A regular jog might be the best way to ease period pain, even though women often shun exercise while on their periods.
Taking to a treadmill three times a week cuts period pain by 6% after four weeks, a study has found. After six months, the pain was reduced by 22%.
Women who took on the aerobic exercise regime reported a higher quality of life, reduced pain intensity and “better daily functioning”.
It’s not known why exercise works this way but the authors suggest it may be connected to the release of pain-
relieving chemicals called endorphins.
The trial looked at women aged 18-43 and was published in the journal Contemporary Clinical Trials.
Dr Leica Claydon-Mueller, from Anglia Ruskin University, said: “This trial demonstrated that exercise significantly reduced pain for those people taking part.”
Period pain is reported to affect between 80-90% of all women at some point in their lives.