YOGA VERSUS STRUCTURED EXERCISE FOR IMPROVING PAIN AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

Abstract

Endometriosis continues to be a condition that disturbs women's health related quality of life in multiple ways and for a long duration. This study aimed to compare the short-term effects of yoga and physical exercise with structure on pain and quality-of-life outcomes in women with confirmed endometriosis. Fifty-two patients participated in a prospective randomized clinical trial with the data analysed. At the end of this period 37 women were included in the yoga group and 15 in the structured-exercise group, who attended 8 sessions every week, online. Pre and post intervention was evaluated with pain measures, Short Form-36, and Endometriosis Health Profile-30. Yoga had a significant effect on dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, non-menstrual pelvic pain, and some of the physical and psychosocial health areas. Functional capacity, physical-role functioning, bodily pain, emotional-role functioning and mental health were significantly improved with structured exercise. There were no significant differences between groups in the outcomes measured. Both interventions might thus be viable complementary options for symptom management in the short-term. Further randomized trials with equal sized groups and longer follow-up time are needed to establish comparative and ongoing effectiveness.