DysmenorrheaNCT06774521
Effectiveness of Pilates Exercises in the Treatment of Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial
A study testing reformer and mat in people with Dysmenorrhea, run by Uskudar University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Pilates exercises in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and to contribute to the literature and information on this subject. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Dysmenorrhea
- What is being tested?
- reformer and mat
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 56 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 15 Jan 2025to 10 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Female individuals between the ages of 18-50
- Those with a menstrual period of 3-9 days
- Having menstrual pain complaints in most of their menstrual cycles
- Cooperating in completing the assessment scales
Who cannot join
- Having a history of abdominal surgery
- Having an active infection
- Having knee pain
- -. Using medication
- Participants with any pathology that prevents exercise will not be included in the study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Pilates exercises in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and to contribute to the literature and information on this subject.
Read the detailed description
The study was planned as a randomized controlled study. The study will be conducted at the Fizyorapt physiotherapy and exercise consultancy center. It will be divided into 2 main groups as those between the ages of 18-50, those with a menstrual period of 3-9 days, those with menstrual pain complaints, and those who cooperate in completing the assessment scales. Participants will be asked to continue the given exercises for 6 weeks, 2 days a week and 45 minutes. People with psychological and physical disabilities will not be included in regular exercise. A personal information form will be prepared by the researcher in order to collect data on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Visual analog scale (VAS) will be used to measure pain intensity and pain relief, Beck depression scale to determine depression symptoms, and menstruation symptom scale to evaluate menstrual pain and symptoms. These surveys will be repeated before and at the end of the study. The data to be obtained will be evaluated using the SPSS24 package program.
- Conditions
- Dysmenorrhea
- Being tested
- control, reformer, mat
- Medical subject headings
- Dysmenorrhea
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
controlOther
There is no intervention
reformerOther
Reformer exercises:
Foodwork Swan Short Spin Long Stretch Keen Stretch Hug Tree Bridge Pulling Straps Short Box Abdominal Hundred Twist Star
matOther
Mat exercises:
Neck exercises Trunk stabilization exercises Shoulder exercises Posture exercises
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| control group | Active comparator | those who did not receive any intervention Receives: Other: control |
| reformer exercise group | Experimental | They will practice reformer pilates exercises Receives: Other: reformer |
| mat exercise group | Experimental | They will practice mat pilates exercises Receives: Other: mat |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Visual Analogue Scale
Participants were included in the "healthy" category when they marked the 0-1 range of the scale, and were included in the "Menstruation pain" category when they marked the 1.1-10 range. They were divided into 3 groups according to pain severity. 1.1-3: Mild pain, 3.1-7: Moderate pain, 7.1-10: Severe pain.
Measured: 14 weeks
Menstruation Symptom Scale
It is a 5-point Likert-type scale and consists of three sub-parameters: 'negative effects/somatic effects', 'menstrual pain' and 'coping methods', and 22 items. The person is asked to give a score between '1' never and '5' always for the symptoms they experience related to menstruation. The Menstruation Symptom Scale (MSS) score is calculated by taking the total score average. An increase in the mean score indicates an increase in the severity of menstrual symptoms.
Measured: 14 weeks
Fatigue Severity Scale
It consists of 9 questions. Each question is scored between 1 and 7. Statements Regarding Scoring 1. I strongly disagree 3. I tend to disagree 5. I tend to agree 2. I disagree 4. I am undecided 6. I agree 7. I strongly agree. ) the score of the answers given to the question is added and divided by 9. If the result is less than 2.8, it is evaluated as "no fatigue". If the result is greater than 6.1, it is considered as "chronic fatigue syndrome
Measured: 14 weeks
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
It was developed by Buysse et al. (1989) (34). The scale is a safe and consistent questionnaire that evaluates the amount of sleep, sleep quality, presence and severity of sleep disorders in individuals in the last month. It was adapted into Turkish by Ağargün et al. (1996) (35). There are seven components in Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. These components are subjective sleep quality (component 1), sleep latency (component 2), sleep duration (component 3), habitual sleep efficiency (component 4), sleep disturbance (component 5), sleep medication use (component 6) and daytime dysfunction. (component 7). The evaluation score of each item is between 0-3. The total score obtained varies between 0-21. The higher the score, the worse the sleep quality.
Measured: 14 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Jan 2025
- Study start15 Jan 2025
- Primary completion20 Apr 2025
- Study completion10 Jun 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DysmenorrheaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Uskudar University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Doç.Dr.Ömer Şevgin, Uskudar University
- Investigators
- Sümeyye Postacı, Study chair, Uskudar University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06774521
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Uskudar19
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Jan 2025
- Last updated
- 17 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Ozeren A, Ulug N, Sahan N, Can Karahan Z. Does reformer pilates exercise improve cognitive functions in sedentary women? A randomized controlled study. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024 Oct;40:1899-1905. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.10.031. Epub 2024 Oct 18.
PubMed 39593541Aykut S, Sevgin O. Effect of video-based exercise on premenstrual symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Ginekol Pol. 2025;96(2):102-108. doi: 10.5603/gpl.98199. Epub 2024 Oct 29.
PubMed 39469819Peinado AB, Alfaro-Magallanes VM, Romero-Parra N, Barba-Moreno L, Rael B, Maestre-Cascales C, Rojo-Tirado MA, Castro EA, Benito PJ, Ortega-Santos CP, Santiago E, Butragueno J, Garcia-de-Alcaraz A, Rojo JJ, Calderon FJ, Garcia-Bataller A, Cupeiro R. Methodological Approach of the Iron and Muscular Damage: Female Metabolism and Menstrual Cycle during Exercise Project (IronFEMME Study). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 16;18(2):735. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020735.
PubMed 33561085Sevgin O, Postaci S, Dikmen Hosbas B. Comparison of two different Pilates exercise methods in women with dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2026 May 14;16(1):22123. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52762-7.
PubMed 42135456
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Pilates Exercises in the Treatment of Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06774521
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Uskudar19
- Conditions
- Dysmenorrhea
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Uskudar UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Pilates exercises in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and to contribute to the literature and information on this subject.
Detailed description
The study was planned as a randomized controlled study. The study will be conducted at the Fizyorapt physiotherapy and exercise consultancy center. It will be divided into 2 main groups as those between the ages of 18-50, those with a menstrual period of 3-9 days, those with menstrual pain complaints, and those who cooperate in completing the assessment scales. Participants will be asked to continue the given exercises for 6 weeks, 2 days a week and 45 minutes. People with psychological and physical disabilities will not be included in regular exercise. A personal information form will be prepared by the researcher in order to collect data on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Visual analog scale (VAS) will be used to measure pain intensity and pain relief, Beck depression scale to determine depression symptoms, and menstruation symptom scale to evaluate menstrual pain and symptoms. These surveys will be repeated before and at the end of the study. The data to be obtained will be evaluated using the SPSS24 package program.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| control group | Active comparator | Other: controlthose who did not receive any intervention |
| reformer exercise group | Experimental | Other: reformerThey will practice reformer pilates exercises |
| mat exercise group | Experimental | Other: matThey will practice mat pilates exercises |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Female individuals between the ages of 18-50
- Those with a menstrual period of 3-9 days
- Having menstrual pain complaints in most of their menstrual cycles
- Cooperating in completing the assessment scales
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Having a history of abdominal surgery
- Having an active infection
- Having knee pain
- -. Using medication
- Participants with any pathology that prevents exercise will not be included in the study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| controlThere is no intervention | Other | control group |
| reformerReformer exercises: Foodwork Swan Short Spin Long Stretch Keen Stretch Hug Tree Bridge Pulling Straps Short Box Abdominal Hundred Twist Star | Other | reformer exercise group |
| matMat exercises: Neck exercises Trunk stabilization exercises Shoulder exercises Posture exercises | Other | mat exercise group |
Primary outcome
Visual Analogue Scale
Time frame: 14 weeks
Participants were included in the "healthy" category when they marked the 0-1 range of the scale, and were included in the "Menstruation pain" category when they marked the 1.1-10 range. They were divided into 3 groups according to pain severity. 1.1-3: Mild pain, 3.1-7: Moderate pain, 7.1-10: Severe pain.
Menstruation Symptom Scale
Time frame: 14 weeks
It is a 5-point Likert-type scale and consists of three sub-parameters: 'negative effects/somatic effects', 'menstrual pain' and 'coping methods', and 22 items. The person is asked to give a score between '1' never and '5' always for the symptoms they experience related to menstruation. The Menstruation Symptom Scale (MSS) score is calculated by taking the total score average. An increase in the mean score indicates an increase in the severity of menstrual symptoms.
Fatigue Severity Scale
Time frame: 14 weeks
It consists of 9 questions. Each question is scored between 1 and 7. Statements Regarding Scoring 1. I strongly disagree 3. I tend to disagree 5. I tend to agree 2. I disagree 4. I am undecided 6. I agree 7. I strongly agree. ) the score of the answers given to the question is added and divided by 9. If the result is less than 2.8, it is evaluated as "no fatigue". If the result is greater than 6.1, it is considered as "chronic fatigue syndrome
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Time frame: 14 weeks
It was developed by Buysse et al. (1989) (34). The scale is a safe and consistent questionnaire that evaluates the amount of sleep, sleep quality, presence and severity of sleep disorders in individuals in the last month. It was adapted into Turkish by Ağargün et al. (1996) (35). There are seven components in Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. These components are subjective sleep quality (component 1), sleep latency (component 2), sleep duration (component 3), habitual sleep efficiency (component 4), sleep disturbance (component 5), sleep medication use (component 6) and daytime dysfunction. (component 7). The evaluation score of each item is between 0-3. The total score obtained varies between 0-21. The higher the score, the worse the sleep quality.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Nov 2025.
- Background: PubMed 39593541Ozeren A, Ulug N, Sahan N, Can Karahan Z. Does reformer pilates exercise improve cognitive functions in sedentary women? A randomized controlled study. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024 Oct;40:1899-1905. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.10.031. Epub 2024 Oct 18.
- Background: PubMed 39469819Aykut S, Sevgin O. Effect of video-based exercise on premenstrual symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Ginekol Pol. 2025;96(2):102-108. doi: 10.5603/gpl.98199. Epub 2024 Oct 29.
- Background: PubMed 33561085Peinado AB, Alfaro-Magallanes VM, Romero-Parra N, Barba-Moreno L, Rael B, Maestre-Cascales C, Rojo-Tirado MA, Castro EA, Benito PJ, Ortega-Santos CP, Santiago E, Butragueno J, Garcia-de-Alcaraz A, Rojo JJ, Calderon FJ, Garcia-Bataller A, Cupeiro R. Methodological Approach of the Iron and Muscular Damage: Female Metabolism and Menstrual Cycle during Exercise Project (IronFEMME Study). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 16;18(2):735. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18020735.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42135456Sevgin O, Postaci S, Dikmen Hosbas B. Comparison of two different Pilates exercise methods in women with dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep. 2026 May 14;16(1):22123. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52762-7.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Sümeyye Postacı study chair
Uskudar University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing reformer and mat in people with Dysmenorrhea, run by Uskudar University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Nov 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Visual Analogue Scale (time frame: 14 weeks). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06774521, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Nov 2025.