Efficacy of Physiotherapy Treatment in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy techniques, including massage therapy, in treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD).
Results Summary
The meta-analysis indicated that physiotherapy treatments, including massage, provided significant pain relief compared to no intervention or placebo, with a mean difference of -1.13 on the VAS scale. Massage was among the main techniques showing benefits for PD symptom alleviation.
Population
692 female participants with primary dysmenorrhea.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
physiotherapy techniques | decrease | pain relief | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | MD: -1.13, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.64 | shows benefits | #1 |
isometric exercises | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #2 |
massage therapy | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #3 |
yoga | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #4 |
electrotherapy | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #5 |
connective tissue manipulation | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #6 |
stretching | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #7 |
kinesio tape | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #8 |
progressive relaxation exercises | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #9 |
aerobic dance | neutral | pain | participants with primary dysmenorrhea | - | used | #10 |
Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms. The aim was to find out the effectiveness of some physiotherapy techniques in the treatment of PD. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA standards. The descriptors were "dysmenorrhea", "physical the-rapy", "physiotherapy", and "manual therapy". The search was performed in five databases: Scopus, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, and Medline, in February 2021. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials over the last six years. Articles not related to the treatment of PD or using pharmacology as the main treatment were excluded. Nine articles met the objectives and criteria, with a total of 692 participants. The most used scale to measure pain was the VAS (visual analogue scale). The main techniques were isometric exercises, massage therapy, yoga, electrotherapy, connective tissue manipulation, stretching, kinesio tape, progressive relaxation exercises and aerobic dance. Meta-analysis shows benefits of physiotherapy treatment for pain relief compared with no intervention or placebo (MD: -1.13, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.64, I