Survey study, 2020
Do athletic students have less PMS and period pain than non-athletic students?
Athletic and non-athletic students have similar rates of PMS. Nearly all students in both groups experience period pain. Athletes reported somewhat more pain intensity than non-athletes, but the overall PMS severity scores were similar between groups.
What they did
Researchers compared 341 university students from two groups: some who played sports and some who were sedentary. They measured PMS severity and period pain using questionnaires in May 2016.
What they found
Period pain was common in both groups: 92.3% of sedentary students and 92.5% of athletes. PMS was reported in 74.6% of sedentary students and 72.7% of athletes. Average PMS severity scores were similar between groups (118.00 in sedentary versus 120.93 in athletes with no significant difference). Period pain intensity scores were higher in athletes (6.15) than sedentary students (5.54), and this difference was significant.
What it means for you
This is a cross-sectional study, so it cannot prove whether exercise protects from PMS or if people with PMS choose not to exercise. Both groups had very high rates of these problems, suggesting they are common in young women regardless of activity level. The higher pain scores in athletes might reflect either that exercise worsens pain or that athletes are more willing to report it.
341
students compared
92.3-92.5%
had period pain
74.6-72.7%
had PMS
About the study
- Original title
- Comparison of Athletes and Sedentary Students in Terms of Premenstrual Syndrome and Dysmenorrhea
- Authors
- Bahtışen Kartal, Aygül Kıssal, Mustafa Kaya
- Journal
- Ordu Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Çalışmaları Dergisi
- Year
- 2020
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 341
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.38108/ouhcd.732559
Topics
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