Not Just Period Pain: The Reality of Endometriosis in Women’s Football

For too long, women’s pain has been dismissed, minimised or simply ignored. Endometriosis – affecting one in ten women – is one of the clearest examples; a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, causing severe pain, fatigue, fertility issues and disruption to everyday life. Too often, it is reduced to “just bad period pain”, a label that reveals more about how women’s pain is perceived than the reality of the condition itself. Now, that silence is beginning to break. In women’s football, players and coaches are starting to speak openly about their experiences, challenging long-held stigma and bringing long-overdue awareness to a condition that has been overlooked for far too long.

Photo Credit; TFP Fertility Clinic

That shift is perhaps most visible in the words of England captain Leah Williamson, who has been refreshingly honest about what it actually means to play elite football with endometriosis. She has spoken about the fear of flare-ups hitting at the worst possible moments, admitting that during major tournaments there is always the thought: “it cannot happen… I actually won’t be able to play.” Because while the game demands peak performance, her body doesn’t always cooperate and that’s the reality far too many women are expected to quietly manage.

Williamson’s experience completely dismantles the idea of the “untouchable” athlete. Behind the captain’s armband is someone who has, at times, been left “on the bathroom floor” in pain and still expected to show up, train and deliver. And that pressure to power through is not just about sport, it’s cultural. Women are taught to minimise their pain, to get on with it, to not make a fuss. So it’s no surprise that even at the highest level, the mindset becomes: “I’m a professional athlete… let’s get on with it.” The problem is, that mindset doesn’t just build resilience, it normalises suffering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgRe7YQT9co

Bethany England’s story hits just as hard. She has spoken openly about the severity of her symptoms, recalling moments where “I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t walk… the pain was so uncomfortable.” Not “a bit of discomfort.” Not “just a bad period.” Pain that stops you in your tracks and yet is still so often dismissed. And even now, endometriosis doesn’t neatly go away. England continues to deal with “cramps, back aches, tiredness” while competing at the top of her game. But what makes her voice so important is that she refuses to stay quiet about it. She’s spoken about how treatment has helped her “focus on my football,” but more importantly, she’s urged women to stop accepting dismissal as normal, encouraging them to “be more demanding” when something doesn’t feel right. Because for too long, women have been told to tolerate pain. England, like Williamson, is part of a growing group saying: enough is enough. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEwiPaY3LYA

And for many, that fight for validity starts long before any diagnosis. It personally took me two years to be taken seriously, two years of pushing, questioning and refusing to accept that this level of pain was “normal.” Because with endometriosis, you don’t just get a diagnosis from a scan or a blood test, it’s mostly diagnosed through surgery to prove what you’ve been feeling all along. And when the average diagnosis takes seven years, that delay isn’t just frustrating, it’s honestly life-altering. Even now, it’s something I deal with every single month: severe pain, heavy bleeding, symptoms that don’t just disappear because you’ve been given treatment, even with something like the coil. It affects how you move, how you work, how you get through a normal day. So when I hear elite players talking about representing their country while managing this condition, it’s hard not to put that into perspective. Because when something as simple as waiting tables can feel overwhelming with endometriosis, the idea of performing at the highest level of football feels almost unimaginable.

Photo Credit; The Halfway Line

It’s something Emma Hayes has also been clear about. After undergoing a hysterectomy following years of gynaecological issues, she spoke openly about the reality of women’s health, pointing out that her experience was “no different to anybody else’s.” And that’s the point, whether you’re managing a top-flight football team or just trying to get through a shift at work, the gap in understanding, diagnosis and care is still there. The difference is, now, more women are refusing to stay quiet about it. From players like Leah Williamson and Bethany England to those of us navigating it in everyday life, the message is getting louder: this pain is real, it is valid and it deserves to be taken seriously. Because endometriosis was never “just bad period pain” and finally, people are starting to listen.

And that’s exactly why these conversations matter, because behind every story, whether it’s on the pitch or in everyday life, there’s the same underlying reality: women are still having to fight to be believed. If you think you might have endometriosis, you can find support and information through organisations like Endometriosis UK and if you’re navigating the NHS, don’t be afraid to push for answers, ask for referrals and demand to be taken seriously. Because this isn’t “just part of being a woman.” And the sooner we stop accepting that narrative, the sooner things start to change.