Effect of Tele-Yoga on Pain, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent condition affecting approximately 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. In Türkiye, it is estimated that around 2.4 million women are diagnosed with endometriosis. The disease is commonly associated with symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain (CPP), dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility, among which CPP is the most prevalent. Endometriosis-related pain is typically recurrent and progressive, significantly impairing women's daily activities and overall quality of life.

Fatigue is another frequently reported symptom among women with endometriosis. Evidence indicates that fatigue is substantially more common in this population compared to the general female population and has a detrimental impact on both physical and psychological well-being. The coexistence of chronic pain and fatigue further exacerbates the negative effects of endometriosis on quality of life.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches (CIHA) for managing pain and fatigue associated with endometriosis. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary and mind-body-based strategies in endometriosis management. Yoga, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a complementary health practice, integrates physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. It is a low-cost, non-invasive intervention known to promote relaxation and reduce pain, stress, and fatigue.

Telerehabilitation enables the remote delivery of such interventions through digital technologies, improving accessibility and continuity of care. However, there is a limited number of studies investigating telerehabilitation-based yoga interventions among women experiencing chronic pelvic pain due to endometriosis.

Therefore, this project aims to examine the effects of Tele-yoga on chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, and quality of life in women diagnosed with endometriosis. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to developing holistic, accessible, and evidence-based management strategies for women living with endometriosis

Inclusion criteria

• Voluntary willingness to participate in the study.
• Ability to communicate effectively, with no language barriers.
• Completion of at least primary school education.
• Aged 18 years or older.
• Premenopausal.
• Mild (1-3) or moderate (4-6) chronic pelvic pain.
• Not pregnant.
• No use of any complementary and integrative health practice during the study period.
• No regular exercise (defined as exercising more than three times per week).
• No physiotherapy within the previous 3 months.
• No pelvic surgery within the previous year.
• No planned surgical treatment for endometriosis.
• No other injury or medical condition causing pelvic pain.
• Access to a computer, smartphone, or tablet with a camera and a stable internet connection to participate in the online sessions.

Exclusion criteria

• Participant's request to withdraw from the study at any stage.
• Failure to attend all tele-yoga sessions.
• Initiation of regular exercise or physiotherapy during the study period.
• Pregnancy during the study period.
• Decision to undergo surgical treatment during the study period.