Exercise and endometriosis—is there a promising future? A narrative review

Background: Endometriosis is the leading cause of chronic pelvic pain in women of reproductive age with debilitating effects on quality of life, yet no cure exists. Exercise yields the potential in providing women with a non-invasive, non-pharmacological method of symptom control. Aim(s): Present up-to-date knowledge regarding how exercise may contribute to the management of endometriosis-related symptoms. Objective(s): Discuss: The pathophysiology surrounding exercise and endometriosis. The role of exercise in endometriosis symptom control. Rationale: Scientific literature has alluded to exercise being a favourable factor in the management of endometriosis-related symptoms. Moreover, current clinical guidelines for endometriosis fail to reflect the aforementioned benefits of exercise. Search strategy: A search strategy using the terms ‘endometriosis’, ‘endometriomas’, ‘exercise’, and ‘physical activity’ was devised. Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane reviews, and Embase were reviewed. Inclusion criteria: Interventional studies, within-subjects studies, randomised-control trials, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, cohort studies, publication since 2000. Exclusion criteria: Non-English publications, non-human studies. Results: Numerous studies have suggested positive effects for endometriosis patients who performed exercise exclusively or in conjunction with other therapies. Improvements in pain levels, quality of life, anxiety, and depression were noted. Discussion: Current research outlines promise regarding the potential benefit of exercise prescribing in patients with endometriosis as well as a synergy between exercise and hormonal therapies for the management of endometriosis-related symptoms. However, the current paucity of high-quality robust studies investigating these aspects of endometriosis management is an apparent obstacle to progression in this area. Conclusion: For clinicians to incorporate exercise in managing endometriosis, clear recommendations regarding advice and benefits are needed.