide both provide evidence-based, practical actions for sport organisations.
Facilities
Ensure accessible toilets include sanitary bins and adequate space for people using mobility aids
Provide shelf or table surfaces in changing rooms to support independent product management
Make period products freely available in all bathrooms, including accessible and unisex bathrooms
Products
Consider stocking adaptive products (period underwear, applicator-assisted products) alongside standard products
Include period product packs in First Aid kits and coaches’ kit bags
Collaborate with local councils and suppliers to access dispensers at low or no cost
Education & Culture
Train coaches, officials, and volunteers so menstruation is a normalised, stigma-free conversation
Include menstruation in athlete wellbeing and disability inclusion training
Create accessible, visible channels for athletes to raise period-related needs privately
Information & Awareness
Signpost NDIS participants to their right to access funding for adaptive period products
Share accessible online guidance, point athletes, families, and coaches to the Share the Dignity Education Hub and this resource
Acknowledge menstrual health as a fundamental right in your club’s inclusion or wellbeing policy
Read the Full Research
This resource is based on world-first Australian research – we strongly encourage you to read the original guides and share them widely.
Powering Participation
The primary research underpinning this resource. Captures the lived experiences of 273 people with disability who menstruate, and provides evidence-based recommendations for sport organisations, coaches, and policymakers.
Read Powering Participation via the Share the Dignity Education Hub
VU Research Article
The Victoria University news article summarising the key findings of the Powering Participation research.
Read the VU article: Gaps in period support exclude people with disability from sport
