The effect of an online clinic pilates-based exercise program on women with primary dysmenhorrea

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a clinical pilates-based exercise program on pain level, lumbopelvic muscle strength and dysmenorrhea symptoms in women with primary dysmenorrhea. 34 women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea were included in the study. The control group was only informed about the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea and did not receive any intervention. The clinical pilates group was informed about the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea and an online exercise program was applied for 8 weeks, 2 times a week for a total of 16 sessions, each session lasting 50 minutes. Sociodemographic information and menstrual characteristics of the participants were recorded. Menstrual attitudes were assessed with the Functional and Emotional Measure of Dysmenorrhea (FEMD) , menstrual symptoms with the Menstruation Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ), pain levels with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, and trunk muscle endurance with the Trunk Endurance Tests at baseline and at the end of two consecutive menstrual cycles. SPSS v.20 program was used for data analysis. All data were analyzed with the Shapiro-Wilk test to determine the distributional characteristics. 'Paired Sample T-test'was used to compare the values before and after the treatment within the group according to the distribution of the data. In intergroup comparisons, 'Independent Samples T-test'was used for numerical data with normal distribution. The significance level was accepted as p<0.05 for all analyzes. A significant difference was found in the post-treatment FEMD, MSQ, VAS, Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, and Trunk Endurance Test scores of the intervention group (p<0.05). A significant difference was found in the trunk extensor and lateral flexor muscle endurance test scores of the control group after treatment (p<0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups in FEMD, MSQ, VAS, Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and Trunk Endurance Test scores after treatment (p<0.05). An online clinical pilates-based exercise program reduces pain levels and menstrual symptoms in women with primary dysmenorrhea. The biggest barrier in women's health exercise programs is the obligation created by going to a clinic. For this reason, an online clinical pilates-based exercise program in primary dysmenorrhea symptom management can be considered as a non-pharmacological approach in terms of ease of application. For women whose work and school life is negatively affected by primary dysmenorrhea pain, symptom management approaches can be addressed in schools and workplaces with a team of physiotherapists, gynecologists and psychologists. Keywords: Pain, Exercise, Primary dysmenorrhea, Telerehabilitation, Pilates.