# IBS Triggered by abdominal exercise?



## Guest (Jul 6, 1999)

I have had IBS nearly all my life (I'm 60). 16 months ago I started situps as part of a therapy program for another problem. My IBS increased by a couple of orders of magnitude. I quit the situps because I didn't need muscle building pain along with the IBS pain. Before the IBS was again "under control" I lost 20 pounds and went on a very restricted diet and life style which I have had to maintain. During those 16 months it seems that whenever I stress the abdominal muscles, even mildly, the IBS flares up. Other forms of exercise, like heavy duty hiking, cause no IBS problems.I see many entries on the BB that exercise is good, but has anyone else suspected a correlation of abdominal exercise with IBS problems?


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## BobW (Jan 2, 1999)

My IBS, pain in left side, fatique, headacheetc. all are intensified with excercize.This irritates the hell out of me. Have always been active, hunting, fishing, sports etc. but have had to greatly curtail my activities. By coincidence I also just turned 60, but it isn't my age that has slowed me down.


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## bkitts (Jun 1, 1999)

I had to give up situps too, triggered IBS lots. I have to do milder workouts these days.


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## Guest (Jul 6, 1999)

Bayard---Regular cardio exercise helps me a lot but I do find that abdominal exercises can irritate my IBS. I had to give up my Ab Roller and now I just do a couple of sets of ab presses on a machine at my gym. It's a very light and easy exercise yet it will keep your ab muscles toned. Good luck!


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## marianne (Jan 3, 1999)

Have you read the "Second Brain?" (see the book review section). As I understand it, one of the reasons for IBS is the over-activity of certain neurotransmitters in the gut. Researchers found out that just stroking the gut led to gut movement. One can imaginew that exercising this area might get the same reaction.


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## Jay (Jan 1, 1999)

I am somewhat surprised that abdominal exercise brings on the IBS symptoms. I do about 90 crunchws a day and about 35 knee lifts and it has never triggered my IBS. But one thing we all know is that IBS affects different people in different ways.Good Luck------------------


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## Guest (Jul 15, 1999)

I am so releived to hear that someone else has abdominal pain after doing ab workouts--I thought it was only me. I can do cardio with no problem and strength training too, but crunches and other ab exercises cause a different type muscle pain in my abdomen so I've had to give them up. Guess I'll be stuck with my chubby tummy--partially the result of a hysterectomy that I had for abdominal pain that turned out to the IBS, not gyn related! I also have scar tissue from the surgery which seems to be aggravated by ab exercises.South


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## Guest (Jul 15, 1999)

When I wanna "clean myself out" earlier in the day, because I have to go somewhere later and I don't want the D to bug me... I do situps in the morning. It seems to kickstart the colon muscles.


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