Endometriosis is a chronic and painful condition that can affect women of reproductive age. The symptoms of endometriosis can include pelvic pain, extremely heavy menstrual bleeding, and infertility.
There is no cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms. One treatment option is exercise. Exercise has been shown to help reduce pain and improve the quality of life for women with endometriosis.
In this video, we’re going to go over the benefits of exercising with endometriosis and what these exercises may be!
The Benefits of Exercise for Endometriosis Sufferers
There are many benefits of exercise for endometriosis sufferers. Exercise can help to:
Relieve pain: One study found that women who exercised regularly had less pain during the day, compared to those who didn’t exercise. This is because exercise releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Plus, it gets the blood flowing to all the important organs in your body, which can help to reduce inflammation too!
Improve fertility: Women with endometriosis who exercised had a higher chance of becoming pregnant, compared to those who didn’t. This is likely because exercise helps to reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body, which can impact fertility.
Boost energy levels: Endometriosis can be very exhausting, both physically and mentally. Exercise can help to increase your energy levels and improve your overall mood.
With all of these in mind, it makes sense to try and implement some sort of exercise regime into your life if you suffer from endometriosis!
The Best Types of Exercise for Endometriosis Sufferers
So, what are the best types of exercise for endometriosis sufferers? Here are some ideas:
Walking: Walking is a great, low-impact exercise that can help to relieve pain and increase energy levels. Start slow and build up your stamina over time. You could aim to walk for 30 minutes every day.
Swimming: Swimming is another great, low-impact exercise that can help with endometriosis pain. The water can also help to reduce inflammation. If you have access to a swimming pool, it’s a good idea to try and swim a few laps every day.
Low-impact aerobic exercise: This includes activities like walking, swimming, and cycling. These exercises are great for endometriosis sufferers because they’re gentle on the body and don’t put too much strain on the joints.
Strengthening exercises: These exercises help strengthen the muscles around the pelvis, providing support and stability. They can also help to reduce pain. Try doing some pelvic floor exercises, or try a stability ball workout.
Yoga: Yoga is a great form of exercise for endometriosis sufferers. It helps to stretch and strengthen the muscles and can also help to improve flexibility. Plus, the deep breathing involved in yoga can help to relax the mind and body.
Pilates: Pilates is another form of exercise that can help to improve muscle strength and flexibility. It’s also great for improving posture, which can help to reduce pain. There’s very low impact, and you can really take your time with it, which can be great if you’re struggling with fatigue.
Things to Consider When Exercising with Endometriosis
If you’re new to exercise or if you’ve been inactive for a while, it’s important to start slowly and build up gradually. This is especially important if you’re in pain. As you do that, the exercise will slowly start to get a lot easier too. Eventually, you’ll have to push yourself a lot less and working out will start to feel like a breeze!
It’s also important to listen to your body and rest when you need to. If you’re feeling pain, stop exercising and take a break. Don’t try to push through the pain, as this can make things worse. It might seem like you need to go extra hard every time you work out, but this isn’t the case. In fact, you might find that doing too much exercise can actually make your symptoms worse.
With all of that, it’s also important to warm up before you exercise and cool down afterwards. This helps to prevent injury and can also help to reduce pain. A lot of people don’t realize that injury can even happen when you’re not actively working out, so avoid the possibility by protecting yourself in the first place!
Finally, make sure to wear comfortable clothing and shoes that offer support. This will help you to feel more comfortable and can also help to prevent injuries. The freer you are to move, the better you’ll feel too!
When to See a Doctor?
If you’re new to exercise or if you have any medical concerns, it’s always a good idea to speak to your doctor before starting an exercise regime. They can give you specific advice based on your individual situation and health.
Additionally, if you start to experience any new pain or other symptoms while exercising, it’s important to see a doctor. They can rule out any other possible causes and help you to find the best way to manage your symptoms. It might also be recommended that you switch things around a little, make changes in your diet or even take a few supplements to aid your exercise journey.
At the end of the day, everyone’s experience with endometriosis is different. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so it’s important to find what works best for you. So if you can’t get there by yourself, have your physician help you out!
The Bottom Line
Endometriosis is a condition that can be painful and debilitating, but exercise is a great way to help manage the pain. While it’s important to listen to your body and take things slowly, there are many different exercises that can be beneficial. Try a few different things and see what works best for you!
If you have any concerns or start to experience new symptoms, make sure to see a doctor so they can help you on your journey to managing endometriosis. So get moving, find your rhythm, and along with it, start feeling better today!
