The effect of walking exercise training on pain severity, menstrual symptoms, emotional status and kinesiophobia in women with primary dysmenorrhea

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of 8-week moderate-intensity brisk walking exercise training on pain severity, menstrual symptoms, emotional state and fear of movement in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: Sixty women aged 18-40 years who had never given birth and diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea were included in the study. Participants consisted of individuals who applied to a Family Health Center in Adana province due to pain. Individuals were randomly divided into two groups as exercise (n:30) and control (n:30). Pain severity of individuals was evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), menstrual symptoms with the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire(MSQ), depression levels with the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), anxiety levels with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and kinesiophobia levels with the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TKS). The participants were given a 30-minute moderate-intensity brisk walking exercise training three days a week for eight weeks by the physiotherapist. The training consisted of warming up and cooling down, walking at the participant’s own walking pace. The loading phase, on the other hand, was planned as fast walking that would cause fatigue and/or shortness ot breath with a severity of 6-7 according to VAS. Participants performed the exercise independently of the physiotherapist for 8 weeks. Participants were asked to fill out an exercise follow-up form and the physiotherapist was interviewed by phone 2 days a week. No intervention was made in the control group. The groups were evaluated in three consecutive menstrual cycles. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in physical characteristics, VAS, BDI, BAI, TSK and MSQ scores between the groups before the study (p>0.05). In the intervention group, VAS, BDI, BAI, TKS, and MSQ were significantIy decreased compared to pre-intervention (p≤0.001). In the control group, no significant difference was found in the scores of VAS, BDI, BAI, TSK and MSQ (p>0.05). Conclusion: It was observed that 8 weeks of moderate-intensity brisk walking exercise training had a positive effect on pain severity, fear of movement, depression, anxiety and menstrual symptom scores in women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea. Walking exercise training was thought to be a viable treatment method in women with primary dysmenorrhea.