Effects of Somatic Movement Therapy vs Core Strengthening in Premenstrual Syndrome

Effects of Somatic Movement Therapy Versus Core Strengthening Exercises on Symptom Severity, Perceived Stress, and Quality of Life in Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a multifactorial disorder affecting women of reproductive age, causing physical discomfort, emotional instability, and reduced quality of life. This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effects of Somatic Movement Therapy (SMT) and Core Strengthening Exercises (CSE) on symptom severity, perceived stress, and quality of life in 34 female participants aged 18-35 years diagnosed with PMS according to ACOG criteria. Group A will receive SMT, while Group B will perform CSE over a 6-week program. Outcomes will be measured using PSST, PSS-10, and WHOQOL-BREF, with data analyzed through SPSS version 27.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a complex and multifactorial disorder affecting a significant proportion of women of reproductive age, often resulting in substantial physical discomfort, emotional instability, and reduced quality of life. Recent studies have confirmed the use of movement-based therapeutic interventions as effective prescription-free methods to provide relief of the symptoms associated with PMS. The purpose of the study is to examine and compare the effect of intervention (Somatic Movement Therapy (SMT) and Core Strengthening Exercises (CSE) on symptom severity, perceived stress, and quality of life in patients with PMS.

This randomized clinical trial will be conducted at Ghurki Trust and Teaching Hospital, involving a sample of 34 female participants aged 18 to 35 years with regular menstrual cycles and a clinical diagnosis of Premenstrual Syndrome according to ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) criteria. A non-probability convenience sampling method will be used to recruit the participants, and they will be assigned randomly to two intervention groups.

Somatic Movement Therapy will be applied in Group A and will include breath awareness, proprioceptive training, somatic movement, and mindfulness-based relaxation. Group B will be subjected to a highly structured Core Strengthening Exercises regime that involves progressive movement on basic activation to endurance-based core exercises in a 6-week regime (3 sessions/week, 45 minutes/session). Outcome measures include the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) for symptom severity, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life. Evaluations will be done at baseline, post-intervention, and follow up. SPSS version 27 will be used to analyze data.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Females aged 18 to 35 years.
• Married and single women
• Regular menstrual cycles (21-35 days) for the past 6 months.
• Diagnosed with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) based on ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with PMDD or major psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression).
• Using hormonal contraceptives or mood/menstruation-altering medications
• History of gynecological conditions (e.g., PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids).
• Presence of chronic illnesses (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, CVD, thyroid disorders)