Sports and Pelvic Floor Training: Can It Improve Sex with Endometriosis?

If you have endometriosis, you probably know what pain during sex is like. It's not just unpleasant—it's exhausting and kills desire. And here's news that might give hope: researchers found that regular exercise, including pelvic floor muscle exercises, can noticeably improve your sex life. But it's not that simple—let's dig in.

Researchers gathered 81 women with confirmed endometriosis and pelvic pain. All of them went through a pain management course. Half of them additionally took up exercise: once a week under a trainer's guidance and at home. The program included exercises for all muscle groups, as well as special pelvic floor training. The other half just continued their lives as before, without additional exercise.

After four months, women in the exercise group showed significantly higher scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (a questionnaire that assesses desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). On average, the difference was about 3.5 points—that's noticeable. Lubrication and orgasm improved particularly well: here the improvements were statistically significant.

But here's the catch. When researchers looked at individual aspects—desire, arousal, and pain—they found no difference between groups. So exercise didn't help everyone in every way. Moreover, after a year of follow-up, all benefits vanished: by month 12, there was no difference. This suggests the effect is short-lived, and to keep it, you need to continue exercising.

Why is this? The authors themselves admit: they can't say what exactly worked—general exercises, pelvic floor training, or a combination. They also note that groups differed in sexual activity: perhaps some women just weren't sexually active during the surveys, which could have influenced results.

So what does this mean for you? If you have endometriosis and pain during sex, try adding regular exercise to your life—not necessarily exhausting, but a couple of times a week. Maybe it will become easier and more enjoyable. But don't expect a miracle: it's not a panacea, and the effect may be temporary. But it's a safe and free way to try something new. Discuss with your doctor whether such exercises are suitable for you, especially if you have other health issues.