Best Period Products for Sport, Running & Swimming
There are already enough things to think about when you’re exercising - remembering your water, finding your headphones and somehow convincing yourself that the 6am class was a good idea.
Worrying about whether you’re going to bleed through your leggings shouldn’t be one of them.
Thankfully, period care has come a long way. There are now plenty of options that work brilliantly for running, swimming, gym sessions, Pilates, team sport and just about every other way you like to move.
There’s never going to be one period product that is the ‘best’ for sport - it’s about finding what works best for you, your body, your flow and the sport you’re participating in.
The period product you love for a 45-minute Pilates class might not be the one you reach for when you’re heading off on a four-hour hike. A light-flow gym day can call for something completely different from day two of your period when things might be a bit heavier.
So, how do you choose?
What makes a good period product for exercise?
We recommend to think about your flow as a starting point.
If you’re having a light day, you may only need a small amount of absorbency or a little backup protection. You don’t need something that has more absorbency than you need whereas on a heavier day, capacity becomes much more important - especially when you might not be able to take a break easily or the bathrooms are miles away.
Another factor to consider is how long you’re going to be exercising. There’s quite a difference between popping into the gym for half an hour and spending a day at a sports tournament, going on a long run or disappearing into the hills for several hours.
One thing that people often don’t think much about is the way they are moving. Running, cycling, gymnastics and dancing can involve a lot of repetitive movement, so whatever you choose needs to feel extra secure and comfortable.
What you’re wearing can make a difference as well. If you’re in fitted leggings and it’s a lighter day, a seamless period thong might be a great option. If you’re wearing loose shorts and dealing with heavier flow, you might feel more comfortable in high-capacity period underwear or a menstrual disc.
In our book, the most important question to ask yourself is: what makes me feel confident?
For some that’s internal period products such as menstrual discs, cups or tampons, while for others it’s externally worn period care such as pads and period underwear.
Are menstrual discs good for exercise?
If you’re comfortable using internal period care, menstrual discs can be a great option for sport.
A menstrual disc sits in the vaginal fornix beneath the cervix, rather than lower in the vaginal canal like a menstrual cup, and collects menstrual fluid internally.
That can be particularly useful during exercise because there’s no external absorbent product sitting against your body, rubbing against your skin or potentially moving around while you’re active.
Tampons absorb your flow and can sometimes leave you feeling dry. They also have a string which some find can chafe and irritate during exercise. So, for those reasons, many people switch to a menstrual disc or cup when they are exercising during their period.
The Hello Disc is designed to be worn for up to 12 hours at a time and can be used while exercising, swimming and sleeping. It also holds up to 50 mL (the same as 10 regular tampons), which makes it a particularly handy option for long training days or heavier flow.
The Hello Disc is renowned as the easiest menstrual disc to remove thanks to it's patented double-loop tab design which allows you to easily reach and it also makes removal way less messy than some.
We love it for running, swimming, cycling, hiking, gym sessions, Pilates, yoga and team sport - it’s kind of a ‘set and forget’ solution - and we love making life easier where we can! particularly when you want period protection you can put in and then get on with your day.
One important note: “up to 12 hours” doesn’t mean everyone will personally get 12 hours of wear on every single day of their period. If your flow is particularly heavy, you may need to empty your disc more frequently.
What’s the best period product for running?
Running has a very specific set of period-product requirements.
There’s repetitive movement. Sweat. Friction. Fitted clothing. And if you’re going a decent distance, there’s often the added fun of not knowing when the next bathroom is going to appear.
For that reason, one of our favourite high-confidence combinations is Hello Disc plus Hello Undies.
The disc provides high-capacity internal protection, while period underwear can give you an extra layer of backup if you feel you might need it. That combination can be especially reassuring if you’re heading out for a longer run or exercising on one of your heavier days.
If it’s a lighter flow day and you’re wearing leggings or bike shorts, our Sweet Cheeks absorbent thong is another great option. Designed for those days when you want period protection but absolutely do not want visible underwear lines announcing themselves through your activewear, Sweet Cheeks holds up to 10 ml, which is roughly the equivalent of two regular 5 ml tampons using our comparison. It's also great when you're not on your period but want to ensure any 'down under sweat' is whisked away pronto.
For light-flow runs or gym sessions, you may be happy wearing Sweet Cheeks on its own. On heavier days or longer runs, we’d be more inclined to use it as backup with a menstrual cup or menstrual disc.
What are the best period products for swimming?
First things first: yes, you can absolutely swim on your period.
Your period shouldn't mean you need to cancel your beach plans or swim training.
Menstrual discs or menstrual cups are a really good swimming option. Unlike tampons, they do not also absorb half the pool! They create a barrier between your cervix and any pool or sea water that might try to sneak up your vagina.
If internal period products aren’t your thing, period swimwear gives you another option.
The One by Hello Period has built-in layers that wick menstrual fluid into an absorbent core, with an outer waterproof layer helping to prevent leaks. It’s designed for light-to-medium flow, so you can swim without having to insert anything internally.
For heavier-flow swimming days, you may prefer the additional capacity of an internal period product.
What’s best for wearing to the gym on your period?
The type of gym workouts you do will play a part in deciding what’s best for period gym days.
On light days, Sweet Cheeks works beautifully under fitted gym leggings thanks to its seamless thong construction and 10 mL absorbency.
For moderate or heavier flow, you might prefer one of our higher-capacity Hello Undies styles, or pair period underwear with a Hello Disc or Cup for extra reassurance.
And if you’re going to be exercising for a long time, an internal product such as a menstrual disc can mean you’re less likely to need to stop and change an external product halfway through your workout.
Basically, choose whatever allows you to spend more time thinking about your workout and less time thinking about your period.
What about period products for yoga and Pilates?
When your leggings are approximately one molecule thick and you’re about to spend a decent portion of the class in positions called things like downward dog, feeling confident about your period protection is extremely nice.
A menstrual disc or cup can work really well because they’re internal. Seamless period underwear is another good option, and on lighter days a period thong such as Sweet Cheeks can give you protection without adding bulk underneath leggings.
You can also combine an internal product with period underwear if that extra layer of backup helps you relax.
One tip if you’re new to menstrual cups or discs: give yourself a chance to learn how to use yours before the morning of your first reformer or yoga class.
There can be a small learning curve with reusable internal products and it’s much nicer figuring it out at home rather than doing a hard launch in public.
Period products for team sport
Football, hockey, rugby, netball, basketball, cricket - for some, playing team sport when you’re on your period can feel stressful.
Uniforms aren’t always particularly period-friendly and tournaments can stretch across an entire day. That’s where having decent capacity and a backup plan can be extremely reassuring.
A combination such as Hello Disc plus Hello Undies gives you primary internal collection along with secondary protection in your underwear.
For younger athletes, we’re also big fans of keeping a small emergency period kit permanently tucked inside the sports bag - just remember to replace anything you use so it's always topped up.
Your period kit doesn’t need to be complicated - we recommend including your preferred period product, a spare pair of underwear, some spare shorts if you have room and a small wet bag for anything that needs to come home are usually enough.
Can you wear reusable pads while exercising?
Absolutely. Not everybody wants to use internal period products so if pads are your go-to, they are totally able to be worn while exercising on your period.
Hello Period's reusable Ride or Die Pad hold 30 mL and have adjustable dome fasteners, silicone grip underneath and a quick-wick layer. The fastening and grip help keep the pad more securely in place while you’re moving.
For very heavy flow, their Overnight Success pads hold 60 mL and are longer than the regular pad. Despite having “overnight” in its name, there is absolutely nothing stopping you from wearing it during the day.
Would everybody want to run 15 kilometres wearing a maxi pad? Probably not. For long-distance exercise, firm fitting period underwear are the best and most comfortable option. But that said, as with anything to do with period care, it's your own personal preference that should win at the end of the day.
Best period products for light period days
Ah yes. Those final days of your period when you spend half the day wondering if it’s actually finished, only for it to make one surprise reappearance just after you’ve put on your favourite underwear.
Light days are exactly where lower-capacity period underwear and liners come into their own.
Our Sweet Cheeks period thong holds up to 10 mL and has a seamless design, making it an easy option especially under activewear when you don't want any VPL action going on.
If you prefer a liner, Hello Period's reusable Fresher Than A Daisy liner also holds 10 mL. It has adjustable dome fasteners, silicone grip underneath and is machine washable.
And if you’re swimming on a light-to-medium day, The One period swimwear gives you an option that doesn’t require an internal product.
What if you have heavy periods and play sport?
When your periods are heavy, choosing higher-capacity protection can make exercising much less stressful.
Many opt to combine an internal product with period underwear to get 'double protection' and extra peace of mind.
If your bleeding is regularly so heavy that you’re flooding through period products, having to change your protection frequently, missing sport, school, work or everyday activities, or you’re feeling particularly tired, dizzy or short of breath, it's important to seek advice from your doctor or obgyn.
Heavy menstrual bleeding can contribute to iron-deficiency anaemia and may sometimes have an underlying medical cause.
Period underwear or a menstrual disc for exercise?
This is one of those questions where we refuse to declare a winner.
Period underwear is incredibly easy to use. You put it on like ordinary underwear, there’s virtually no learning curve, and depending on the style and your flow, you may be able to wear it on its own. Hello Period's absorbent underwear range in capacity from 10 mL to 50 mL, depending on the style.
A menstrual disc is internal, which means there’s nothing absorbent sitting externally against your body. Hello Disc holds up to 50 mL, can be worn for up to 12 hours depending on your flow and can also be worn while swimming. It's a great tampon alternative because it doesn't dry you out and there's no string dangling down to cause chaffing.
Wearing a Hello Disc with Hello Undies as backup can be a particularly reassuring combination when you’re exercising on heavier days, going somewhere with limited bathroom access or simply know that worrying about leaks will distract you from what you’re doing.
What should you keep in your sports bag when you have your period?
You don’t need to start lugging around an entire emergency department every time you go to training, but a little preparation can make period surprises much easier to deal with.
We’d keep your preferred period product in your bag, plus one backup option and a spare pair of underwear. If you’re heading to a tournament, long training session or somewhere far from home, shorts or leggings can be worth adding too.
So, which period product is best for your sport?
For running, you might choose a Hello Disc, Hello Cup, or a pair of Hello Period's period underwear. If you've got a heavy flow, you might even want to opt for a combination of internal and external protection.
For swimming, a Hello Disc, Hello Cup or Hello Period's The One period swimwear are all good options to look at.
For gym sessions, you have loads of flexibility. A disc, cup, period underwear or reusable pad can all work depending on your workout and your preferences.
For Pilates and yoga, internal products and seamless period underwear can be especially useful under close-fitting activewear but equally a Hello Disc or Cup can provide peace of mind and high capacity for those we prefer a tampon alternative.
For cycling, some people prefer internal products because they remove the bulk of an external absorbent layer, although individual comfort is always what matters most.
For team sport or long training days, choosing higher capacity and adding backup protection can make it easier to stop worrying about whether you’ll get to a bathroom in time.
And for walking or hiking, think about the length of your adventure, your flow and how easy bathroom access is likely to be.
If you’re exercising on a heavy-flow day, capacity becomes a bigger priority, and doubling up with backup period underwear can offer extra reassurance.
Ultimately, the best period product for sport isn’t the one somebody on TikTok insists you absolutely must use - it's the one that lets you forget about your period for a while.
