The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether exercise, motor imagery training, and pain neuroscience education can help reduce menstrual pain and improve well-being in young women with primary dysmenorrhea. The study will also look at how these approaches affect menstrual symptoms, movement control, and cognitive flexibility.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does adding motor imagery or pain neuroscience education to an exercise program reduce pain and menstrual symptoms more than exercise alone? * Do these approaches improve movement control, thinking flexibility, and knowledge about pain?
Researchers will compare three groups:
* Exercise only * Exercise plus motor imagery training * Exercise plus pain neuroscience education
Participants will:
* Attend supervised exercise sessions twice a week for 8 weeks * Practice either motor imagery or receive short pain neuroscience education, depending on their group * Complete questionnaires and tests before and after the program, during the first three days of menstruation
Female, aged 18-25 years
Gynecological examination and ultrasound confirming absence of pelvic pathology
History of primary dysmenorrhea for at least 6 months, with pain intensity ≥4 on the Numeric Rating Scale (0-10) during the first 3 days of menstruation
Regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days)
Diagnosis of secondary dysmenorrhea (e.g., endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts)
Current pregnancy or planning to become pregnant during the study period
History of pelvic or abdominal surgery
History of sexually transmitted diseases
Muge Dereli
Lead sponsor
Izmir Katip Celebi University
Sponsor institution