The Effect of Abdominal Massage and Exercise on Primary Dysmenorrhea in University Students
Condition: Primary Dysmenorrhea
MeSH terms: Dysmenorrhea
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The study will planing to determine the advantages of abdominal massage and exercise on
      primary dysmenorrhea in university students, and to evaluate whether one of these
      applications is superior to the other.
    

Detailed description: 
      The students included in the study will be randomly separated into 3 groups using a
      computer-based randomisation plan (www.randomization.com).

      Those included in the massage group will be instructed to massage the abdomen for 10 mins a
      day on the first 3 days of the menstrual cycle. The massage is to be applied as effleurage
      (light touch) clockwise over the abdomen from over the abdominal wall to the intestinal area.

      The students in the exercise group will be instructed to perform stretching exercises
      including the pelvic and lumbar regions 3 times a day for the first 3 days of the menstrual
      cycle.

      The control group will perform no exercise or massage. The applications will be demonstrated
      to the participants by a physiotherapist. Throughout the study period, the students will be
      followed up to ensure that the applications are being made. Follow-up of the applications of
      abdominal massage and stretching exercises applied by there searcher physiotherapist
      according to the study plan will be conducted by the researchers.

      The participants will be informed how to apply the massage and perform the exercises and that
      these applications will cause no side-effects. They will also be informed that participation
      in the study is voluntary and they can withdraw from the study at any time.

      The study will include volunteer female students, aged 18- 20 years, with regular menstrual
      cycles, who record ≥ 6 points on VAS in the first 3 days of at least 2 of the last 3
      menstrual cycles and will not use analgesics during the study.

      Data Collection Tools Personal Information Form: This form was prepared by the researchers in
      accordance with previous reports in literature to include 5 socio-demographic items and 14
      items related to the menstrual history (age of menarche, frequency of painful menstruation,
      amount of bleeding, family history of painful menstruation, methods of dealing with the pain,
      etc).

      Visual Analog Scale (VAS):This scale is a simple method used in the measurement of pain
      severity and in the follow-up of pain. The patient is instructed to mark the severity of pain
      on a 10cm horizontal line, where 0= non pain and 10= intolerable pain.

      Dysmenorrhea Symptom List:This list was prepared by the researchers in accordance with
      literature to evaluate the efficacy of the application and includes the findings seen in the
      presence of dysmenorrhea in females. Each finding is scored from 0-3 as 0= non symptom, 1=
      mild symptom that does not affect daily activity, 2 = mild non-debilitating symptom that
      affects daily activity, 3= totally debilitating severe symptom.

      Amount of Menstrual Blood: As it is impossible to measure blood lost during menstruation in a
      laboratory environment, a pictorial blood loss evaluation table will be used,which is a
      practical and low-cost method with a high accuracy rate. The pictorial blood loss evaluation
      table was developed to show the degree of soiling. The participants will be given detailed
      instructions of how to use these forms and will be checked as to whether or not they have
      understood by being instructed to record a bleeding pattern described by the researchers (eg,
      mark on the table that in the first 2 days you have used 5 pads completely soiled and in the
      following 3 days, 2 half pads and 1 with staining). The pictorial index score is calculated
      by giving points of 1, 5 and 20 to mild, moderately and heavily soiled pads respectively, and
      scores of 1 and 5 for small and large clots. A cut-off value of 100 will be used. To reduce
      misinterpretations resulting from the use of different pads, all the participants will be
      recommended to use the same brand of sanitary pad.
    

Intervention name(s): The exercise group; The abdominal massage group; Control Group
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The students will make exercise during the first three days of the menstrual period; The students will make abdominal massage during the first three days of the menstrual period; The students will nor massage or exercise
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Intervention model description: Randomised Controlled Study
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Abdominal massage; Exercise; Primary Dysmenorrhea