Background: Dysmenorrhoea is characterised by cramping lower abdominal pain that may radiate to the lower back and upper thighs and is commonly associated with nausea, headache, fatigue and diarrhoea. Physical exercise has been suggested as a non-medical approach to the management of these symptoms.
Objectives: To assess the evidence for the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea.
Search strategy: A search was conducted using the methodology of the Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group (August 2009). CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and PsycINFO electronic databases were searched. Handsearching of relevant bibliographies and reference lists was also conducted.
Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials comparing exercise with a control or no intervention in women with dysmenorrhoea.
Data collection and analysis: Trials were independently selected and data extracted by two review authors.
Main results: Four potential trials were identified of which one was included in the review. The available data could only be included as a narrative description. There appeared to be some evidence from the trial that exercise reduced the Moos' Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) score during the menstrual phase (P < 0.05) and resulted in a sustained decrease in symptoms over the three observed cycles (P < 0.05).
Authors' conclusions: The results of this review are limited to a single randomised trial of limited quality and with a small sample size. The data should be interpreted with caution and further research is required to investigate the hypothesis that exercise reduces the symptoms associated with dysmenorrhoea.