Effect of pelvic floor exercise on bowel dysfunction for colorectal cancer patients

Author: 
ZakariaMowafyEmamMowafy, ErenySobhy Wahba, Mahmoud Abd el AttiHamida and Mohamed Ahmed Abd el Aziz

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. It was found that there was a corresponding relationship between cancer as a disease and the general condition of the affected patient ashe may suffer from symptoms such as cachexia, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss and a change in bowel movements. Colorectal cancer (CRC) also called bowel cancer especially was related to bowel dysfunction leading to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which may compromise the patient’s quality of life. It was found that including a physical activity such as an exercise on regular daily bases in the program of treatment for the cancer patient has a profound effect on the general condition of the patient. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor exercise training program on the bowel dysfunction for colorectal patients. Furthermore the need of this study was developed from the lack in the quantitative knowledge and information in the published studies about the effect of pelvic floor exercise (Kegel exercise) on the bowel dysfunction in colorectal cancer patients. This study was designed to provide a guideline about the effect of pelvic floor exercise on improving the bowel dysfunction for colorectal patients. Thirty patients (males and females) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer were participated in the study, their ages ranged from (40 – 55) years had been selected randomly from department of oncology Alexandria university hospital, Alexandria, Egypt and were distributed randomly into 2 groups. Group A(study group) conducted pelvic floor exercise for 6 weeks for 3 times per week 3 session per day for 20 minutes beside traditional cancer treatment. Group B only received traditional cancer treatment. Results were assisted by the irritable bowel symptoms severity questionnaire. Results: The results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in bowel dysfunction symptoms after 6 weeks of treatment application of pelvic floor exercise (post-treatment) of group A when compared with the corresponding mean value of the group B which were only treated with traditional treatment of colorectal cancer. It was concluded that the pelvic floor exercise helps in decreasing the bowel dysfunction symptoms in colorectal cancer patients.

Paper No: 
2612