Randomised trial, 1988
Do women with PMS and back pain have more muscle tension when stressed during the premenstrual phase?
Yes, women with PMS and severe back pain showed much greater muscle tension in their lower back when stressed during the premenstrual phase. This is a small study.
What they did
Researchers studied 39 women in 3 groups across 3 phases of the menstrual cycle. They measured lower back muscle activity while women were exposed to neutral stimuli, induced stressors, and personal stressors.
What they found
Women with severe PMS and back pain showed significantly higher muscle tension in response to personal stress during the premenstrual phase compared to neutral and induced stressors. Their muscle tension during the premenstrual phase was higher than during their menstrual and intermenstrual phases, and higher than women in the other groups.
What it means for you
Personal stress may trigger or worsen premenstrual back pain by causing muscle tension. The study was small and measured muscle response rather than pain experience itself.
39
women studied
3
groups
3
menstrual phases
About the study
- Original title
- The premenstrual syndrome: psychophysiologic concomitants of perceived stress and low back pain
- Authors
- Dickson-Parnell B, Zeichner A
- Journal
- Pain
- Year
- 1988
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 3
- What was tested
- None - observational study of muscle response to stress
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(88)90161-3
Topics
Related studies
Cohort study, 2025
How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it?
Case-control study, 2014
How common is severe period pain and what causes it?
Randomised trial, 2026
Does education about PMS symptoms help reduce pain and stress?
Survey study, 2025
Do menstrual problems and poor sleep affect mood and thinking in teenage girls?
Randomised trial, 2025
Does video-based Pilates exercise reduce PMS symptoms, stress, and pain?
Survey study, 2025
Can a smartphone app help diagnose and monitor PMS?