Endometriosis is a common condition that many women suffer from but don’t realize they have. Endometriosis occurs when cells that normally grow inside the uterus grow outside of it. This abnormal cell growth occurs because the immune system fails to get rid of the endometrial tissue. Everyone experiences endometriosis differently. But many women who experience it experience indescribable pain. The kind that makes it feel like their insides are burning. To date, research and studies have found many different ways to manage this pain. Exercise happens to be one of those methods.
Adding exercise to your routine has been shown to reduce endometriosis symptoms, such as heavy periods. It also relieves pain caused by the condition, such as extreme menstrual cramps or cramps in the pelvic area, waist, buttocks and legs.
If you’re reading this and are affected by endometriosis or extreme cramping and heavy periods, you may be thinking, “There’s no way I’m exercising every day.” Endometriosis pain can make it hard to motivate yourself to start an exercise routine and make workouts difficult. Are the potential results worth the effort? Great question and we’ve taken the time to answer it, along with some of the other most popular questions about endometriosis and exercise. Here’s what you need to know to achieve the best results.
Does exercise really help endometriosis?
Research says yes! The search doesn’t actually contain the word “hell”. They were us. The thing is, exercise can help endometriosis. Exists evidence that suggests that exercise is an effective pain reliever that benefits women with endometriosis. Regular exercise helps management of endometriosis symptoms and helps prevent other major health problems such as heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Regular exercise can also help prevent the condition in women in the first place. One study found that women who exercised frequently experienced a 76% reduction in their risk of developing endometriosis.
How does exercise help endometriosis?
When you exercise regularly, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins act as a natural pain reliever and slow down the pain caused by endometriosis. Exercise also lowers estrogen, a hormone that often leads to endometriosis. Lower estrogen means less symptoms and pain associated with endometriosis. Overall, exercise can help maintain hormone balance, which is extremely important for alleviating endometriosis symptoms. In addition to managing symptoms such as pelvic cramps, exercise also improves sleep quality and helps increase energy levels.
Remember, everyone experiences endometriosis differently. For some, exercise works as an adjunct to medication. For others, exercise and other lifestyle habits may be enough to manage symptoms on their own. We recommend that you work with your doctor to develop an individualized plan that fits your health condition and lifestyle.
When should I exercise and how often?
When starting an exercise routine, start slow (10-15 minutes of walking a few times a week) and gradually increase your activity over time. You may find it too active or high-impact exercises increase endometriosis symptoms, so it’s best to set yourself up. Just as everyone’s experience with endometriosis is different, so will everyone’s exercise routine.
Remember, the goal should not be to go to the gym every day for two hours. It’s about increasing your activity to provide pain relief. Slow and steady exercises such as walking or stretching a few times a week are enough to boost your endorphins and reduce stress hormones and inflammation in the body, improving your overall well-being. When choosing your exercise routine, your first priority should be to listen to your body and make sure you don’t overdo it. Overexertion during exercise can do more harm than good in the long run. Work within your limits by taking it daily to prevent burnout.
What are the best types of exercises to help with endometriosis?
Keep it simple! Remember, you don’t need a complicated or intense exercise program. Your main goal should be to find something that you enjoy doing and that gets you moving.
Start with low-intensity exercise such as walking, swimming, cycling or light stretching. Pilates and yoga both have positions that help to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic region. These muscles are affected when women with endometriosis lean for pain. So boosting them can help provide relief. Certain exercises, such as crunches, running, burpees, and HIT workouts, can increase in endometriosis symptoms such as back or pelvic pain. So once again, it’s important to listen to your body and choose exercises that help you move and ultimately relieve pain.
Does endometriosis affect your daily life? The Kaldas Center is here to help!
Before starting an exercise routine, consult your doctor for an individualized plan. The Kaldas Center is here to support you and help you find solutions to manage or treat your pain. Endometriosis is different for everyone, and it is essential to work with an endometriosis specialist to develop an individualized care plan. We want to help you make this plan. Call the Kaldas Center at 920-886-2299 to discuss your health and chart a path to life-changing wellness and relief.
We hope to speak with you soon!
