Hacettepe University, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Ankara, Turkey.
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Ankara, Turkey.
Phys Ther. 2022 Jul 4;102(7). doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzac058.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of abdominal massage on the severity of constipation, bowel function, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with functional chronic constipation in a randomized placebo-controlled design.
Seventy-four patients diagnosed with functional constipation according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria were included. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (abdominal massage plus lifestyle advice) or the control group (placebo therapeutic ultrasound plus lifestyle advice). Abdominal massage or placebo ultrasound was applied for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Constipation Severity Instrument score. Bowel diary data and the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life Questionnaire score were used as secondary outcome measures. Differences in outcome measures within and between groups were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Although constipation severity, bowel function indicators (defecation frequency and duration and stool consistency), and QoL were found to improve significantly over time in both groups, improvements in both primary and secondary outcomes were much more significant in the abdominal massage group. In addition, group × time interaction effects were found to be significant for constipation severity, bowel function findings, and QoL. There were approximately 70% and 28% reductions in constipation severity, 56% and 38% improvement rates in QoL, and 70% and 43% increases in defecation frequency in the intervention and placebo groups, respectively.
Abdominal massage should be one of the first-line conservative approaches in the management of functional chronic constipation. Further randomized placebo-controlled studies with long-term follow-up are needed.
For functional constipation, which is a common gastrointestinal problem, abdominal massage should be considered as an option in first-line therapy because of its effect beyond the placebo effect.
If you have functional constipation, your physical therapist may be able to provide abdominal massage to help reduce your symptoms.
本研究旨在采用随机安慰剂对照设计，探究腹部按摩对功能性慢性便秘患者便秘严重程度、肠道功能和生活质量（QoL）的影响。
本研究共纳入 74 例符合罗马 IV 诊断标准的功能性便秘患者。患者被随机分为干预组（腹部按摩+生活方式建议）或对照组（安慰剂治疗性超声+生活方式建议）。腹部按摩或安慰剂超声治疗持续 4 周。主要结局指标为便秘严重程度量表（Constipation Severity Instrument，CSI）评分。排便日记数据和患者便秘生活质量问卷（Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life Questionnaire，PAC-QOL）评分被用作次要结局指标。采用重复测量方差分析比较组内和组间各结局指标的差异。
尽管两组患者的便秘严重程度、肠道功能指标（排便频率、排便时间和粪便稠度）和 QoL 均随时间推移而显著改善，但腹部按摩组在主要和次要结局方面的改善更为显著。此外，组间×时间交互效应在便秘严重程度、肠道功能发现和 QoL 方面均有显著差异。与对照组相比，干预组的便秘严重程度分别降低了约 70%和 28%，QoL 分别提高了 56%和 38%，排便频率分别增加了 70%和 43%。
腹部按摩应作为功能性慢性便秘管理的一线保守治疗方法之一。需要进一步开展随机安慰剂对照研究并进行长期随访。
对于一种常见的胃肠道问题——功能性便秘，腹部按摩可以作为一线治疗选择之一，因为其效果超出了安慰剂效应。
如果您患有功能性便秘，您的理疗师可能会为您提供腹部按摩，以帮助缓解您的症状。
