• Shakeri H
• Fathollahi Z
• Karimi N
• Arab AM

• Dysmenorrhea / therapy
• Exercise Therapy / methods
• Lumbosacral Region / physiology
• Menstruation

Objective: The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of functional lumbar stabilization exercises on pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in women with menstrual low back pain (LBP).

Methods: Thirty women with menstrual LBP participated in the study. Subjects were assigned to a control group (n = 10, mean age = 25.1 ± 4.7 years) and an intervention group (n = 20, mean age = 21.7±2.4 years). Treatment for the intervention group consisted of functional lumbar stabilization exercises, 10 repetitions each, 3 times a day, for 3 consecutive months. The women in the control group received no exercise and performed their regular activity daily living. Pain intensity using a Numeric Pain Scale (NPS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) was collected at baseline and at the end of 3 months in both groups.

Results: Statistical analysis (paired t test) revealed a significant decrease in NPS, ODI, RMQ, and TSK after treatment in the intervention group. No significant difference in NPS, ODI, RMQ, or TSK was found between pre- and postmeasurement scores in the control group. In the analysis of covariance, controlling for pretest scores, a significant difference was found between the 2 groups in the postmeasurement score of NPS (P = .01), ODI (P < .001), RMQ (P = .002), and TSK (P = .04).

Conclusion: Lumbar stabilization exercises were shown to improve pain, disability, and kinesiophobia during menstrual LBP for subjects who participated in this preliminary study compared to those who did not receive the intervention.

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