A little sweat can have big perks for people living with gastrointestinal conditions, but there can be challenges to overcome.

For those living with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions — like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroparesis, or severe gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) — regular exercise can be a challenge.

But research has shown that staying fit leads to fewer symptoms in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is an umbrella term that includes several GI tract disorders, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

What’s more, restorative practices like yoga and Pilates can help reduce stress. Managing stress can be crucial for people with these conditions.

Exercising regularly can be difficult for those with inflammatory diseases, especially when experiencing a flare. David Padua, MD, PhD, a gastroenterologist at UCLA and the director of the Padua Laboratory, which studies digestive diseases, says he regularly sees patients struggle to get exercise because of their symptoms.

“With things like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and inflammatory bowel disease, the systemic inflammation can cause a lot of fatigue,” Padua says. “It can also cause anemia, and you can get GI bleeds as well with different types of IBD. This can all contribute to someone feeling really run down and not being able to exercise.”

But not all patients have the same experience. While some struggle with exercise, others play tennis, do jiujitsu, and even run marathons, says Shannon Chang, MD, a gastroenterologist at New York University’s Langone Medical Center.

In the end, a person’s ability to exercise depends on their health and the amount of inflammation they currently have.

Exercise can help in a variety of ways to manage GI symptoms and flare-ups. Here are some of the biggest benefits.

Symptom reduction

Although someone living with a GI condition might find it difficult to exercise regularly, some research has shown that there’s a connection between higher levels of activity and fewer symptoms, especially with Crohn’s disease.

One study published in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Disease found that exercise is associated with a decreased risk of future flares in people with IBD in remission.

These results aren’t conclusive, though. “There is some suggestion that exercising and staying physically active with a moderate degree of activity may help with keeping the disease calm,” Chang says.

Yet experts aren’t sure whether this is because people in remission are able to exercise more or because more exercise actually leads to fewer symptoms.

On the whole, experts agree that exercise is a good thing. “The data is a little bit all over the place, but generally what we have seen is that a moderate amount of exercise is actually really beneficial for someone with inflammatory bowel disease,” Padua says.

Anti-inflammatory stress buster

Physical activity has benefits that go beyond keeping GI diseases in remission.

Most healthcare practitioners believe that stress can induce flares in people with conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and GERD.

Doctors often hear that people with inflammatory GI diseases have flares during times of stress, Padua says. For example, they may experience a flare when switching jobs, moving, or having relationship issues.

“As clinicians, we hear these stories constantly,” Padua says. “As scientists, we don’t quite understand what that link is. But I really believe there is a link.”

Restorative practices like yoga can help improve the mind-body connection and lower stress. When stress is lowered, ideally, inflammation will be, too.

In fact, one article published in BioMed Research International found that moderate exercise may help strengthen the immune response and improve psychological health in people with IBD. It may also help improve quality of life and reduce stress levels.

Better bone health

Another benefit of exercise in people with GI diseases is improved bone density, says Padua.

People with certain GI diseases don’t always have great bone health since they’re often on long courses of steroids or have trouble absorbing vitamin D and calcium.

Aerobic exercise and strength training puts increased resistance on bones, which then need to get stronger to compensate, Padua explains. This improves bone density.

Exercising with a GI disease may:

  • improve bone density
  • reduce inflammation
  • strengthen immunity
  • prolong remission
  • improve quality of life
  • reduce stress

If you have a GI disease and have difficulty exercising, try taking these steps to get back into a safe and healthy exercise routine.

1. Talk to your healthcare professional

If you’re unsure what your body can handle, talk with a pro. “I always tell my patients that when they’re seeking physical activity — particularly someone who has a lot of GI issues — it’s always good to talk to their medical provider about how much they’re able to do,” Padua says.

2. Find the right balance

People can tend to have an all-or-nothing mindset with exercise and can even exercise to a degree that can be dangerous, Padua says.

On the other hand, you don’t want to treat yourself too delicately. Although you don’t want to overdo it, you don’t want to be so careful that you’re afraid to do anything, notes Lindsay Lombardi, a personal trainer in the Philadelphia area who works with clients who have GI issues.

“You don’t have to treat yourself like a glass doll,” she says.

3. With strength training, opt for circuit-based exercise

If you’re interested in weight training, Lombardi recommends starting with circuits. This form of weightlifting can keep the heart rate up but won’t be as intense as something like powerlifting.

Pettit recommends people ease into this type of exercise. Start out with something low impact, like a bodyweight strength training class, she suggests.

4. For intervals, begin with low- to moderate-impact work

For those looking to improve their cardiovascular health, Lombardi suggests beginning with intervals. Start with low- to moderate-impact intervals. Work your way up if your body can tolerate it.

5. Incorporate restorative work into your routine

The mind-body connection plays a crucial role in reducing stress in people with inflammatory GI conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

“I would say the most important type of exercise for gut healing is the more restorative approach, like yoga and Pilates — stuff that really gives you more of that mind-body connection,” Lombardi says. “Not to mention that there are so many movements within those that are specifically good for your digestive tract.”

6. Listen to your body

Lombardi recommends people try a variety of exercises to find one that’s the best fit for them. For example, try a spin class. If that makes your symptoms worse, try something different, like barre.

Or, if you’re doing yoga and find you can tolerate it, increase your activity level and try something else, like power yoga or Pilates.

And when in doubt, switch up your routine. For instance, if you’re experiencing a Crohn’s flare-up, try to see if modifying your routine helps. Sometimes, you just need to take a break from exercise, but other times, small adjustments can be all you need to keep going.

Above all, remember that it doesn’t matter what type of exercise you’re doing, so long as you’re staying active. Whether it’s weight work or a gentle yoga routine, Lombardi says: “Keeping the body moving is so helpful to many of these gut issues.”

Exercising when living with a gastrointestinal condition, such as Crohn’s Disease, can have its challenges. However, research has found that exercise, especially low impact workouts like yoga, can help manage symptoms and lower inflammation.

The key is to finding exercises that work for you and listening to your body when you need to take a break or modify a routine.


Jamie Friedlander is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for health. Her work has appeared in The Cut, Chicago Tribune, Racked, Business Insider, and Success Magazine. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found traveling, drinking copious amounts of green tea, or surfing Etsy. You can see more samples of her work on her website. Follow her on Twitter.