Female Health | Ground breaking partnership with WUKA
Scottish Gymnastics and WUKA have entered a ground-breaking partnership aimed at transforming the landscape of female health in sport. WUKA is the pioneer of the UK’s #1 reusable leak-proof underwear which can be used by women and girls at all stages of life.
The collaboration stems from the female health education programme developed by the governing body for gymnastics in Scotland. An observation by programme lead Wendy Purdie led to a survey of performance gymnasts. This revealed that 63% of respondents had experienced a small or moderate amount of urine leakage following training.
Findings also showed that 81% of athletes had received no education on pelvic floor health, 52% did not engage in pelvic floor exercises, 28% relied on sanitary products for protection, while 72% did not use any protective products.
This sparked a conversation between the performance team and the sportscotland Institute of Sport, highlighting the prevailing taboo around menstrual health and the lack of education provided to athletes. Knowing that female gymnasts wearing leotards faced these challenges without adequate support led Scottish Gymnastics to seek further proactive solutions to addressing this issue. They approached WUKA for their renowned commitment to breaking barriers for women and girls.
Breaking Taboos
WUKA strives to improve access to quality, sustainable period products, eliminating period poverty, and breaking the taboos and stigma surrounding periods. Founded in 2017 by Ruby Raut, WUKA was the first in the UK to produce fully leak-proof reusable period underwear that completely replaces the need for single-use pads and tampons.
Programme lead Wendy Purdie said:
“It was quite frightening to find a high percentage of our gymnasts experience urine leakage. Do they know where to find out about it? How scared are they when it first happens? Do they tell anyone about it?
“As a mum of two daughters, I just felt it was important to discuss what is seen as a taboo subject, like talking about periods. We need to break down those barriers and have these open conversations.
“This is groundbreaking as we’re the first sport in Scotland to partner with WUKA. We have 30,000 members, of which 84% are female. This is not just about performance level gymnasts, it is about judges, coaches, volunteers, team managers, and staff members. We are committed to inclusion, eradicating stigma, and providing essential education on pelvic floor health. All females in Scottish Gymnastics can benefit from WUKA products for menstruation or leakage, whether pre-pubescent, during puberty or menopause.”
Ruby Raut, chief executive officer and co-founder of WUKA, said:
“This partnership between WUKA and Scottish Gymnastics is a testament to both organisations’ commitment to fostering inclusivity, eradicating the stigma that surrounds periods, and providing essential education on pelvic floor health for female athletes.”
Inclusion
By addressing these critical issues, WUKA and Scottish Gymnastics aim to empower women and girls in gymnastics and beyond, ensuring they can compete and train with confidence, breaking free from the constraints of menstrual-related challenges. Together, they herald a new era in women’s sports, championing openness, education, and well-being for all athletes.
Scottish Gymnastics members, whatever their age or role, can take advantage of an exclusive discount on products through the link in the members discounts. This is in the members’ area which you can access using your membership number.
Wendy is pictured above with WUKA ambassador and Scottish Gymnast Crystelle Lake. Hear what they have to say about WUKA. (photo: Ewan Bootman)