Endometriosis and physical activity: A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Pain Management
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Endometriosis is a common, painful gynecological disorder impacting women's quality of life.
• Current treatments and lifestyle changes offer limited solutions for endometriosis management.
• There is a need to explore non-pharmacological interventions for endometriosis symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of physical activity on pain and quality of life in endometriosis patients.
• To identify specific physical activities beneficial for endometriosis management.
• To highlight knowledge gaps and future research directions in this area.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of existing literature on physical activity and endometriosis.
• Analysis of studies focusing on body awareness practices and their impact.
• Consideration of patient-specific factors in physical activity recommendations.

Main Results:

• Body awareness practices, including Hatha yoga, Jacobson method, and progressive muscle relaxation, show promise in reducing endometriosis-related pain and stress.
• These practices can significantly improve the quality of life for women with endometriosis.
• Evidence suggests avoiding overly intense physical activities due to symptom variability.

Conclusions:

• Mind-body physical activities offer a viable non-medicinal approach to managing endometriosis.
• Further randomized controlled trials are essential to confirm benefits and identify specific effective activities.
• Personalized physical activity plans are crucial for optimizing outcomes in endometriosis care.