India, Sept. 18 -- A bowel-control incident involving Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk at HYROX Beijing recently went viral after she continued racing despite soiling herself and went on to win the event. HYROX later apologised for not intervening immediately and announced changes to its rules and procedures. Beyond the hygiene debate, the episode has also put the spotlight on a less-discussed problem among athletes: exercise-induced diarrhoea, bowel urgency and, occasionally, incontinence. "During prolonged or high-intensity activity, blood flow is redirected from the gastrointestinal tract to the working muscles," explains Dr Rajnish Monga, chairman, gastroenterology, Paras Health, Gurugram. The mechanics of running can contribute too. Gastroenterologist Dr Amit Mittal, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, says, "The constant impact of running can also jostle the bowel and stimulate the urge to go, while stress hormones released during exercise can increase bowel contractions." While a single episode during an intense event may be a concern, gastroenterologist Dr Vikrant Panwar, Shalby International Hospital, Gurugram, says, "Recurrent episodes deserve a check-up. Blood in the stool, weight loss, persistent abdominal pain, night-time symptoms or a significant change in bowel habits are all reasons to seek medical attention."...