The Effect of Premenstrual Exercise on PMS Score, Perceived Stress Score, Body Image Score, and Cortisol Level for Premenstrual Syndrome

Background:Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)might impacts on individual personal relationship, behavioral changes, social interaction, lifestyle, school performance, and emotional wellbeing. The prevalence of PMS varies around 50% to 80% on reproductive women. The purpose of this study was to prove that premenstrual exercise as an alternative therapy for PMS in decreasing PMS score, perceived stress score (PSS), the level of cortisol, and increasing body image score (BIS). Methods: This is an experimental study with randomized pre-test post-test controlled group design. The subject was 116 PMS women which was 56 women as the treatment group and 60 as the control group. They experienced PMS, which were screened with SPAF questionnairesduring 3 month beforehand. The intervention was a 45 minutes premenstrual exercisefor five days during lutheal phase. Intervention in the control group was a form of habits when they suffered PMS. Posttest was done after five days during the luteal. The questionnaires of perceives stress, body image, and blood sample for cortisol level were gained pretest and posttest. The data was analyzed by using paired test, Wilcoxon, independent t test, and Man Whitney. Results:The prevalence of PMS was 76.1%. The mean age of treatment and control groups were 17 and 18 year respectively. The menarche both of two groups were same at 12 years. Mean of the length of menstruation in both two groups were 7 days.Premenstrual exercise has an effect on Hb level and BMI score (p=0.005 and 0.007 respectively). Moreover, exercise reducedPMS score (p=0.001), PSS (p=0.001), and cortisol level (p= 0.001).Premenstrual exercise increased body image score with p=0.001. Conclusion: Premenstrual exerciseproved significantly on decreasingPMS score, PSS and cortisol level, and improving BIS. It is recommended that exercise should be encouragedfor PMS women in promoting healthy lifestyle.