Exercise during menstruation: what is allowed and what is not?

Even though it only comes once a month, menstruation is not the most eagerly awaited by most women. The reason is, the stomach cramps and back pain that come with it can make it difficult to move. Not to mention the fluctuating mood swings that can mess up your day. It's no wonder most women prefer to shut themselves up in their room until their PMS has passed. But did you know that exercise during menstruation can help you relieve symptoms? Of course, not all sports are good to do during menstruation. Then, what are the exercises during menstruation that need to be avoided?

What are the benefits of exercise during menstruation?

The more active you exercise during menstruation and the more routinely you do these exercises, the PMS symptoms will no longer be torturous. So says Stacy Sims, a physiologist from the USA Cycling Women's Track Endurance Program, reported by Health. He said that regular exercise during menstruation can control heavy menstrual bleeding, reduce back pain and stomach cramps due to PMS.

This is because the body will continue to produce endorphins during exercise. Endorphins are chemicals released by the brain to help relieve pain experienced by women during menstruation. The power of endorphins to relieve pain is reported to be almost equivalent to the effect of morphine. In addition, the endorphins they produce will help because they make you feel more positive and relaxed, so you feel better and less stressed.

This is evidenced by a study from Khorasgan Azad University from Iran published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. The research team observed 40 female student respondents who experienced PMS. The first group was asked to do 60 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 times a week for 8 weeks, while the rest were not asked to do anything to relieve their PMS. In fact, those who regularly exercise during menstruation report that they no longer experience stomach cramps and severe headaches during menstruation.

Basically, all physical activity is good for you to do during menstruation. But the study above shows that the type of exercise is aerobic, like jogging, cycling, running, and walking are the best choices for sports during menstruation. So, what sports should you not do during your period?

What types of exercise should you not do during menstruation first?

1. Strenuous exercise

During menstruation, you are not advised to do sports that require too much pressure and muscle work. For example, jumping rope, Muay Thai, basketball, soccer, or lifting weights. This high-intensity exercise can increase the risk of injury to bones, muscles and joints.

Reporting from the Chicago Tribune, Ellen Casey, a professor of sports and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Pennysylvania explained that the release of hormones during menstruation will make the ligaments of muscles and joints looser and more soft. Muscles that are soft and forced to work hard are more prone to injury, especially ACL tears.

Sports statistics show that female athletes are most susceptible to ACL injury to the knee during menstruation. If you want to keep doing it, avoid moving too much so you don't get injured.

2. Swimming

In fact, it's okay to swim during menstruation. However, maybe avoid swimming on days of heavy menstrual blood flow. And you should not swim just yet if you often experience stomach cramps during menstruation. The reason is, recurring cramps in the water will be dangerous for you. Cramps that are so painful and unbearable that they cause shortness of breath can increase your risk of drowning.

If the two of the above are not your problem, it's okay to swim during menstruation. However, it is better to use tampons while swimming rather than regular paper pads. Tampons are used by inserting them into the vagina and function to absorb blood before it comes out.

3. Yoga

Basically, almost all yoga movements are safe to do during menstruation. However, there are several types of movement postures that you need to avoid when a lot of blood is coming out. Some yoga movements that require a "head on foot, foot on head" posture, such as a shoulder stand, a headstand, or a plow pose, can compress and block blood vessels in the uterus, which can increase the volume of blood that is released.