Exercise and Dysmenorrhea

1. Nutritional Status and effect of
exercise in young Women having
Dysmenorrhea
ANURADHA SHEKAR
& SWARADA PITKAR
DR. BMN COLLEGE OF HOME
SCIENCE, MATUNGA

2. DYSMENORRHEA
Dysmenorrhea is the occurrence of painful cramps during
menstruation. More than half of all girls and women suffer
from dysmenorrhea (cramps), a dull or throbbing pain that
usually centers in the lower mid-abdomen, radiating
toward the lower back or thighs. Dysmenorrhea is the most
common gynecologic disorder among female adolescents,
with a prevalence of 60% to 93%. In the United States,
dysmenorrhea is the leading cause of recurrent short-term
school absenteeism.Several studies have shown that
adolescents with dysmenorrhea report that it affects their
academic performance, social and sports activities. Physical
activity has been viewed as a means of treatment.

3. AIM:
• Since Primary dysmenorrhea is very common
in young women. Physical activity especially
yoga has been proved to have an effect on
dysmenorrhea so the present study aimed to
study the effect of physical activity on the
clinical manifestations of dysmenorrhea in
young women.

4. OBJECTIVES:
1. To study the effect of physical activity on the clinical
manifestations of dysmenorrhea in young women.
2. To assess the nutritional status of the young women by assessing
the anthropometric measurements like height, weight, BMI and
waist circumference of the young women before and after
intervention.
3. To assess the nutritional status of the young women by 24 hour
dietary recall method.
4. To study the physical activity pattern of the young women by pre-
prepared questionnaire.
5. To evaluate reproductive health of the young women by a pre-
prepared questionnaire before and after intervention.
6. To compare effects of physical activity (yoga and breathing
exercises which will be taught to the subjects) on dysmenorrhea in
young women before and after intervention.

5. METHODOLOGY
• Dysmenorrhic young women were identified through questionnaire
(sample size n = 80 )
Group 1 Group 2
• (Experimental group) (Control group)
sample size, n = 30 sample size, n = 30
exercises
Physical activity (bhujangasana,
dhaurasana breathing exercises
and sit ups) for 8 weeks,
Anthropometric and Nutrient
assessment
These exercises
were taught to the
subjects by a yoga
teacher and they
were asked to do it
regularly for 2
months.
Questionnaire to
identify intensity
of dysmenorrhea
Statistical Data
Analysis using
SPSS

6. RESULTS
• The mean age of subject’s was 17.87 The number of family
members ranged from 2 to 12. Majority of the subjects (79 %) were
Hindus, followed by 19% Muslims, 2 % Christians and 1 % Parsi.
Majority of the subjects that is 70 % (n= 56) had their menarche
in between 13 to 15 years of age . They (68.8%) had a 28 day cycle
Seventy percent of the subjects had normal bleeding while 27 %
of the subjects had “heavy” bleeding. They [subjects (46 %) had
bleeding for 5 to 8 days followed by 37.5 % of the subjects had
bleeding for 4 days. Nearly half of the subjects (51.3 %) had pain
every month. Intensity of pain ranged from 3 to 10 on a 10 point
scale. 10 % of the subjects rated ‘10’ as their intensity indicating
severe pain while a large number of subjects( 27%) reported their
intensity as ‘5’ followed by 21% subjects reporting their intensity as
‘8’ Majority of subjects (90 %) experienced pain only for 1 day .

7. CORRELATION BETWEEN
DURATION BETWEEN 2 MENSTRUAL
PERIODS AND
AGE AT MENARCHE

8. Age at menarche Total
10 years 11-12 13-15 16 and later
Duration
between 2
menstrual
periods
28 days Count 0 15 38 1 54
% within Age
at menarche
.0% 78.9% 67.9% 50.0% 67.5%
< 28 days Count 1 3 11 0 15
% within Age
at menarche
33.3% 15.8% 19.6% .0% 18.8%
45 days or
more
Count
0 0 2 0 2
% within Age
at menarche
.0% .0% 3.6% .0% 2.5%
Very Irregular Count 2 0 3 1 6
% within Age
at menarche
66.7% .0% 5.4% 50.0% 7.5%
30 days Count 0 1 2 0 3
% within Age
at menarche
.0% 5.3% 3.6% .0% 3.8%
Total Count 3 19 56 2 80
% within Age
at menarche
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

9. Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 25.066 12 0.015
Chi square tests
It can be concluded from the above tables that an association exists in duration
between 2 menses and age at menarche. Thus, those who get menses early
(10yrs) or late (16+ years) have very irregular duration between menses

10. CORRELATION BETWEEN
FLOW OF BLEEDING DURING
PERIODS AND
AGE AT MENARCHE

11. Age at menarche Total
10 years 11-12 13-15 16 and later
Flow of
bleeding
Heavy Count
1 8 13 0 22
% within Age
at menarche 33.3% 42.1% 23.2% .0% 27.5%
Normal Count
2 11 42 1 56
% within Age
at menarche 66.7% 57.9% 75.0% 50.0% 70.0%
Very Less Count
0 0 1 1 2
% within Age
at menarche .0% .0% 1.8% 50.0% 2.5%
Total Count
3 19 56 2 80
% within Age
at menarche 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

12. Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 21.866 6 .001
Chi square tests
An inference can be drawn from the above tables that there was a highly
significant difference between flow of bleeding and age at menarche. Thus, it
can be concluded that normal will be the flow of bleeding if menarcheal age is
13 – 15 years.

13. CORRELATION BETWEEN
DURATION OF BLEEDING AND
AGE AT MENARCHE

14. Age at menarche Total
10 years 11-12 13-15 16 and later
Duration of
bleeding
4 days Count 1 4 24 1 30
% within? 33.3% 21.1% 42.9% 50.0% 37.5%
< 4 Count 1 2 7 0 10
% within Age
at menarche?
33.3% 10.5% 12.5% .0% 12.5%
5-8 Count 1 13 25 0 39
% within
When did you
get your 1st
period?
33.3% 68.4% 44.6% .0% 48.8%
> 8 days Count 0 0 0 1 1
% within Age
at menarche
.0% .0% .0% 50.0% 1.3%
Total Count 3 19 56 2 80
% within Age
at menarche
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

15. Chi square tests
Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 45.758 12 0.000
The tables illustrates that there exists a significant association between number
of days of bleeding and the menarcheal age. Hence it can be concluded that
later the menarche, less will be the number of days of bleeding.

16. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
pre intervention
post intervention
COMPARISON BETWEEN
INTENSITY OF PAIN PRE VERSUS POST INTERVENTION
Though the reduction in pain was not statistically significant, the above figure
indicates that there is reduction in percentage intensity of pain of values 6,8,9
and 10. While there is increase in 3, 4, 5 and 7. This indicates that there is overall
reduction in intensity of pain.

17. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 1 2 3 4 5
Pre intervention
post intervention
COMPARISON BETWEEN
DOSES OF MEDICINE PRE VERSUS POST INTERVENTION.
The above figure indicates that there was a slight reduction in the use of dose
medicine after intervention.

18. Anthropometric and Nutrient
analysis
Mean N Std. Deviation
Pair 1 Weight Pre 48.24 44 11.785
Weight Post 48.2386 44 11.77477
Pair 2 BMI Pre 20.42 44 4.37
BMI Post 20.1809 44 4.35930
Pair 3 Waist
Circumference
Pre
76.40 44 9.393
Waist
Circumference
Post
76.3977 44 9.39296
Hardly any reduction was seen in body weight , BMI; and waist circumference of the
subjects as shown below.
There was not much change observed in energy and protein intakes of the subjects
which could be due to short duration of the study.

19. LIMITATIONS
1. Duration of the study was very short
2. Regular follow up of the subjects could
not be maintained due to time
constraints.
3. Sample size was small.
4. The data from control group was not
taken after intervention.

20. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. While selecting the subjects, a more accurate method
like sonography or a check up by a gynaecologist
could to be done to rule out possibility of secondary
dysmenorrhea.
2. Duration of the study could have been longer and it is
recommended that it should at least be for a period
of 6 months.
3. The subjects should be kept on a regular follow up
and could have been given a review of the physical
activity once a week during the intervention period.
4. A Larger Sample size could have been taken.

21. Mrs. Anuradha Shekhar
Associate Professor
Head of the Dept. Food Science and Nutrition
Dr. BMN College Of Home Science,
338, Ra Kidwai Road, Matunga. Mumbai.
Contact No:+91-98206 17577
Work : 022 4095792
www.bmncollege.com
e-mail ; shekaranuradha@yahoo.co.in