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NCT Number: NCT07628452

Comparative Effects of Aerobic Exercises and Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique in Primary Dysmenorrhea

The study will focus on the comparative effects of aerobic exercises and Jacobson's progressive relaxation technique on pain, fatigue and quality of life in primary dysmenorrhea.

This study will be a randomized clinical trial and will be conducted in, Superior college depalpur and Army public schools and college Lahore (APSACS). Non probability convenience sampling will be used to collect the data.64 participants will be selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and will be equally divided into two groups by sealed opaque enveloped .Participants having age group between 17-24 years and diagnosed with WaLiDD score are included.

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Key information

Conditions

Dysmenorrhea Menstruation Disturbances Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pelvic Pain Signs and Symptoms

Age range

17 year–24 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Superior college for women and Polytechnic institute

Okāra, Punjab Province, 52513, Pakistan

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Aansa Manzoor, MSWHPT

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to menstrual pain without organic lesions in the pelvic cavity , which mainly manifests as spastic pain and distension above the symphysis pubis in the lower abdomen before and after or during menstruation, radiating to the lumbosacral region and inner thigh. PD is a common gynecological disorder affecting 50%-90% of women. The study will focus on the comparative effects of aerobic exercises and Jacobson's progressive relaxation technique on pain, fatigue and quality of life in primary dysmenorrhea.

This study will be a randomized clinical trial and will be conducted in, Superior college depalpur and Army public schools and college Lahore (APSACS). Non probability convenience sampling will be used to collect the data.64 participants will be selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and will be equally divided into two groups by sealed opaque enveloped .Participants having age group between 17-24 years and diagnosed with WaLiDD score are included. Athletes and married women will be excluded. Outcome measures will be taken using Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) for pain, EQ-5D-5L questionnaire for quality of life, fatigue assessment scale for fatigue. Both Groups will receive same baseline treatment which is core muscle strength. Group A will receive aerobic exercises and Group B will receive Jacobson's progressive relaxation technique for 3 times in a week. The treatment will be given for 8 weeks. Outcome measures will be measured at baseline and after 8 weeks. Data analysis will be done by SPSS version 25.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Pain on numeric rating pain scale,
  • Menarche range 12-16,
  • BMI less than 30,
  • Having a regular menstrual cycle (28-32) days,
  • Normal bleeding days (3 to 1) and diagnosed with mild PD according to WaLiDD score

Exclusion criteria

  • Athletes,
  • married women with gynaecological abnormalities were excluded,
  • Medical treatment during the study (e.g., oral contraceptives, antidepressants)
  • Recent musculoskeletal trauma or surgery, or chronic musculoskeletal disorders
  • affecting pain perception (e.g., fibromyalgia, pelvic floor dysfunction)
  • secondary dysmenorrhea-related conditions (e.g., endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts),
  • consumption of painkillers
  • No mental or physical diseases, which reduce the abilities to exercise

Treatment and study plan

aerobic exercises

Other

Group A Duration of forty five minutes Warm up exercises for 10 minutes. Free active movement of upper limb, lower limb, and upper body, cross toe to touch dynamic stretches such as lunges, Achilles tendon and hamstrings stretching. The aerobic workout duration will be 25mins.. The aerobic exercise involved the following steps with15reps of each exercise and while changing the step slow marching step for 15second and then move towards the next step.

single step touch, double step touch, step touch front and back ,grapevine, knee lift , lunge side and back, L step ,V step, jumping jacks. Cool down exercises for 10 minutes included slow marching, quadriceps and hamstring and stretching. Subjects were prohibited from aerobics during menstruation and data were recorded for two menstrual cycles.

Jacobson's relaxation technique

Other

Group B Jacobson's relaxation technique is a type of therapy that focuses on tightening and relaxing specific muscle groups in a sequence that makes you feel calmer and makes you aware of your body and physical sensations. It is also known as PMRT. (39) JPRT was applied three times a week from the estimated date of ovulation to the onset of the next menstruation. . The participants were in a supine position and were supported with cushions. The JPRT involves participants actively contracting muscles to create tension and then progressively releasing them. First of all, the participants were asked to contract the muscles tightly and hold for slow count of 5seconds (s) and then relax them completely for 10 s. At the same time, the participants practiced diaphragmatic breathing. The participants repeatedly performed JPMRT for each body part. Each session lasted about 20-30 min.

Other names: Aerobic exercises and hypopressive

Primary outcomes

  1. WaLlDD relaxation technique on pain, fatigue and quality of life in primary dysmenorrhea.

    Time frame: 2 months

    At baseline, the participant scored at the initial level on the WaLliDD scale, indicating their starting status. Over time, changes in the score reflect improvement or decline in the measured outcome. An increase in score suggests positive progress in the targeted domain, while a decrease indicates reduced functioning or worsening condition compared to baseline.

  2. Fatigue Assessment Scale

    Time frame: 2 months

    At baseline, the participant's fatigue level is measured using the Fatigue Assessment Scale, providing a starting score of perceived fatigue. Changes in the score over time indicate variation in fatigue severity. A decrease from baseline reflects improvement (reduced fatigue), while an increase indicates worsening fatigue compared to the initial assessment.

  3. EQ-5D-5-L-Questionnaire

    Time frame: 2 months

    The EQ-5D-5L is a standardized questionnaire used to assess health-related quality of life. It measures five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each rated on five levels of severity. It also includes a visual analog scale (VAS) where individuals rate their overall health. Higher scores indicate better perceived health status.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Imran Amjad, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

03324390125

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparative Effects of Aerobic Exercises and Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Technique on Pain, Fatigue and Quality of Life in Primary Dysmenorrhea

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 5, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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