Regular exercise: a key to a healthy lifestyle
It's a well-known fact that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The extent to which exercise can benefit the symptoms of constipation, however, are varied: Constipation may be the result of many different factors. If you are experiencing chronic constipation that is not relevant to your lifestyle, you should consult your healthcare professional.
Children
Although many children get lots of exercise through active play, a growing number of children in today’s society find watching television, playing computer games and other popular indoor activities more attractive to exercising through play. Parents and careers should encourage children to be physically active, however, there is no evidence to suggest that this will help to relieve the symptoms of constipation. Ideas you can suggest are limitless:
Childhood games like hide-and-seek
Popular activities like bike-riding, skate-boarding or swimming
Organised team sports, such as football, basketball at the local school or sports club.
Adults
Modest physical activity, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or more social activities such as golf or tennis, may help to provide some relief of constipation in individuals with mild constipation but there is no evidence to suggest that increased exercise has any benefit among younger people who are more severely constipated.1 If you decide to take up an exercise programme you should consult your healthcare professional first, especially if your symptoms of constipation persist.
Older people / seniors
After retirement, many people find it much more difficult to remain active and do regular exercise. Regular exercise can improve circulation, firm-up muscles, move joints and help you remain flexible and supple. Walking and swimming are forms of exercise that are gentle on the body. In older people/seniors, a correlation between decreased physical activity and constipation has been shown to exist. It is important to be aware though, that other factors need to be considered such as diet, medication and cognitive function.1 You should always consult your healthcare professional before starting a new exercise programme.
Reference: 1. Müller-Lissner SA, Kamm MA, Scarpignato C, Wald A. Myths and Misconceptions About Chronic Constipation. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2005; www.amjgastro.com
