Menstrual cramping, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a condition that occurs before, during or after your menstrual period. This occurrence can lead to nausea and pain and can limit your everyday activities, including exercise. If you experience menstrual cramping before exercising or your menstrual cramps begin during exercise, there are steps you can take to relieve cramping and pain during exercise.
Causes
Your menstrual period begins when your uterine lining is expelled. To facilitate this process, hormones called prostaglandins trigger muscle contractions in your uterus. While these contractions help to expel the uterine lining, they also cause menstrual cramping and can constrict the blood vessels to the uterus, which results in pain and cramping to the abdomen. Menstrual cramping during exercise can be painful and the loss of blood flow to the abdominal area can make exercise difficult because your body relies on blood and oxygen flow to facilitate exercise. There are some exercises, however, that are associated with relieving menstrual cramp symptoms.
Cardiovascular Exercise
While menstrual cramping can make initiating an exercise session difficult, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends 30 minutes of aerobic activity help to relieve the pain of muscle cramping, according to a July 6, 2009 Seattle Post-Intelligencer article. Examples include walking, riding a bicycle or swimming. This is because exercise can release endorphins, which are chemicals that act as your body's natural painkillers. When you exercise enough to release these endorphins, you may experience relief of your menstrual cramps during exercise.
Meditation/Relaxation
Just like slow stretching can soothe a muscle cramp or spasms, meditation exercises like yoga, Pilates and tai chi can help you find relief from menstrual cramping. These exercises emphasize deep breathing, which can relax you and relieve tension menstrual cramps can cause. The slow, gentle stretching can help to soothe muscle spasms, reducing menstrual cramping during exercise.
Solution
If you experience menstrual cramps during exercise, continuing with low-impact exercises like swimming or walking may help to relieve menstrual cramping symptoms. If your menstrual cramps are causing pain or stomach upset, however, you may wish to cease exercising until you can reduce cramping symptoms. Treatments include rubbing your stomach in a circular motion to relieve cramping or lying down and elevating your legs, which can help reduce pain. Taking anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can help to ease muscle cramping and tension. Taking a hot shower after your exercise session also may help. If you continue to experience severe menstrual cramps that do not cease with exercise or over-the-counter treatments, however, see your physician who can prescribe medications to relieve muscle cramping.
