The Effect of Deep Breathing Relaxation and Light Dysmenorrhea Exercises on Pain Reduction among Adolescent Girls with Primary Dysmenorrhea

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual problem among adolescent girls, often leading to discomfort, reduced academic performance, and absenteeism. Non-pharmacological interventions such as deep breathing relaxation and light dysmenorrhea exercises are considered effective for pain management. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of deep breathing relaxation and light dysmenorrhea exercises in reducing menstrual pain among adolescent girls at MA Nurul Hikmah Kediri. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design was conducted on 36 adolescent girls selected through purposive sampling. Participants were divided equally into two groups: deep breathing relaxation (n=18) and light dysmenorrhea exercise (n=18). Pain intensity was measured using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test. Both interventions significantly reduced menstrual pain (p < 0.05). The light dysmenorrhea exercise group showed a greater mean reduction in pain scores compared to the deep breathing relaxation group (p = 0.031). Light dysmenorrhea exercises are more effective than deep breathing relaxation in reducing primary dysmenorrhea among adolescent girls. Schools are encouraged to implement exercise-based interventions as part of menstrual health education.