Abstract

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition among adolescent girls that adversely affects their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The symptoms of PMS are closely associated with cyclical hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. Exercise has been recognized as a non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating PMS symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise combined with stretching exercises compared with stretching exercises alone in adolescents with PMS. Methods: This experimental study was conducted among adolescent girls at a Government Higher Secondary School, Iyyappanthangal, Chennai. A total of 80 participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups of 40 each. The experimental group received aerobic exercise (walking and cycling) combined with stretching exercises, while the control group performed stretching exercises alone. Both interventions were administered for 12 weeks. The severity of PMS symptoms was assessed using the Premenstrual Syndrome Questionnaire before and after the intervention. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, both groups demonstrated improvement in PMS symptoms. However, the experimental group showed significantly greater reductions in both somatic and affective symptoms compared with the control group, indicating that the addition of aerobic exercise enhanced the effectiveness of stretching exercises. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise combined with stretching exercises is more effective than stretching exercises alone in reducing the severity of premenstrual syndrome among adolescents. This combined exercise program may serve as an effective, safe, and costeffective non-pharmacological approach to improving menstrual health and overall quality of life in adolescent girls.

Keywords

Premenstrual syndrome, aerobic exercise, stretching exercises, adolescents, menstruation, somatic symptoms, affective symptoms