COMBINED EXERCISE AND MASSAGE PROGRAM IN CHILDREN WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION

NCT ID: NCT07336589

Last Updated: 2026-01-13

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-02-28

Study Completion Date

2026-05-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a combined exercise and abdominal massage program improves bowel function and daily well-being in children with functional constipation. Researchers will compare this program with standard care by measuring bowel symptoms, rectal size, pelvic floor strength, trunk endurance, and quality of life.

Detailed Description

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This clinical trial includes children with functional constipation. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a combined exercise and abdominal massage program or to standard care and education.

Children in the program group will take part in guided exercise sessions and receive abdominal massage, while the standard care group will receive routine follow-up and advice on bowel habits.

Researchers will measure bowel symptoms, bowel movement patterns, rectal diameter, pelvic floor muscle function, trunk muscle endurance, and quality of life before and after the program.

The results may help improve safe, non-drug treatment options for children with constipation.

Conditions

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Functional Constipation (FC)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group and followed in parallel throughout the study period.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Control Group

Participants in the control group will receive standard care and education related to bowel habits and lifestyle recommendations.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Standard Care and Education

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Children and their parents will receive education about bowel function and lifestyle guidance on diet, fluid intake, toileting habits, and physical activity.

Intervention Group

Participants in the intervention group will receive standard care plus a combined exercise training and abdominal massage program.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Stretching, Strengthening, and Stabilization Exercises

Intervention Type OTHER

Children will complete exercises to improve flexibility, muscle strength, and trunk stability.

Abdominal Massage (I Love You Technique)

Intervention Type OTHER

Gentle abdominal massage will be applied following the colon pathway to support bowel movement.

Standard Care and Education

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Children and their parents will receive education about bowel function and lifestyle guidance on diet, fluid intake, toileting habits, and physical activity.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Intervention Type OTHER

Children will practice fast and slow pelvic floor contractions to improve muscle strength and endurance.

Breathing Exercises

Intervention Type OTHER

Children will perform simple diaphragmatic breathing exercises daily to support abdominal and pelvic muscle coordination.

Interventions

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Stretching, Strengthening, and Stabilization Exercises

Children will complete exercises to improve flexibility, muscle strength, and trunk stability.

Intervention Type OTHER

Abdominal Massage (I Love You Technique)

Gentle abdominal massage will be applied following the colon pathway to support bowel movement.

Intervention Type OTHER

Standard Care and Education

Children and their parents will receive education about bowel function and lifestyle guidance on diet, fluid intake, toileting habits, and physical activity.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Children will practice fast and slow pelvic floor contractions to improve muscle strength and endurance.

Intervention Type OTHER

Breathing Exercises

Children will perform simple diaphragmatic breathing exercises daily to support abdominal and pelvic muscle coordination.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Children aged 5-18 years
* Diagnosed with functional constipation according to Rome IV criteria
* Voluntary participation with written informed consent obtained from parents or legal guardians

Exclusion Criteria

* Refusal to participate
* Presence of congenital conditions (e.g., Down syndrome, Hirschsprung disease)
* Endocrine or metabolic disorders (e.g., hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus)
* Neurological or psychiatric disorders (e.g., spina bifida, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders)
* History of abdominal surgery within the last year
* Presence of herniation or open wounds in the abdominal massage area
Minimum Eligible Age

5 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Zeynep Idil Sevimli

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Zeynep Idil Sevimli

Physiotherapist, MSc (Sponsor-Investigator)

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Zeynep I sevimli, PT, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Fizyofit Pilates Stüdyosu / Ankara Bilkent City Hospital

Locations

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Ankara Bilkent City Hospital - Pediatric Surgery Clinic

Ankara, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

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Zeynep I sevimli, PT, MSc

Role: CONTACT

+905063720373

Facility Contacts

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Zeynep I sevimli, PT, MSc

Role: primary

05063720373

Other Identifiers

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FC-EXMASS-2025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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