AccScience Publishing / JCBP / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/JCBP026180022
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REVIEW ARTICLE

Non-pharmacological exercise-specific programs to manage irritable bowel syndrome: The importance of strong embodied consciousness

Maria Kosma1*
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1 School of Kinesiology, College of Human Sciences & Education, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana , United States of America
Received: 30 April 2026 | Revised: 29 August 2026 | Accepted: 8 September 2026 | Published online: 18 September 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread chronic functional disorder characterized by both gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms, including abdominal discomfort (e.g., intestinal distension and pain), altered bowel habits, indigestion, and such psychological comorbidities as anxiety, depression, and somatization. About 12% of the United States population is affected by IBS, with women being at higher risk than men. Pharmacotherapy is the first-line treatment for IBS, but it has several limitations, including high medical costs, adverse effects, intolerance, and a high placebo response rate. Instead of relying solely on drug therapy, the purpose of this critical narrative review is to examine the effects of regular endurance training and holistic mind–body movement programs (mainly yoga) on IBS symptomatology. The review summarizes evidence on these exercise approaches and examines their proposed physiological and psychophysiological mechanisms. The findings are interpreted through Merleau-Ponty’s concept of embodied consciousness, with body schema used as a conceptual framework linking physiological and psychological responses to regular exercise. Overall, this reviewed evidence suggests that regular multimodal exercise programs can maintain holistic benefits for IBS symptoms. Such programs lead to a balanced body schema that integrates the body’s psychophysiological structures for homeostasis and health.  

Keywords
Endurance training
Mind–body movement programs
Irritable bowel syndrome
Gastrointestinal tract
Mental health
Depression
Anxiety
Body schema
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The author declares she has no competing interests.
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Journal of Clinical and Basic Psychosomatics, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4414 Print ISSN: 3060-8562, Published by AccScience Publishing