- Megan Lawton
- BBC news beat
Steph Williams is known as Steph Fit to his 2.2 million followers on Instagram.
Period pain, fatigue, and infertility are just three of the symptoms of endometriosis.
It affects 1 in 10 women in the UK and takes an average of 8 years to be diagnosed, a figure that has remained unchanged for 10 years.
The cause and treatment are unknown, and treatments range from pain relievers to hormone therapy to surgery.
The devastating pain caused by this condition can also affect everyday life, making it difficult to work, socialize, and exercise.
That’s something personal trainer Steph Williams knows all too well.
She told BBC Newsbeat that having endometriosis is “terrible” and that she experiences “stabbing, devastating pain” on bad days.
“I didn’t even know what the disease was, so I was very ashamed because I had never heard of other women suffering from it,” she said.
“It’s that kind of battle.”
Exercise has always been important to the fitness influencer known as Steph Fit from her 2.2 million Instagram followers.
So learning how to keep moving during flare-ups was a priority when she was diagnosed.
Like many people with the condition, she underwent surgery that initially left her unable to do her usual exercises, such as lifting weights and cardio.
Steph wanted to stay active for her mental health, but when she sought help online, she found it limited and often contradictory.
“It was frustrating. It was a maze of advice online and the advice from doctors was vague,” she said.
“The fact that we have to do so much research on our own is frustrating, and it’s such a battle for women, but after 10 years of suffering every day, we have to. I thought.”
image source, Rebecca Spencer
Steph says she discovered softer exercises like Pilates and yoga
Dr. Sharon Dixon, a GP and researcher at the University of Oxford who studies women’s health, agrees with Steph.
“There’s not a ton of evidence about what kind of exercise works for endometriosis,” she told Newsbeat.
“That doesn’t mean there are no benefits. It just means that it’s an area where we need to develop more science.”
So how do you exercise with endo?
For Steph, a simple walk is a good starting point on a sore day.
”sexy girl walking It’s trending now, but seven years ago I felt like a 90-year-old grandma taking a walk,” she says.
“But this is amazing for my body. On days when I feel tired, a 10-minute walk is enough.”
Steph owns her own activewear brand and workout app, and has also dabbled in softer exercises like Pilates and yoga.
She says she doesn’t even have to go to an expensive gym or studio to do it, and wants to help women learn to do it at home.
“You won’t be able to lift weights for about six to eight weeks after surgery, but Pilates still burns your muscles.”
Dr. Dixon says similarities can be found between women suffering from endometriosis and menstrual cramps.
“When you look at period cramps, exercise certainly seems to help, but that includes low-intensity exercise like yoga and Pilates,” she says.
“We know from people with other pain symptoms that exercise can be very helpful in reducing the intensity of their pain.”
Despite the diagnosis, Steph manages to continue impact training and strength training.
But her advice to women suffering from endometriosis who want to do such exercise is to be patient.
“It can be very frustrating, but you can definitely get there. You just have to find your own flow,” she says.
“Well, there are bad days, but there are also good days.”
What is endometriosis?
- It is where tissue similar to the endometrium grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
- May affect women of all ages, including teenagers
- Symptoms include pain in the lower abdomen or back, cramps that interfere with normal activities, and pain during or after sex.
- Some women feel no symptoms, but for many others the pain can be debilitating and the condition can lead to infertility.
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