Proceedings of the 42th National Gastroenterology Week

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Various studies have investigated the effects of abdominal massage (AM) and aerobic exercise training (AET) in managing functional constipation (FC). These studies have shown that both AM and AET alone have beneficial effects on FC. However, to the author’s knowledge, no study has combined both AM and AET to examine their joint effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the additional effects of AET on AM in individuals diagnosed with FC using a randomized controlled design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants aged 18-65 years who were diagnosed with FC according to the Rome IV criteria were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (patient education + AM + AET) or the control group (patient education + AM). AM and AET were performed in the clinic 3 days per week, with a recommended home program for 2 days per week (self-massage). AET consisted of walking on a treadmill or at home, and exercise intensity was determined using the Heart Rate Reserve method or the BORG scale. The primary outcome was defecation frequency, whereas secondary outcomes included defecation duration, frequency of laxative use, average stool consistency, constipation severity, gastrointestinal symptom severity, constipation-related quality of life, abdominal muscle strength, and functional exercise capacity. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney U-tests, with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in primary and secondary outcomes over time (P < .05). However, the intervention group (AM + AET) exhibited significantly greater improvements compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Adding aerobic exercise to abdominal massage in individuals with FC results in superior outcomes in physical fitness, defecation frequency, duration, stool characteristics, symptom severity, and quality of life. Multimodal and holistic approaches should be prioritized in the conservative management of functional constipation.