Therapeutic Physical Exercise for Dysmenorrhea: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Physiotherapy
• Exercise Science
• Women's Health

Background:

• Dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain) significantly impacts women of reproductive age.
• Physical exercise and physiotherapy are recognized for pain reduction and well-being improvement.
• Identifying effective exercise programs for menstrual pain is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify therapeutic physical exercise programs and protocols for reducing menstrual pain.
• To synthesize current evidence on exercise interventions for dysmenorrhea.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology (PCC).
• Searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, PEDro, and ScienceDirect (Jan 2013 - Apr 2023).
• Excluded qualitative studies, reviews, and meta-analyses; analyzed 9 studies using PRISMA-ScR.

Main Results:

• 3325 studies were initially identified; 9 were included in the final analysis.
• Significant variation existed in exercise program parameters (duration, intensity, repetitions, sets).
• Aerobic training was the most frequently used therapeutic exercise.

Conclusions:

• Aerobic training, particularly for women in their 20s, is the most common exercise for menstrual pain relief.
• Aerobic exercise shows potential as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing dysmenorrhea.
• Further research may refine optimal exercise protocols for dysmenorrhea management.