Author(s): SOULÉ, L., CROCHET, P., TOURNY, C., TOULEIMAT, S. , Institution: UNIVERSITY OF ROUEN NORMANDY, Country: FRANCE, Abstract-ID: 740

INTRODUCTION:
Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide and is associated with chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, and reduced quality of life. Although physical activity (PA) is increasingly proposed as a complementary strategy for symptom management, evidence remains heterogeneous. One potential explanation is the limited understanding of how women with endometriosis bodily experience, regulate, and adapt PA in the context of fluctuating symptoms such as pain and fatigue. Exploring the embodied experience of exercise may help explain variability in engagement, adherence, and perceived benefits. This qualitative study aims to investigate how women with endometriosis perceive and experience PA, with a focus on symptom–exercise interactions, perceived exertion, engagement profiles, barriers, and adaptive strategies to inform individualized, patient-centered exercise interventions.
METHODS:
A qualitative interpretive design grounded in a relativist–constructivist paradigm was used to explore lived experiences of PA among women with endometriosis. Adult French-speaking women diagnosed with endometriosis were purposively recruited during follow-up consultations at the Gynecology Department of Rouen University Hospital (Normandy, France). Participants completed the IPAQ short form to characterize PA levels prior to inclusion. Data are collected through semi-structured individual interviews conducted face-to-face or online. Interviews are audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and anonymized. Data analysis follows Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, using inductive coding and iterative theme development. Particular attention is given to perceived exertion, symptom fluctuation, pacing strategies, and self-regulation during PA. Methodological rigor is ensured through reflexivity, COREQ adherence, and detailed contextual description.
RESULTS:
Data collection is ongoing, with 15 purposively recruited participants included to date. Preliminary analysis suggests diverse PA engagement profiles, ranging from symptom-driven avoidance to strategic use of PA for symptom modulation and recovery. Emerging themes highlight complex interactions between pain, fatigue, perceived exertion, emotional responses, and contextual facilitators or barriers influencing participation. Participants describe adaptive strategies such as pacing, activity modification, and symptom monitoring to maintain engagement in PA.
CONCLUSION:
These findings provide novel insights into the embodied and self-regulatory dimensions of PA among women with endometriosis. Understanding how individuals interpret bodily signals and adjust exercise behavior may help explain variability in adherence and outcomes reported in previous studies. This work contributes to exercise science by informing symptom-adapted and individualized exercise prescription models, supporting flexible and patient-centered integration of PA into endometriosis care.