Crohn's disease often produces unpredictable, painful symptoms, so even a schedule of moderate exercise can be difficult to maintain.But research reported in the September issue of the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine indicates that taking a 30-minute walk just three days a week may improve quality of life for people with a mild form of the disease.
That's encouraging news, because Crohn's disease treatments have limited effectiveness, according to gastroenterologist Brian Bosworth, MD, at the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases at Weill Cornell Medical College. "For people who have a mild form of the disease, exercise could be a great addition to their treatment program," Dr. Bosworth says.
Suffering with Crohn's
Crohn's disease is a chronic, inflammatory bowel condition for which there is no cure. Flare-ups can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Episodes occur unpredictably and can last for days or weeks. "It's a terrible disease that greatly impacts a person's quality of life," Dr. Bosworth says.
Antibiotics and other drugs may battle bacteria and lessen the inflammation in the colon or help bolster the body's immune system, but they can't eliminate the symptoms entirely. And there is no special diet for preventing or treating Crohn's disease, though sometimes symptoms can be made worse by milk, alcohol, hot spices, and fiber.
How exercise helps
Researchers were unable to pinpoint how walking reduced symptoms of Crohn's disease, but Dr. Bosworth suggests that walking improves blood flow so that more oxygen reaches damaged tissue to help the healing process. However, Dr. Bosworth urges patients with moderate or severe forms of the disease to withhold participation in an exercise program until their symptoms are under control.
No matter what the patient's condition is, Dr. Bosworth recommends steady communications with a physician and biannual check-ups that include regular endoscopic surveillance. Crohn's disease is a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
"Crohn's disease patients are very attuned to their bodies, and when they're healthy, they're 100 percent healthy," says Dr. Bosworth, who has a Crohn's patient who runs marathons. "If exercise can help, that's very encouraging news. Keeping the body going helps keep the body healthy."
Crohn's disease is a chronic, inflammatory bowel condition for which there is no cure. Flare-ups can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Episodes occur unpredictably and can last for days or weeks. "It's a terrible disease that greatly impacts a person's quality of life," Dr. Bosworth says.
Antibiotics and other drugs may battle bacteria and lessen the inflammation in the colon or help bolster the body's immune system, but they can't eliminate the symptoms entirely. And there is no special diet for preventing or treating Crohn's disease, though sometimes symptoms can be made worse by milk, alcohol, hot spices, and fiber.
How exercise helps
Researchers were unable to pinpoint how walking reduced symptoms of Crohn's disease, but Dr. Bosworth suggests that walking improves blood flow so that more oxygen reaches damaged tissue to help the healing process. However, Dr. Bosworth urges patients with moderate or severe forms of the disease to withhold participation in an exercise program until their symptoms are under control.
No matter what the patient's condition is, Dr. Bosworth recommends steady communications with a physician and biannual check-ups that include regular endoscopic surveillance. Crohn's disease is a risk factor for colorectal cancer.
"Crohn's disease patients are very attuned to their bodies, and when they're healthy, they're 100 percent healthy," says Dr. Bosworth, who has a Crohn's patient who runs marathons. "If exercise can help, that's very encouraging news. Keeping the body going helps keep the body healthy."
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