Impact of structured core exercise program on dysmenorrhea severity and quality of life in adolescent females

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common health concern for adolescent girls and affects their daily activities and quality of life. In the past few years, exercise interventions, especially exercises for the core muscles, have been found to be effective and safe for the management of menstrual pain. The purpose of this research was to assess the efficacy of a structured core strengthening program in reducing pain intensity and enhancing quality of life in adolescents with primary dysmenorrhea. The design of this research was a randomized controlled trial. The subjects were 60 females between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. The subjects were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group was given a core strengthening program, and the control group was given conventional management. The WaLIDD score, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and Sahrmann’s Core Stability Test were used to assess the outcomes. The program was conducted over four weeks, with increasing intensity. The findings indicated that there were more alleviations of pain and improvements in the quality of life of the participants of the experimental group compared to the control group. Moreover, there were marked improvements in the stability of the participants of the experimental group. In conclusion, the findings of the study indicated that exercises aimed at strengthening the core can be used as a non-invasive approach to reducing pain associated with menstruation in adolescents with primary dysmenorrhea. Trial Registration CTRI/2025/07/090483.