Primary dysmenorrhea (cramping and pain prior to or during menstruation) is a extremely common problem. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, as many as 90 percent of menstruating women experience this disorder on some level, usually in adolescence. Exercises may alleviate primary dysmenorrhea.
Reverse Crunches
Target the lower abdominal muscles in your workout. Sit-ups and regular crunches do work the abdominal muscles, but they tend to work the upper or entire abdominal sheath. They do not target the abdominal muscles of the lower abdomen nearer to the uterus.
One exercise to try for the lower abdominal muscles and relief of menstrual pain is the reverse crunch. To do the exercise, lie on your back and place your feet in the air, feet together or just slightly apart, with knees slightly bent. Place your hands palm down under your buttocks to stabilize you. Then use the lower abdominal muscles to pull the legs up toward the chest. You do not need to go very high; aim for just enough lifting to engage the abdominal muscles fully. Repeat the exercise for up to 45 seconds at a time or in sets of 10.
Pelvic Stretch
When muscles are contracting enough to cause pain, the best way to relieve the pain is to gently stretch the muscle into relaxation, so it does not hurt anymore. You can relieve primary dysmenorrhea by stretching out the pelvis.
The bridge is a great exercise for stretching the abdomen safely. To do a bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent. Push up slowly with your legs and feet to lift your pelvis completely off the floor until your back is straight. Hold for a few seconds and then lower your pelvis back down to the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged during the exercise to keep the back stable by pulling them in toward the belly button.
Stability
Try to keep your body posture as stable as possible. The more aligned your body is, the less likely it is that your uterine muscles will tire and want to spasm and contract as harshly. You can do this with pelvic rocking exercises.
A common pelvic rocking exercise is the cat pose done in yoga. You simply get on all fours, let the pelvis fall down naturally as far as possible, and then draw the pelvis back in by curving up the spine. Don't let the abdominal muscles drop as you are in this position. Another exercise is to sit on a hard chair and lean forward and back and then from side to side while trying to keep the upper body straight.
Tips
When you do these exercises for primary dysmenorrhea, make sure to stay hydrated and remember to breathe through the movements. Oxygen and water are needed by your muscles to get enough energy to do work, and hydrated, well-nourished muscle tissue is less likely to cramp. Always warm up the muscles before diving into harder exertions to prevent injury.
Tags: abdominal muscles, lower abdominal, lower abdominal muscles, primary dysmenorrhea, your back, less likely