Women have long been told that exercise can help relieve pain associated with menstruation. Running --- or almost any other athletic pursuit --- can cause the release of endorphins, which act as a natural pain reliever in the body. This can help minimize the severity of cramping during your menstrual cycle. But for some women, the opposite can be true.
Dysmenorrhea
Medically known as dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramps are caused by contractions within your uterus. But the muscles of your uterus don't just contract as a way of shedding the uterine lining during your period. In fact, it continues to contract throughout your menstrual cycle, which is loosely defined as the first day of your period to the day prior to your next period. Since the uterus continually contracts, your cramping could be the result of a more forceful muscle contraction or even a muscle spasm.
Exercise
Exercise forces blood to move to your working muscles. With running, blood flow obviously increases to the legs. This increase in blood flow, however, isn't supplied by an increase in the amount of blood. Instead, the body constricts those blood vessels supplying blood to other areas of the body and widens the blood vessels along those areas that need it most. Though minor, this can deprive the organs of blood. And like side stitch, the reduction of blood to the uterus can cause muscle spasms that manifest as cramping.
Evidence
A study conducted in 1989 by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical College of Georgia demonstrated that exercise could aggravate the symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea. Exercise is known to elevate mood, which can help relieve stress, and stress can worsen those symptoms associated with menstruation. At the same time, however, it may lead to the sensations of menstrual cramping both during and after exercise, including the pursuit of running.
Recommendation
The potential for uterine cramping shouldn't dissuade you from exercise. It's best to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. If exercises, such as running, cause you to experience cramping, talk to a doctor. Cramping can be an indication of an underlying disorder, such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical stenosis, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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