Effect of progressive relaxation exercises on primary dysmenorrhea in Turkish students: A randomized prospective controlled trial

Abstract

Background: A randomized prospective controlled study was conducted concerning the effects of progressive relaxation exercises on the reduction of pain in primary dysmenorrhea.

Materials and methods: The research control group (CG) consisted of 60 students while the experimental group (EG) consisted of 64 students. The progressive relaxation exercises were self-administered via compact disc (CD) by participants for two menstrual cycles. A descriptive information form, a visual analog scale (VAS) and a dysmenorrhea monitoring form (DMF) were used for data collection.

Results: The difference between the average first and final post-exercise measurements of the VAS scores of students in the experimental group was statistically significant (p < 0.001), whereas the difference in the control group was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Progressive relaxation exercises are an effective method for reducing dysmenorrhea when they are performed on a regular basis.

Keywords: Menstrual cycle; Pelvic pain; Primary dysmenorrhea; Progressive relaxation exercise.