Mind over menstrual pain: imagining exercise may help
NCT ID NCT06674655
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether combining motor imagery (mentally practicing movements) with gentle exercise can reduce menstrual pain and improve coordination. Forty-eight women with moderate to severe period pain were split into three groups: one did motor imagery plus exercise, one did exercise only, and one received minimal advice. The goal was to see if adding mental imagery boosts pain relief and motor control beyond exercise alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- motor imagery plus therapeutic exercise
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to reduce menstrual pain and improve movement control.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 48 participants. Results may not apply to all women, and the effect may be modest.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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48 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Finished
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May 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 35 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Women who have experienced menstrual pain for more than 6 months. * Pain intensity rated higher than 3/10 on a pain scale. * Participants do not take pain-relief medication during the study period. * Ages between 18 and 35 years old Exclusion Criteria: * Current use of hormonal contraceptives or other treatments that affect menstrual cycles. * Any chronic pain condition unrelated to menstrual pain (e.g., fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain). * Diagnosed gynecological conditions such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease. * Pregnancy or breastfeeding. * Current use of psychoactive medications that could affect pain perception. * Any significant psychiatric condition that could interfere with study participation. * History of recent pelvic surgery (within the last 6 months).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Valencia
Valencia, Valènica, 46010, Spain
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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