Ex-Volleyball Star Oyama Gives Lecture on Athletes' Menstruation

   Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)--Kana Oyama, a former member of the Japanese women's national volleyball team called on high school students and teachers to gain correct knowledge on how female athletes should deal with menstruation, in a lecture late last month.
   Oyama was visiting her alma mater, Shimokitazawa Seitoku Senior High School in Tokyo, as part of the "1252 Project" educational program regarding menstrual issues faced by female athletes. The school placed second in a national high school volleyball tournament last month.
   In her first ever stint as a lecturer for the project, Oyama used quizzes and question-and-answer sessions to explain premenstrual syndrome, which can cause symptoms such as stomach pain, lower back pain and mood lows, as well as about amenorrhea and osteoporosis caused by inadequate nutrition.
   She urged students to consult a gynecologist if they notice any unusual symptoms. "The most important thing is mental and physical health," she said.
   Oyama won national prizes as a volleyball player in elementary, junior high and high schools, and her powerful spikes earned her a spot on the national team at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. She suffered injuries to her lower back and shoulder and struggled with mental health issues, however, leading to her retirement in 2010 at the age of 26.

(2025/02/14-15:40)

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