Gastroesophageal Reflux Induced by Exercise in Healthy Volunteers

The effects of different types of exercise on gastroesophageal reflux were evaluated during fasting and postprandially in 12 asymptomatic volunteers (7 men and 5 women; mean age, 28 years) using an ambulatory intraesophageal pH monitor. The 1-hour exercise period included stationary bicycling (aerobic exercise with little agitation of the body), running (aerobic exercise with a high degree of agitation of the body), and a weight routine (nonaerobic exercise). Each exercise was performed for 15 minutes with 5 minutes of rest between exercises. The weight routine consisted of five different exercises (sit-ups, bench press, sitting arm press, prone leg curls, and sitting leg press) chosen to compare upper-body vs lower-body exercise and supine vs upright position. Each exercise hour was preceded by a 1-hour baseline period on 2 days (fasting and postprandial). The results indicate that vigorous exercise can induce gastroesophageal reflux in normal subjects. Running induced the most reflux, and aerobic exercises with less bodily agitation (bicycle) produced less reflux and may offer an alternate form of exercise for patients with reflux. The weight routine induced gastroesophageal reflux in some subjects, although no particular exercise was associated with more reflux. Postprandial exercise showed a similar pattern of induced gastroesophageal reflux, although of greater amount.

(JAMA. 1989;261:3599-3601)