Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2023 Jul;162(1):233-243.
doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14645. Epub 2023 Jan 17.

Benefits of physical therapy in improving quality of life and pain associated with endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Rebeca Abril-Coello  1 , Marta Correyero-León  1 , Luis Ceballos-Laita  2 , Sandra Jiménez-Barrio  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Benefits of physical therapy in improving quality of life and pain associated with endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Rebeca Abril-Coello et al. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether non-pharmacologic conservative therapeutic interventions are beneficial in improving pain intensity and quality of life in women with endometriosis compared with placebo.

Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was designed. A literature search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PEDro, Embase, CINAHL, Isi Web of Science, Enfispo, and Cochrane. Randomized controlled trials included women with endometriosis treated with conservative treatment versus placebo. The quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the risk of bias of the individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. For the overall quality of the studies, the GRADE guidelines were used.

Results: Meta-analysis included six studies. Significant results were obtained for pain intensity (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.21 to -0.57; I2 69%) and concerning quality of life, significant results were only obtained for the sub-variable physical function (SMD -1.49; 95% CI -2.88 to -0.10; I2 95%). No statistically significant differences were found for the rest of the variables analyzed.

Conclusion: Non-pharmacologic conservative therapies are a therapeutic option for women with endometriosis for improving pain intensity and physical function.

Keywords: chronic pelvic pain; endometriosis; exercise therapy; physical therapy modalities; treatment; women.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

REFERENCES

    1. Chapron C, Marcellin L, Borghese B, Santulli P. Rethinking mechanisms, diagnosis and management of endometriosis. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2019;15(11):666-682.
    1. Tanbo T, Fedorcsak P. Endometriosis-associated infertility: aspects of pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment options. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2017;96(6):659-667.
    1. Durón R, Pamela G, Morera B, General M, Unimed C. Endometriosis. Endometriosis. 2018;35:1.
    1. Kiesel L, Sourouni M. Diagnosis of endometriosis in the 21st century. Climacteric. 2019;22(3):296-302.
    1. Tennfjord MK, Gabrielsen R, Tellum T. Effect of physical activity and exercise on endometriosis-associated symptoms: a systematic review. BMC Womens Health. 2021;21(1):355.