Last month, on 18.-21.5. the world's largest gastroenterology congress called Digestive Disease Week (DDW) took place in the USA in Washington, DC. Every year, specialists from various fields of gastroenterology and hepatology are invited to it, who present essential innovations in their field. One of the invited lectures this year was the work of Czech authors who are devoted to the effect of diaphragmatic breathing in patients with reflux symptoms. It was a presentation of the results of the long-term work of specialized physiotherapists from the Pavel Kolář Center for Movement Medicine, who work with patients suffering from reflux, teaching them diaphragmatic breathing techniques with the aim of improving the function of the diaphragm and esophagus and thereby reducing reflux. The work presented by MUDr. Lucie Zdrhová, a gastroenterologist who treats patients with this problem at CPM, has proven that patients are able to improve the function of the lower esophageal sphincter, increase the motility of the esophagus, and significantly improve their problems with diaphragmatic breathing.

A clinical study is currently underway at the CPM, which aims to demonstrate in patients with reflux disease of the esophagus that the improvement of their difficulties when practicing diaphragmatic breathing is actually due to the alleviation of reflux. Patients who participate in the study will thus contribute to increasing awareness of the significant potential of physiotherapy in the treatment of reflux disease.