Women's perception about hydrotherapy in postmenopause: a qualitative study

Abstract

Introduction: The transition from reproductive to postreproductive life is part of the female life cycle that impacts well-being, with menopause as a significant milestone. Regular physical activity should be encouraged to mitigate the symptoms of menopause and prevent agerelated problems. Hydrotherapy is one such alternative, since immersion in heated water facilitates exercises that would be difficult to perform on land. Objective: Assess women's perception about the effect of hydrotherapy on the signs and symptoms of postmenopause. Methods: A qualitative study in which participants underwent 48 hydrotherapy sessions and answered a semistructured interview. Results: The participants were eight women, aged 55.75 ± 8.55 years, menopausal for 8.5 ± 7.98 years, with vasomotor symptoms (100%), mood swings (87.5%), sleep disorders (87.5%), vaginal dryness (62.5%), low sex drive (62.5%) and chronic pain (100%). Conclusion: Women's perception about the effects of hydrotherapy on the signs and symptoms of postmenopause include less pain and muscle tension, a decline in the signs and symptoms, better quality of life and sexual pleasure, and an improvement in biopsychosocial factors such as anxiety and stress through better social interaction.