Effects of physical activity on symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

Rapid urbanization and constant technological progress contribute to a change in lifestyle in terms of physical activity. Lack of free time and reluctance to engage in physical activity may lead to impaired functioning of internal organs, including the digestive system.

In the present study, by creating an exercise regimen, an attempt was made to demonstrate the impact of this activity on the symptoms of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Forty-one women with diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome were included in the study. To assess the effectiveness of the method used, the validated IBS-SSS questionnaire was used. The study used an original training programme based on fitness lessons, yoga positions improving intestinal motility and relaxation techniques: autogenic training developed by Schultz and progressive muscle relaxation developed by Jacobson. Twenty-nine women completed the entire 2-month training cycle, in line with the assumptions of the study. The following methods were used: t-test for dependent samples, Wilcoxon pairwise order test, McNemar's χ² test and Spearman's R correlation coefficient.

It was found that nearly 80% of the study participants experienced abdominal pain before participating in the study. The training cycle caused pain in 52% of the surveyed women. The intensity of pain in the subjects decreased by 20%. After the study, the incidence of flatulence decreased by 38% and the severity of flatulence by 30%.

The relationship between physical activity and the severity of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in the surveyed women was confirmed. The study group of women showed a reduction in IBS-related symptoms after 8 weeks of training.