You may have heard that ovulation loosens ligaments and raises injury risk. A research review found that knee looseness changed across the cycle in some studies, but concluded it's unclear whether any phase raises the risk of knee ligament injuries. Whatever week it is, warming up properly before exercise helps prevent injury.
FitnessOvulation2 min read
Ligaments, Injury Risk, and Your Cycle
It's still unclear whether any phase of your cycle raises your risk of knee injury.
Sources
- PLoS One (Dos'Santos et al.)Effects of the menstrual cycle phase on anterior cruciate ligament neuromuscular and biomechanical injury risk surrogates in eumenorrheic and naturally menstruating women: A systematic review (2023)
- NHSHow to warm up before exercising (2026)
General wellness information, not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about your health.