The effect of stretching exercise on primary dysmenorrhea in adult girls

Abstract

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a difficult menstrual flow in the absence of any pelvic pathology where pain is spasmodic in character and felt mainly in the lower abdomen. Women that participated in sports experienced fewer occurrences of symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Aims and Objectives: To assess the effect of stretching exercise on primary dysmenorrhea in adult girls. Method: The study was conducted at SBB College of physiotherapy. A convenience sample was taken consisting of 30 participants, 15 in each group. Group A received Stretching Exercises. Subjects completed an active stretching exercise program for 4 weeks (6 days per week, 2 times per day) at home. They were asked to perform 9 stretching exercises. Group B was in control group. All subjects were examined for pain intensity VAS (10-point scale). Verbal Multidimensional Scoring System for Assessment of Dysmenorrhea Severity (VMS) Level of significance was kept at 5%. Results: The results of Groups A and B were analyzed by Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In group A-VAS showed significant improvement in pain. Pain intensity was reduced from 6 to 3.80 (difference in mean 2.2±0.16, W=120, p=0.001). VMS also showed significant improvement in pain. VMS was reduced from 2 to 1 (difference in median 1, W=66, p=0.002). In group B, there was no significant improvement in pain. VAS score reduced from 6.20 to 6.10. Difference in mean VAS (0.10±0.30, W=36, p=0.5). There was no difference in mean VMS at the end of 4 weeks. Comparison of Group A and Group B was done with Mann Whitney U Test. There was a significant difference in improvement in VAS between Groups A and B (2.30±0.21, U=31.0, p