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NCT Number: NCT05960695

The Effect of Relaxation and Stretching Exercises on Pain and Quality of Life in Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea

The study aimed to examine the effect of stretching and relaxation exercises on pain and quality of life in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

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Key information

Conditions

Primary Dysmenorrhea Behavior Motor Activity Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Yeditepe University

Istanbul, Ataşehir/İstanbul, 34755, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

While dysmenorrhea is a frequent gynecologic condition that affects women of reproductive age, young women are generally unaware of it. Dysmenorrhea is divided into two main types based on its pathophysiology:

  • Primary dysmenorrhea (PD), is menstrual discomfort coupled with regular ovulatory cycles and a defined physiological explanation. Adolescents and young adults are the most affected.
  • Secondary dysmenorrhea (SD), is defined as menstruation discomfort caused by a disease (endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis, pelvic adhesions, endometrial polyps, pelvic inflammatory disease) or the use of an intrauterine contraceptive device.

Dysmenorrhea is a type of persistent, cyclic pelvic pain that can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, exhaustion, back pain, and dizziness. In studies conducted on university students in Turkey in 2009 and 2010, 87.7% and 72.7% (respectively) of the students reported that they had pain during the menstrual period.

The release of prostaglandins into the uterine tissue is assumed to be the cause of dysmenorrhea. As a result, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the usual first-line treatment for dysmenorrhea. Oral contraceptives, acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, and vitamin B1 are among the additional treatments that have been suggested.

It has been suggested that exercise can help with dysmenorrhea. Physical exercise has been suggested as a medical treatment for the treatment of dysmenorrhea and related symptoms by several writers. Billig was one of the first to advocate for exercise as a treatment for dysmenorrhea; he devised a set of stretching exercises and found a reduction in dysmenorrheic symptoms.

H1: There is a significant difference in pain and quality of life in the group with stretching and relaxation exercises compared to the group with stretching exercises.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • participants in the study voluntarily.
  • participants in ages between 18-25 years of age.
  • participants have a sedentary lifestyle.
  • participant's pain intensity of more than 40 mm during the menstrual period according to the VAS.

Exclusion criteria

  • using regular drugs like NSAIDs
  • presence of SD
  • having an irregular menstrual cycle
  • presence of chronic disease.

Treatment and study plan

Stretching

Other

Among the stretching exercises, iliopsoas, adductor, and hamstring stretches will be taught. Participants will repeat the stretches 3 times a week with 3 repetitions of each stretch for 20 seconds. The exercises will be done online by the physiotherapist.

The experimental group will be given both stretching and relaxation exercises. The Control group will be given only stretching exercises.

relaxation

Other

Diaphragmatic breathing will be taught as a relaxation exercise. The experimental group will be given both stretching and relaxation exercises. The Control group will be given only stretching exercises.

Primary outcomes

  1. Visual Analogue Scale

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Participants will be evaluated their menstrual pain levels on the Visual Analogue Scale between 0 and 10.

  2. The Menstruation Symptom Questionnaire

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Participants will rate their menstrual distress using the Menstrual Symptom Scale. The minimum score on this scale is 22, while the maximum score is 110. We can see that the lower the score in the questionnaire, the fewer problems the person has during the menstrual period.

  3. Short Form 12 Health Survey

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Participants will be evaluated their health-related quality of life using the Short Form 12 Health Survey. It is seen that the higher the score in the questionnaire, the higher the quality of life of the person.

  4. Measurement with Algometer

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    Algometer measures the pain threshold, and in the study, it will be checked whether the pain thresholds changed with the exercises performed by the participants.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Yeditepe University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jul 27, 2023
Registry last updated
Sep 11, 2025

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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