---
title: Does period pain only affect you during your period? | Niyora
description: No. Women with dysmenorrhea had worse balance and coordination problems both during menstruation and on days when they felt well, suggesting it affects them c
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/primary-dysmenorrhea-and-postural-control-is-it-a-problem-only-during-2021/
---

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- Does period pain only affect you during your period?

Case-control study, 2021

# Does period pain only affect you during your period?

No. Women with dysmenorrhea had worse balance and coordination problems both during menstruation and on days when they felt well, suggesting it affects them continuously.

 Moderate study design

Women with and without primary dysmenorrhea

## What they did

Compared women with and without dysmenorrhea on balance and ability to do two tasks at once. Tests included standing comfortably, standing while doing a motor task, and standing while doing a cognitive task (counting backward). Measurements were taken on the first day of menstruation and on a day when participants felt well.

## What they found

On the first day of menstruation during a motor task, women with dysmenorrhea showed increased postural sway. On feel-good days during a cognitive task, women with dysmenorrhea had higher postural sway than women without dysmenorrhea.

## What it means for you

Dysmenorrhea may affect your physical balance and coordination continuously, not just when bleeding. This is a case-control study comparing two groups, so results may not apply to all women. It suggests dysmenorrhea has ongoing effects on postural stability.

3

Number of balance test stages

p < 0.05

Statistically significant threshold

## About the study

Original title Primary dysmenorrhea and postural control: Is it a problem only during menstruation? Authors Keklicek H, Sermenli Aydin N, Can HB et al. Journal Gait & posture Year 2021 Study design Case-control study Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.019](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.019)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)

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