Korean J Med.  1997 Oct;53(4):527-533.

Effect of Running on Esophageal Motility and Gastroesophageal Reflux

• Choi SC
• Nah YH
• Choi SJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Physical exercise has become popular in recent years. It has been known that exercise is related to the development of heartburn, belching, regurgitation and chest pain. However there are few data concerning the effect of exercise on esophageal motor function and gastroesophageal reflux. We evaluated the effect of exercise intensity on esophageal motor activity and gastroesophageal reflux.
METHODS
We studied healthy volunteers (15 males, age: 28+/-5 years, BW: 68+/-10kg) using a 24 hours ambulatory esophageal pressure, pH catheter and portable digital data recorder (Microdigitrapper 4Mb, Synetics Medical, Sweden). Subjects exercised on a treadmill (Marquette Case 15 Electronic INC) at 50% and 70% maximal heart rate for 30 min. Subjects rested 2 hours before exercise (base line) and for 30 min between exercise sessions.
RESULTS
1) Exercise of 50% maximal heart rate reduced total contraction, contraction duration, percentage of simultaneous contraction and repetitive contraction, (P<0.05) but increased percentage of contractions above 20mmHg amplitude (P<0.05). 2) Exercise of 70% maximal heart rate decreased total contraction, esophageal amplitude, contraction duration and percentage of peristaltic contraction, (P<0.05) but increased percentage of simultaneous contraction (P<0.05). 3) Gastroesophageal reflux was not change on both 50% maximal heart rate and 70% maximal heart rate exercise.
CONCLUSION
More propulsive esophageal motility are induced following exercise of 50% maximal heart rate, but not 70% maximal heart rate.

Keyword

Running; Esophageal motility; Gastroesophageal reflux

MeSH Terms

Catheters
Chest Pain
Eructation
Exercise
Gastroesophageal Reflux*
Healthy Volunteers
Heart Rate
Heartburn
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Male
Motor Activity
Running*