Hands-on abdominal physiotherapy for painful periods, with or without endometriosis
Tests abdominal manual therapy against sham touch in women with painful periods.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Effects of Physiotherapy on Ultrasound and Clinical Parameters in Women With Dysmenorrhea
Key facts
- Where
- Brussels, BelgiumSee the 2 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 50 years old?
Source: NCT07645196, who can take part
Where in Belgium
- Isek He2BBrussels, BelgiumNo longer taking part
- Vrije Universiteit BrusselBrussels, BelgiumNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Trial code
- NCT07645196
- Record updated
- 12 June 2026
- Original description
Dysmenorrhea affects up to 90% of women of reproductive age and represents a significant public health concern. Beyond prostaglandin-mediated uterine contractions, dysmenorrhea involves central sensitization mechanisms and myofascial components, including abdominal trigger points. Despite growing interest in physiotherapy for chronic pelvic pain, objective data on tissue-level changes induced by manual therapy remain scarce.Read full original descriptionShow less
Effects of Physiotherapy on Ultrasound and Clinical Parameters in Women With Dysmenorrhea With or Without Endometriosis
Dysmenorrhea affects up to 90% of women of reproductive age and represents a significant public health concern. Beyond prostaglandin-mediated uterine contractions, dysmenorrhea involves central sensitization mechanisms and myofascial components, including abdominal trigger points. Despite growing interest in physiotherapy for chronic pelvic pain, objective data on tissue-level changes induced by manual therapy remain scarce.
This randomized single-blind sham-controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of abdominal manual mobilization techniques on (1) tissue stiffness measured by shear wave elastography at the uterine cervix and bilateral abdominal regions, and (2) clinical outcomes including pain intensity and quality of life in women with dysmenorrhea, with or without endometriosis.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either a treatment group receiving standardized abdominal manual therapy or a sham group receiving superficial manual contact. Assessments will be conducted over three menstrual cycles using shear wave elastography, the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and the SF-36 questionnaire.
Inclusion: female sex; aged 18 to 50 years; clinical diagnosis of dysmenorrhea (cyclic pelvic pain during menstruation).
Exclusion: Delivery less than 1 year prior to enrollment; Ongoing manual therapy treatment of the abdominal or genital area; History of abdominal or pelvic surgery within the past 3 months; Diagnosis of fibromyalgia, diabetes, or cancer; Pregnancy or breastfeeding.