Abstract
Objectives:
To investigate the effects of a yoga program on menstrual cramps and menstrual distress in undergraduate students with primary dysmenorrhea.
Design:
Single-blind, randomized controlled trial.
Participants:
40 randomly selected undergraduate nursing students, with 20 each assigned to an exercise or a control group.
Intervention:
The participants engaged in a yoga program for 60 minutes once a week for 12 weeks. The program consisted of physical exercise combined with relaxation and meditation.
Outcome measures:
Menstrual cramps and menstrual distress levels were measured by using the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain and the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, respectively. Data were analyzed by using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk normality tests, t-test, chi-square test, logistic regression analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance (SPSS program).
Results:
Menstrual pain intensity (group difference, −0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.47 to −0.42; p = 0.001) and menstrual distress (group difference, −1.13; 95% CI, −1.43 to −0.82; p < 0.0001) scores decreased significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate that yoga interventions may reduce menstrual cramps and menstrual distress in female undergraduate students with primary dysmenorrhea.
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