Effects of physical exercise practice on bowl habits

Introduction: Physical exercise provides many benefits to the body; however, some studies have reported its influence on the functionality of the pelvic floor muscles. High-impact exercises may favor the appearance of dysfunctions related to the pelvic floor and anal incontinence. However, the practice of exercise associated with the contraction of the pelvic floor can protect and reduce the negative effects generated. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate whether the practice of physical exercise can interfere with female bowel habits. Method: A field research with a quantitative, descriptive approach was carried out, where two questionnaires validated in the scientific literature were applied, which addressed the presence of symptoms related to constipation (Constipation Assessment Scale-CAS) and stool consistency (Constipation Scale). Bristol). Constipation is a symptom and when the individual remains for more than three days without defecating, it can increase the overload generated in the pelvic floor. Constipation also interferes with the consistency of the stools assessed by the Bristol Scale, which has different shapes and textures in which the subject must point according to the most recent type. The sample consisted of 90 women, of which 70 were female students, regular practitioners of physical exercise, enrolled at the Professor Edson Antônio Velano University in Alfenas, Minas Gerais, and 20 women who practiced exercise at the Centro Esportivo Municipal de Educação (CEME) aged between 18 and 65 years. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square and Fisher tests, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The results obtained in the study showed that women who practice more exercise tend to have more constipation (p: 0.039). Conclusion: The practice of exercise interfered with bowel habits, increasing constipation. It is believed that this data was found, as bowel habits depend on adequate nutrition and hydration.