Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40391488›Full record

Trial reportHeadache2025

The effect of different exercise types on migraine frequency in individuals with migraine: A pilot study.

Yunus Emre Meydanal, Seçkin Şenışık, Hadiye Şirin

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Headache, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Exercise Patterns and Migraine Management: A Multifaceted Approach.American journal of lifestyle medicine · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yunus Emre MeydanalDepartment of Sport Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-8665-9361
Seçkin ŞenışıkDepartment of Sport Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Bornova, Turkey.
Hadiye ŞirinDepartment of Neurology, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of different types and combinations of exercise on migraine attacks and accompanying comorbidities.

backgroundCombining aerobic and resistance exercises may yield more significant improvements in patients with migraine.

methodsThis parallel-group randomized controlled study included 24 participants, who were then divided equally into three groups: an aerobic exercise group, a combined exercise group (aerobic and resistance exercises), and a control group. It was conducted at Ege University Hospital between September 2022 and March 2024. Following a 1-month baseline headache diary period, both intervention groups participated in the same aerobic exercises 3 days a week for 12 weeks. The combined exercise group performed five resistance exercises targeting the neck, upper back, and shoulder muscles alongside the aerobic exercises 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Measurements were taken at baseline, after the 3-month intervention period, and after a 2-month follow-up period. The primary outcome was the number of migraine headache days per month. Secondary outcomes included anxiety and depression levels, aerobic capacity, physical activity status, and migraine-related quality of life.

resultsThe number of migraine days per month significantly decreased in both the aerobic and combined exercise groups during the post-intervention period, while no significant change was observed in the control group (p < 0.001 for aerobic and combined exercise groups, p = 0.166 for control group). Migraine headache frequency showed a statistically significant decrease in the combined exercise group compared to the aerobic exercise group (p = 0.027). Additionally, both exercise groups showed significant improvements in aerobic capacity (p < 0.001 for both) and physical activity levels (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively) post-intervention, which were not observed in the control group (p = 0.747 for aerobic capacity, p = 0.05 for physical activity levels). Although no significant effect on depression scores was observed in either exercise group, anxiety scores significantly decreased in the combined exercise group from pre- to post-intervention (p = 0.037). Significant improvements in migraine-related quality of life were observed in both intervention groups (p = 0.018 and p = 0.001, respectively), with no significant difference (p = 0.934). Neither significant change was observed in depression and anxiety scores nor migraine-related quality of life in the control group (p = 0.593, p = 0.438 and 0.081 respectively).

conclusionsAerobic and combined exercise groups showed a reduction in monthly migraine headache frequency without any side effects, with the reduction being statistically more significant in the combined exercise group.

Indexed as

ExerciseExercise TherapyMigraine DisordersOutcome Assessment, Health CareResistance TrainingAdultFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsQuality of Lifeaerobic exerciseheadachemigraineresistance exercise

Identifiers

PMID40391488
PMCPMC12497926

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.