Let’s start with why they might be sore in the first place: inflammatory substances called prostaglandins, released when the uterus contracts to shed its lining and bring on a period, can also have a knock-on effect on the surrounding muscles, such as the stomach and back.

“Some people might feel the lower abdomen and back is more sensitive when they have their period, so I’d say activities like heavy lifting or intense running which puts pressure in that area could be difficult,” says Dr Oluwajana. In the same way that you might want to avoid training a muscle that is inflamed from delayed onset muscle soreness, you may want to skip anything that engages the stomach and back during your period too.

“It depends on the individual, similar to other forms of pain, like a headache. Some people can continue their activities, like exercise or work, with a headache, but for other people it’s more severe and it’s going to suddenly change what they’re able to do,” adds Dr Oluwajana.

Ultimately, we do need to choose what works for us, agrees personal trainer and member of the Strong Women Collective Emma Obayuvana: “Some exercises, like hip hinging movements including deadlifts and hip thrusts, do put pressure through the back and can be uncomfortable if those areas are already sore. If you are finding that you get back pain and it’s not as a result of your form, just avoid those exercises until your period pain settles. Sometimes it’s worth just saying ‘sod it’. We don’t always have to push our bodies hard.”

Should you lift weights when you have period pain?