Effectiveness of a treadmill-based aerobic exercise intervention on pain, daily functioning, and quality of life in women with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a treadmill-based aerobic exercise intervention on pain and associated symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: Seventy women with primary dysmenorrhea were included in the study. The experimental group underwent supervised aerobic training for 4 weeks followed by unsupervised home exercise for the next 6 months. The control group continued usual care. The primary outcome was pain. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QoL), daily functioning, and sleep. Results: After the 4-week training, compared to the control group exercise significantly improved primary outcomes pain quality (mean difference (MD)-1.9, 95% CI 3.8 to −0.04, p