title: Influence of a physical fitness course on menstrual cycle characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exercise is commonly cited as a remedy for menstrual symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a period of exercise on physical and psychological symptoms of menstruation, dysmenorrhea, oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants of the study were 250 students of Shiraz University who enrolled in a fitness course. The study design was semi-experimental with one group. Prior and after 12 weeks of a physical fitness program, our subjects completed questionnaires on menstrual distress. The physical fitness training program included physical fitness exercises (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, agility, speed, strength; duration: 90 min, frequency: twice weekly, intensity: 50 to 70% of maximum heart rate). The t test was used for analysis of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physical premenstrual symptoms (p = 0.005), psychological premenstrual symptoms (p = 0.019), dysmenorrhea (p = 0.0001) and oligomenorrhea (p = 0.034) were significantly reduced after the training program. There was no difference in the incidence of amenorrhea before and after the training program (p = 0.162).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that selected physical fitness exercises positively influenced menstrual symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, College of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. koushkie53@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Maryam Koushkie
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jahromi
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaeini
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rahimi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000628:therapy*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult