Exercises and Massage Methods for Treating Constipation
Appropriate physical exercise strengthens abdominal muscle contraction, promotes gastrointestinal motility, and increases defecation power. Thus, morning activities such as walking, jogging, or doing calisthenics are beneficial. If time is limited, perform partial squats at the office to help maintain abdominal muscle tone and compensate for lack of exercise.
Massage performed daily for 10 minutes can also yield good results.
Abdominal Rubbing: Lie in bed, fully relaxed. Place both palms stacked over the navel, first rub clockwise 100 times, then counterclockwise 100 times. Apply moderate pressure, move gently, and breathe naturally.
Abdominal Massage: Lie in bed, knees bent, abdominal muscles relaxed. Place one palm directly above the navel, use the fingertips (excluding the thumb) to massage along the colon’s direction—from right to left. When reaching the lower left abdomen, slightly increase finger pressure, ensuring no pain. Exhale during pressure, inhale during release. Each session lasts about 10 minutes. Abdominal rubbing and massage can be done anytime, but are best performed before bedtime or upon waking. Empty your bladder before rubbing, and avoid doing it when overly full or excessively hungry.
Finger Pressure on Relevant Acupoints: When stool hasn’t passed, stack both hands over the Shenshu point (the navel), massage clockwise and counterclockwise 15 times each, then lightly pat the abdomen 15 times. When stool is about to pass, press the Huiyin point (midpoint between the two openings) with the index finger of the right hand to assist in slow bowel movement. Stay calm and avoid anxiety. Additionally, sitting on the toilet, focus your mind, take deep breaths, direct your intention to the intestines, and perform 15 Kegel exercises (pelvic floor contractions) to significantly aid defecation.
Other important acupoints include: Qihai (1.5 cun below the navel), Guanyuan (3 cun below the navel), Qugu (center point at the upper margin of the pubic symphysis), and Changqiang (0.5 cun below the coccygeal tip, midway between the coccyx and anus).