Hi all,
My son is training for his first HM this spring and has been struggling with side stitches. Since 1) I am mom and 2) I haven't had side stitches since HS track a loooong time ago, he doesn't much care for my advice. He's 12, what can I say? But, he definitely listens to others so do you have any advice for what has worked for you?
Will he 'outgrow' them as he becomes a stronger and more consistent runner? If it matters, he's also a swimmer and is very fit, so I don't think it is a case of being unfit.
Thanks!
Le professeur de trail
Can't say I have a sound remedy but I did struggle with them a while back (maybe 3+ years ago). Most of time I went out too fast. But sometimes I would randomly get them. I learned to run through them (mistake #1) unless they were really bad (stabbing pain). I think running through them caused some bruising (maybe) to my diapgram or whatever it is that is having a spasm. I read that stopping, raising the hand on the side that the stitch is, and bending to the opposite side helps. It helped me a few times but not every time. It essentially stretches the diaphram (I think). Otherwise I was doing a lot of rubbing of that area. Again, it sometimes worked and sometimes did not. I do think with time and better conditioning (running conditioning not swimming conditioning) it will improve.
Good Luck!
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
I've been running for 16 years and still get them occasionally, so I don't think it's purely a matter of conditioning. When it happens to me, it's usually when I'm not paying enough attention to my breathing. I just run through it while taking deeper breaths and exhaling more forcefully until the stitch goes away.
Tim
I coach HS XC, and every year we get runners with "side stitches". Medically, we don't know the exact etiology, but have several research studies that have shown drinking high sugar or carbonated beverages too close to exercise can be a cause. Also shallow breathing and poor running posture have been blamed. We tell our runners only water an hour before running and work on deep breathing (fully lower the diaphragm) and standing tall when running. As running conditioning improves, they do better. If he is a swimmer, there is a good chance his aerobic conditioning if ahead of his running conditioning, and the more he runs the less he'll notice it.
You can tell him the medical name is Exercise-related Transient Abdominal Pain (ETAP). It makes it sound more ominous.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Faster Than Your Couch!
I can only confirm what has been said already.
- no food 2 hrs before the run, no huge meals at least 4 hrs pre-run (but he's 12, so soon he'll eat a lot anyway!)
- pay attention to breathing. When the side stitches occur, take action immediately, before they get really, really bad.
- Running through normal side stitches is ok, try breathing in the rhythm of your stride, taking deep breaths, and forcing out the air quickly and thoroughly. If they get really bad, stop and wait until they subside (stretching from the waist or hips to the side may help), otherwise you might risk some long-term side pain.
- Chances are, he'll outgrow them, but that might take a few years.
Run for fun.
Try lifting the opposite arm up and stretch it over your head, use the other hand and ball up a fist and apply pressure to the stitch while doing the forceful long exhales. You can keep right on running while doing this. Usually works. Or you feel like such a dork it takes your mind off it and before you know it the stitch is gone. Kind of a combination of everyones advice from above. But really it should work. And what AT said is true--shallow breathing and poor posture are evil but as conditioning improves less likely.
If the condition happens often there are different pre-run stretches and breathing exercises that can be done to help the diaphragm.
Thanks, everyone! DS paid close attention to all you wrote. He's definitely made the eating mistake, and I think the shallow breathing is an issue, also. There's a lot to work with here and I think a range of remedies will do the trick. It also helped to hear that he'll likely 'outgrow' this as he becomes a stronger runner.
Uh oh... now what?
... uh... I do not know who, why, how, or whuffo the dupe was done, something to do with bad karma, no chocolate in the house, new batch of salsa, baking a chicken, something, sorry, see below?
rgot
Belly Breathng -- it still shows up with lots of responses on Google. Learning to belly breath (not continuously, but some along the way as a means of relaxation or getting rid of a stitch) can be important to running.
Sort of what others covered ... it seemed to occur for me when I went out too hard -- not necessarily fast, but faster than a comfortable endurance pace (say I was capable of 6:30s, 7:15s could be comfortable, 6:45s might create a lot of unnoticeable stress during the early phase of a run, but not once I was warmed up) -- it is a very relative thing, relative to each runner's fitness level. A longish uphill early in a run (not warmed up yet) done at a high effort could trigger a stitch too.
The missing thing: There was this pinching thing. The crease sort of thing in the middle of the upper lip. If you squeeze it (pinch gently) for a few seconrds, it often relieves a stitch. This worked for me without needing to stop.
I don't know about any of this any more. I cannot go fast enough to get a stitch.
Endless trails
When I get these during a run I do this; depending on which side it's on I
force a breath every time that sides' shoe takes a step.
For instance; side stitch on right side, every time right shoe hits the ground I force
air out. Seems to help.
flashlight and sidewalk
The way I had it explained to me was...you don't get side stitches from not breathing in enough oxygen, you get side stitches from not breathing out enough carbon dioxide. What has worked for me is focusing on breathing out more than in until it goes away. Breathing out was already mentioned, but this helps me wrap my head around the problem.
Oh, John I wanted to try the pinch trick but my hands were gloved...just thinking about pinching the lip seam worked for me .
**Ask me about streaking**