Eight-Week Minimal Dose Training Reduces Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms but Does Not Influence Coping Strategies: A...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Women's Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) significantly impacts women's well-being, with limited established management strategies.
• The role of physical activity, particularly the minimum effective dose, in mitigating PMS symptoms and influencing coping mechanisms remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of an 8-week minimum-dose resistance training protocol on psychological PMS symptoms.
• To determine if this exercise intervention influences the coping strategies employed by university students experiencing PMS.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 33 university students diagnosed with PMS.
• Participants were assigned to either a Resistance Training Group (RTG) or a Control Group (CG).
• Assessments included the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool (PSST) and the Brief COPE, analyzed using mixed linear models and t-tests.

Main Results:

• The RTG demonstrated significant reductions in both physical and psychological PMS symptoms compared to the CG (p < 0.05).
• Functional impairments associated with PMS were also significantly reduced in the RTG (p < 0.05).
• No significant changes were observed in the coping strategy patterns of participants in the RTG.

Conclusions:

• A minimum-dose resistance training program is effective in alleviating PMS symptom severity and functional limitations.
• Current evidence suggests that this exercise intervention does not modify the coping strategies utilized by individuals with PMS.
• Further research is warranted to explore the optimal exercise parameters for comprehensive PMS management.