Irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS) is a common intestinal disease characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and changes in the feces and / or defecatory habits. However, although the etiology and pathogenesis of IBS remain unclear, visceral hypersensitivity is widely accepted to be an important pathogenetic factor. Therefore, it is important to be able to study an appropriate animal model of visceral hypersensitivity. Colorectal distension (CRD) is widely used for this purpose because it induces persistent and stable visceral hypersensitivity through continuous mechanical stimulation that is not associated with obvious pathological changes in the rectum, which is consistent with the pathological characteristics of IBS. In the present paper, we discuss the surgical procedure, the limitations of CRD, the various experimental devices and expansion method used, and other related factors in order to provide a reference for researchers who wish to use CRD-based models of visceral hypersensitivity.