---
title: Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Progressive muscle relaxation appeared to reduce PMS symptoms in this small study, but without a comparison group the effect cannot be proven.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effectiveness-of-progressive-muscle-relaxation-technique-on-pre-menstrual-2016/
---

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- Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms?

Non-randomised trial, 2016

# Does progressive muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms?

Progressive muscle relaxation appeared to reduce PMS symptoms in this small study, but without a comparison group the effect cannot be proven.

 Early or limited evidence

50 hostel students with PMS

## What they did

Nonrandomized trial of 50 hostel students with PMS selected from 200. Women kept symptom diaries for one month before the intervention. Then they did progressive muscle relaxation for 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week, for 2 months. After this, they kept symptom diaries for another month.

## What they found

Before intervention, 66% had severe psychological symptoms; after, 68% had moderate and 32% had mild symptoms. Before intervention, 56% had severe pain symptoms and 44% moderate; after, 82% had moderate and 8% had mild symptoms. Overall PMS score showed significant reduction (p<0.05).

## What it means for you

Muscle relaxation may help reduce PMS symptoms, but without a comparison group it is unclear whether improvement was due to the intervention or just time and attention. The study included only college students, limiting how findings apply to all women with PMS.

50

Number of women

2 months

Duration of intervention

p < 0.05

Significance of PMS score reduction

## About the study

Original title EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE ON PRE MENSTRUAL SYMPTOMS AMONG THE HOSTEL STUDENTS Authors B. Annapoorani Year 2016 Study design Non-randomised trial What was tested Progressive muscle relaxation 30 minutes daily, 5 days per week for 2 months Read the paper [doi.org/10.37628/jopnn.v2i2.169](https://doi.org/10.37628/jopnn.v2i2.169)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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