EVERY RUNNERS NIGHTMARE: THE SIDE STITCH
Jarrett Pflieger
Side stitches, cramps, whatever you want to call them, they hurt. Every runner, at one point of another, has had to battle through a side stitch during training or racing. The pain can become so bad it forces us to slow down, or in extreme cases, stop completely. What exactly causes these side stitches and are there ways to make them go away when they happen, or better yet, prevent them altogether?
A side stitch, technically known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), is not a buildup of gas or cramping of the abdominal muscles. It actually originates in the diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe and separates your organs from your chest cavity. You see, when you breathe in, your diaphragm naturally moves downward to increase the capacity of air your lungs can take in. As your diaphragm moves up during exhaling, it brings your organs up with it.
The problem is when you run, you have gravity working against you, even more so than when you’re standing still. When you take each stride while running, your organs are pulled down by gravity, but your exhaling causes your diaphragm to move up. These opposing forces cause the ligaments and muscles connecting your organs to your diaphragm to stretch, which is very painful. This phenomenon can then make your diaphragm to go into spasms, which causes the painful cramps we often experience.
Once a side stitch comes, it is hard to get rid of. You can try sticking a few fingers under your ribs to try to massage the muscles and ligaments. Deep breathing also helps get rid of the stitch faster, since shallow breathing usually prolongs the spasming. If all else fails, slow down or stop until the pain leaves. If you are made of steel and feel no pain, just push through it, the choice is yours.
One way to prevent side stitches completely is to change your breathing pattern. If you tend to exhale mostly when your right foot is hitting the ground, your large liver could be causing more pain as it is pulled away from your diaphragm. Organs are smaller on the left side, so try exhaling when on left foot strikes.
Proper hydration and warm-up is also key in preventing the side stitch. Dehydration, sodium deficiency, and cold muscles can make the side stitch come faster and be harder to get rid of. Hopefully you can implement some of these tips and say farewell to your side stitch woes for good.
