The use of abdominal muscle training, breathing exercises and abdominal massage to treat paediatric chronic functional constipation

Aim The effect of muscular training, abdominal massage and diaphragmatic breathing was compared with medical treatment in a prospective randomized trial of patients with chronic functional constipation. Method Patients aged 4–18 years old with functional constipation according to the Rome III criter...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Colorectal disease Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. e250 - e255
Main Authors:	Silva, C. A. G., Motta, M. E. F. A.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-05-2013
Subjects:	abdominal massage abdominal muscle training Abdominal Muscles - physiology Adolescent Breathing Exercises Child Child, Preschool Constipation - complications Constipation - drug therapy Constipation - therapy Defecation diaphragmatic breathing Exercise Therapy Fecal Incontinence - etiology Female Functional constipation Humans Intention to Treat Analysis Laxatives - therapeutic use Male Massage physiotherapy
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Summary:	Aim The effect of muscular training, abdominal massage and diaphragmatic breathing was compared with medical treatment in a prospective randomized trial of patients with chronic functional constipation. Method Patients aged 4–18 years old with functional constipation according to the Rome III criteria were randomized to physiotherapy or medical treatment. In the physiotherapy group, exercises (isometric training of the abdominal muscles, diaphragmatic breathing exercises and abdominal massage) were employed during 12 40‐min sessions twice a week by a trained physiotherapist, with laxatives. Patients in the medication group were only given laxatives. Primary outcome measures were frequency of defaecation and faecal incontinence. The analysis was performed by intention‐to‐treat. Results After 6 weeks of treatment, the frequency of bowel movements was higher in the physiotherapy group [5.1 (2.1) days/week] than in the medication group [3.9 (2.0) days/week] (P = 0.01). The frequency of faecal incontinence was no different between the groups [3.6 (1.9) days/week vs 3.0 (2.1) days/week] (P = 0.31). Conclusion The combined use of isometric training of abdominal muscles, breathing exercises and abdominal massage increased defaecation frequency after 6 weeks but faecal incontinence remained unchanged. Physiotherapy may be a useful treatment for constipation.
Bibliography:	istex:81511C46417D325D60D55F63A90BEB9BE49657A7 ArticleID:CODI12160 ark:/67375/WNG-CTDF0MRG-L ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-News-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	1462-8910 1463-1318
DOI:	10.1111/codi.12160