Exercise therapy of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Our findings suggest that exercise is potentially a feasible and effective treatment for IBS patients. However, because of methodologic issues, no firm conclusions could be drawn about the true effects of this intervention. Researchers should design a rigorous study to assess the effects of exercise on IBS.

Increasing Evidence That Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Have a Microbial Pathogenesis

“…These heterogeneous conditions are also described as “disorders of gut-brain interaction,” as they can be classified as disorders that span both the GI and the neurological systems ( Figure 1 ). People with these FGIDs have high rates of psychological comorbidity (Wu, 2012 ) and treatments aimed at stress and anxiety [e.g., hypnotherapy (Simon et al, 2019 ), cognitive behavioral therapy (Everitt et al, 2019 ), exercise (Zhou et al, 2019 ), and antidepressants Kulak-Bejda et al, 2017 ] can be effective treatments.…”

The role of physical exercise in the treatment of IBS

“…Other Chinese studies have reported improvement in IBS with Tai chi and Baduanjin activity (reported in Zhou et al 65 ).…”

“…Several clinical trials show a benefit of physical exercise in IBS patients, as suggested by a recent systematic review 65 . From a practical point of view, physical exercise may be classified as those easily self-directed (i.e., walking, running, swimming…) and those which require specific knowledge, skills, or mentoring (like yoga).…”

Best management of irritable bowel syndrome

“…These positive effects persisted in 39 patients followed up for a median of 5.2 years. 48 A systematic review from 2018 summarised findings from 14 RCTs of exercise therapy in IBS, involving a total of 683 patients, 49 and included the two aforementioned RCTs. 46,47 Other interventions studied were diverse, including aerobic exercise, yoga, Tai Ji, and mountaineering.…”