The body, like any functional system, can sometimes suffer from a bottleneck or backlog situation where everything just grinds to a halt.

Well, it need not be so.

According to WebMD, “exercise helps constipation by lowering the time it takes food to move through the large intestine.” As a result, less water is absorbed from stools making them easier to pass. Moreover, exercise helps to stimulate the muscles of the intestines, allowing for peristalsis, i.e. natural squeezing and easing into elimination.

While simply getting up and moving several times a day is a good way to get things going, health experts recommend the following movements in particular for helping to mobilise the digestive tract.

Squats

“Squatting straightens the angle between the rectum and anus, allowing for more relaxed and complete elimination, which may help with constipation,” according to studies cited by Berkeley Wellness.  

There are many variations of squats one can do, whether it’s with a ball against a wall, with or without the addition of weights or jump squats. Make sure that you practice squatting with proper form, i.e. keeping feet a little wider than hip-width apart, toes facing forward, and careful not to overdo it either.

Reverse crunches

In an article for The Constipation Guide, crunches are recommended as one of the best exercises for relieving constipation, due to the added pressure placed on the small and large intestines, which also promotes peristalsis.

Performed lying down on your back, reverse crunches require pulling your knees up and back over your chest toward your chin. You can either hug in both legs together, or do one leg at a time, alternating sides. Remember to breathe as you perform as many as you can, and relax when you get tired.

Lunges with a twist

According to an article for Medical News Today, twisting movements are extremely beneficial for promoting bowel movements, aiding to massage the intestines. There are many types of yoga twists one can do, whether standing, seated, or lying down.

Doing forward lunges with a twist has added benefits in that it helps to open up the hips really well, together with creating downward pressure in the abdomen.

To perform this twist, take a big step forward with your right leg, keeping the left leg grounded. Bring your hands together to your chest, then slowly bend the upper body toward the right knee, leading with your left shoulder. Hold for a few seconds and repeat with the opposite leg.

Taking long walks

Further according to the Constipation Guide, “walking is one of the most effective exercises for constipation,” assisting both physiologically  in the sense of stimulating the abdominal area to contract more often, as well as mentally, in helping to release stress from the body.

If you’re constipated, taking a long walk (anywhere from 30 minutes to one and a half hours) three times a week should do the trick!

Bear in mind that these exercises may offer some relief in most normal cases of constipation. However, should constipation persist, you experience severe stomach pains or notice changes in your stools such as blood, it’s best to consult with a health professional as soon as possible. 

References

Berkeley Wellness. Squatting and constipation. Available at Berkeley Wellness [online] https://www.berkeleywellness.com/self-care/preventive-care/article/squatting-constipation

Medical News Today. 8 yoga poses to relieve constipation. Available [online] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327086

Murphy. S. Constipated? Get moving with these 4 exercises. Available at Healthline [online] https://www.healthline.com/health/constipation/exercises#1

Poop hacks. 6 exercises that make you poop. Available [online] https://poophacks.com/exercises-that-make-you-poop/

The Constipation Guide. Exercises to relieve constipation. Benefits, examples and training. Available [online] https://constipationguide.com/exercises-to-relieve-constipation.html WebMD. Exercises to relieve constipation. Available [online] https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/exercise-curing-constipation-via-movement