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Health Education Workout Rx

Does exercise help acid reflux?

Physical activity reduces the risk of developing acid reflux and GERD
Heidi Borst
By | Jun. 12, 2024 Medically reviewed by Chad Shaffer, MD
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Key takeaways

  • Physical activity is essential for your overall health and reduces the risk of developing acid reflux and GERD.

  • The best exercises for acid reflux are low-impact activities like walking, light jogging, riding a stationary bike, yoga, and Pilates.

  • High-intensity exercises like heavy weightlifting, gymnastics, and sprinting can worsen reflux symptoms, as can activities that involve bending over, twisting, or abdominal compression.

  • If your acid reflux symptoms worsen over time or interfere with your workout routine, consult a healthcare provider, such as a gastroenterologist, for advice.

In this article:

Acid reflux is a burning sensation that rises from your stomach to your throat, leaving a sour and bitter taste in your mouth. Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscular valve at the lower end of your esophagus, relaxes at the wrong time, says G.S. Ramesh, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist at Digestive Health Associates in Houston, Texas. Often, this happens when you lie down after a meal or indulge in spicy or fatty foods. This allows stomach acid to enter your esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a severe form of acid reflux in which chronic stomach acid backflow causes cumulative inflammation and damage to the esophagus.

While lifestyle changes and medications are common ways to manage these conditions, exercise can also help reduce acid reflux symptoms. The type of exercise you do matters. You’ll want to stick to gentle movements because intense exercise, like sprinting or vigorous cycling, can make symptoms of acid reflux worse.

Can exercise help acid reflux?

“Exercise can reduce the risk of many medical conditions, including acid reflux,” says Supriya Rao, MD, a quadruple board-certified physician in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine at Northeast Endoscopy Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. Exercise helps improve digestion and helps with weight loss, both of which help reduce the risk of acid reflux.

A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology examined the effects of exercise on GERD symptoms in overweight individuals. The results revealed that an intermediate frequency of exercise significantly reduced the severity and frequency of acid reflux episodes in obese people but had no significant effect in non-obese people.

Exercise also has a preventive impact on GERD. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found that regular, moderate-intensity exercise (150 minutes per week) decreased the risk of GERD, especially in smokers and older adults. 

However, it’s important to consider the type of exercise. The best option is a low-impact movement that keeps you upright, while high-intensity exercises can do more harm than good, says Dr. Ramesh.

RELATED: The best diet for acid reflux

Which exercises help with acid reflux?

Moderate and low-impact exercises may be particularly beneficial for alleviating symptoms of acid reflux, says Dr. Ramesh. That’s because they promote gentle movement and keep you upright.

1. Walking

Walking is likely the best (and most underrated) exercise form. According to research, walking is a low-impact exercise that can stimulate digestion and prevent acid reflux. “Walking is low impact; anyone can do it anytime, and it can be extremely beneficial—especially if you walk after meals,” says Dr. Rao.

2. Belly breathing

“Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, involves fully engaging the stomach, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm when breathing,” says Dr. Rao. It creates a gentle massaging action felt by internal organs like the intestines and stomach, which can help calm the digestive tract. “Deep breathing can also improve the function of the lower esophageal sphincter,” she adds.

3. Light jogging

Light jogging can also be beneficial for people living with acid reflux. Jogging helps to increase the production of saliva, which can help neutralize stomach acid. Additionally, the rhythmic motion of jogging can aid in digestion by increasing gastric motility. The key is to stick to light jogging that doesn’t jostle your stomach contents and not to do it right after eating.

4. Swimming

Swimming is a great low-impact choice, says Dr. Rao. It can strengthen your diaphragm, reducing your risk of acid reflux. Since being overweight is a risk factor for GERD, regularly engaging in activities like swimming is a great way to manage your weight, which helps you avoid reflux in the first place, says Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist at Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York.

5. Upright biking

Dr. Ramesh says cycling is another low-impact exercise that promotes digestion and minimizes acid reflux. It can help improve cardiovascular health, support a healthy weight, and keep the digestive system functioning optimally. What’s more, the upright posture while biking helps keep the stomach in the correct position, preventing acid from flowing back into the esophagus.

6. Yoga and Pilates

Yoga and Pilates can help reduce stress and promote a healthy digestive system, alleviating acid reflux symptoms. Pilates can also help with core strength and posture. “Poor posture can be associated with a weakened sphincter, which can increase chances of having an episode of acid reflux,” says Dr. Rao. Avoid inverted poses that place your stomach above the esophagus, which can worsen symptoms, advises Larry Miller, MD, a dual board-certified gastroenterologist and internist at Denver Digestive Health Specialists in Colorado.

RELATED: What causes acid reflux chest pain?

Exercises to avoid with acid reflux

While exercise can be beneficial for managing acid reflux, certain types of exercise should be avoided to minimize symptoms, says Dr. Miller. A vigorous workout routine can cause stomach acid to leak into the esophagus, adds Dr. Ramesh.

“Some factors that may increase gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) in athletes include decreased gastrointestinal blood flow, changes in hormone secretion, changes in the motor function of the esophagus and ventricle, the constrained body position during exercise, and increased movement,” Dr. Ramesh explains.

The following high-impact exercises may worsen acid reflux:

1. Sprinting

The intense and rapid movements involved in sprinting can cause the stomach to compress, increase intra-abdominal pressure, and push acid back up into the esophagus, says Dr. Dibba. Therefore, it’s best to avoid high-intensity running or sprinting during a flare-up.

2. Weight lifting

The heavy lifting involved in weightlifting can compress the stomach, forcing acid up into the esophagus. “Exercise requiring significant core contraction, including squats, deadlifts, etc., may provoke a reflux event,” says Dr. Miller. Additionally, weightlifting exercises that involve bending or lying flat can allow acid to flow back into the esophagus more easily, says Dr. Dibba.

3. Gymnastics

Because it’s full of high-impact flips, twists, and tumbles, gymnastics can be particularly challenging for individuals with acid reflux, potentially triggering a flare-up. Gymnastic movements can increase intra-abdominal pressure and make it easier for acid to reflux into the esophagus.

RELATED: 12 home remedies for heartburn

Tips for exercising with acid reflux

According to Dr. Ramesh, following these tips can help prevent acid reflux during exercise. 

  • Do not eat right before exercising. Avoid eating within one to two hours of exercising. If you do eat, avoid foods that trigger acid reflux, such as chocolate, citrus juices, caffeinated drinks, and spicy or fatty foods.
  • Stick with low-impact activities. Low-intensity and low-impact exercises are less likely to trigger heartburn. Examples include walking, cycling, using the elliptical machine, swimming, fast-paced walking, low-level jogging, light treadmill exercises, yoga, or light weightlifting.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink water before, during, and after your workout to help wash digestive acids from the esophagus.
  • Dress appropriately. Tight-fitting workout clothes place pressure on the midsection and may trigger heartburn.
  • Avoid inverted positions. Poses like downward-facing dog or swan dive can cause reflux.
  • Take an antacid. If you tend to experience heartburn every time you exercise, take an antacid, proton pump inhibitor, or H2 blocker to neutralize stomach acid before working out, such as Tums, Prilosec, Pepcid, or Tagamet.

The bottom line? Low-impact exercises can help acid reflux. But if your acid reflux is so bad that it’s impacting your weekly workouts, consult a professional for medical advice, says Dr. Rao. “If you experience acid reflux or heartburn symptoms more than twice a week over several weeks, constantly take antacids, and your symptoms keep returning, call your healthcare provider,” she advises.