2011 年 9 巻 2 号 p. 117-126
This study investigated relativity of postural change into prone position and effect of bowel intestinal peristalsis activation, which may lead to the facilitation of defecation. The subjects included 21 healthy adults (≥ 65 years). The subjects maintained a supine position for 10 min, followed by a prone position for 30 min, and finally the supine position for 10 min. Each position was divided into 10-min intervals, and the intervals were referred to as Supine-Before, Prone I, II, III, and Supine-After. The bowel sounds and automatic nerve activities were used to investigate intestinal peristalsis (sympathetic index: LF/HF ratio, parasympathetic index: LogHF). We performed multiple comparisons of bowel sounds and autonomic nerve activity for all intervals. Bowel sounds tended to be reduced during the 30-min period when prone position was maintained. Among Supine-Before, Prone II, III, and Supine-After, a significant increase (p < 0.05) in bowel sounds was observed during Supine-After.
Since there was an increase in the power values of the bowel sounds during the 30 minutes when the Supine-After position was changed to the prone position. We believe that an autonomic nerve reflex and changes in blood flow related to the stimulation of the intestinal tract and the abdomen as a result of a change in the body position to the prone position influenced the acceleration of peristalsis. This research made it clear that peristalsis was accelerated by a change in posture to supine position from prone position, and this suggests that it would be effective in the facilitation of defecation.
