effect of tai chi as treatment for ibs-c

Conditions: Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Constipation

Summary: the purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of tai chi practice in reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (ibs-c).

this is a single-center pilot study investigating the efficacy of tai chi practice in reducing symptoms of ibs. the investigators hope that subjects practicing tai chi will have reduced symptoms of ibs-c as measured through overall global symptom relief as well as the ibs-sss, ibs-qol, vsi, hads, visual analogue pain scale, and changes in bloating, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and constipation severity. the study will also use daily entries made through the geopain app to record trends in pain intensity.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion 1. age 18 - 70 years 2. bmi ≤ 35 3. rome iv criteria for ibs-c 4. continued ibs-c throughout run-in period 5. compliant with reporting during run-in 6. ability to follow verbal and written instructions 7. ability to record daily patient reported outcomes via redcap survey 8. ability to use the geopain app on a smart phone 9. ability to use zoom as a platform for conducting study visits virtually 10. ability to respond to 80% of the daily diaries 11. ability to attend at least 7 out of 8 tai chi classes 12. informed consent form signed by the subjects exclusion 1. unwilling to abstain from participation in tai chi (other than that provided for the study) or other mind-body practices (i.e. yoga that is new to regimen) until completion of the study 2. non-english speaking 3. participation in any other clinical trial with active intervention within the last 30 days 4. non-compliance with reporting during run-in period 5. inability to stand without assistance for 20 minutes 6. patients reporting any usage of a prohibited medication during the run-in period 7. history of regular opiate or narcotic pain-reliever use 8. current use of prescribed or illicit opioids 9. change in current medication regimen related to gi motility, laxatives, or antidepressants 10. abdominal pain severity of 4 on a 0-4 visual analogue scale, where 4 is the worst possible pain, during pre-screen or run-in 11. severe osteoarthritis 12. severe rheumatoid arthritis 13. severe constipation defined as \<1 bowel movement per week without use of laxatives 14. history of gi lumen surgery (including gastric bypass) at any time or other gi or abdominal operations within 60 days prior to entry into the study 15. history of small bowel resection (except if related to appendectomy) 16. subjects anticipating surgical intervention during the study 17. angina, coronary bypass, or myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to screening visit 18. crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis 19. history of intestinal stricture (e.g., crohn's disease) 20. bmi \>35 21. pregnancy (or positive urine pregnancy test(s) in females of childbearing potential) 22. known history of diabetes (type 1 or 2) 23. history of gastroparesis 24. history of abdominal radiation treatment 25. history of pancreatitis 26. history of malabsorption or celiac disease 27. history of intestinal obstruction or subjects at high risk of intestinal obstruction including suspected small bowel adhesions 28. history of human immunodeficiency virus 29. history of cancer within the past 5 years (except adequately-treated localized basal cell skin cancer or in situ uterine cervical cancer) 30. neurological disorders, metabolic disorders, or other significant disease that would impair their ability to participate in the study 31. any other clinically significant disease interfering with the assessments according to the investigator (e.g., disease requiring corrective treatment, potentially leading to study discontinuation) 32. any relevant biochemical abnormality interfering with the assessments according to the investigator 33. inability to attend at least 7 out of the 8 tai chi classes 34. inability to respond to 80% of the daily diaries