Side aches/cramps/stitches

[Sasha Pachev]

I noticed that quite a few runners on the blog are struggling with side aches. For their benefit, I wanted to ask everybody to share their experiences - what causes/caused them for you, and what you do/did to overcome them.

My own experience:

Causes:

a) eating too much animal fat prior to the run and not allowing enough time for it to be processed.
b) eating a lot of dry foods and  not drinking enough water
c) drinking water very quickly at a water station during a race

Solution:

Do not do any of the above.

[Superfly]

If I have too much of anything (food, water...) I'm pron to get side aches. Mostly a lot of fluid sloshing around will cause one. So I try to only have enough in the gas tank to get me through the run, anything extra is just a chance at a problem.

However if I do get one or feel one coming on and try to fight it off here is what's worked for me. The method of "Belly breathing". Trying to pull in air all the way to the bottom of your stomach and pushing it out. That may sound weird but it's because I don't really know how to explain it. The process does however work. Also kind of "reboot" your form. Try to run more smooth and efficient to minimize any jarring around that may occur.

Anyways I hate them and have ever since elementary school when we would have to run the mile for the Presidential physical fitness award. Which I never go until high school because of the running and pull-ups! Blasted pull-ups!

[Michelle Lowry]

This may just be a wive's tale, but I have heard that it helps to holler or scream when you have a side cramp.  Anyone heard this and/or try it?  I have done it since high school, but you get desperate to try anything when you have a stitch.  If I get a stitch I scream.  It is at least a psychological benefit

In college I started to get side cramps and my coach suggested that it might be too much apple skins since I was eating alot of apples.  I cut down on the skins and they went away (again not scientific).

[adam]

For me, there tends to be a strong connection between anything dairy or juice right before a run (less than 1 hrs) and cramps right out the gate. I stopped doing that a while back though (At 15, I used to think a large glass of OJ right before heading out the door for a run would give me lots of energy...)

It also happens to me during races when I take in too much water, too fast. I don't usually drink on the run.

The last time I felt one in the last year was last week, when I was 11 into a 13 mile run. Don't know where it came from or why. I straightened out my stomach, stretched my arm up, and controlled the breathing for a minute. then it was gone.

I've also heard that hitting your foot down hard on the ground every few strides helps, but honestly, I think all that stuff is a bit mental. If you were to stop running and spin around in a circle you could probably shake that cramp, too.

[Jon Allen]

I heard they can be caused by not enough potassium, but not sure.

I don't get them often and don't know of any direct cause.  I do know what works for me to get rid of them.  When the foot opposite the side stich hits the ground, I breath/blow out very hard and tighten my abs.  Gets rid of them for me.

[Tom]

Almost always for me the side stitches come after I eaten or drank something I shouldn't have too soon before a run or in too much quantity. In the past year or 2 I've tried to avoid this and don't recall having a side stitch during that time. I've never found anything that completely gets rid of them for me once I've got one so I appreciate the suggestions.

[Lulu]

I got a side stitch once during a marathon. I tried everything I could to make it go away. It stayed until the end of the race and then some. I finally had to go to the doc. It was appendicitis. I ran my second fastest marathon that day.

Lulu

[jeff]

I find any food within 2 hours of a hard run will sometimes  cause me trouble.  I have never noticed the same thing with fluids. I often start my long runs full up on fluids( easy to hear the sloshing) and never have had issues, although the trouble  usually happens  at tempo or race speed and for those I do not often overhydrate.  Always looking for a good cure, I have not yet found one that works very well for me.  Bottom line is I make sure I get up three hours before I plan on running. I for one have to eat first.

[Jim M]

To much to eat or drink tends to bring one on for me.

As far as what I do I had a friend tell me that his massage therapist recomended doing a sommersault or two and I have found it really does work. Not real easy during a race but I have been known to slip into the infield during track workouts or find a piece of lawn during a training run.

[Jon Allen]

I got a side stitch once during a marathon. I tried everything I could to make it go away. It stayed until the end of the race and then some. I finally had to go to the doc. It was appendicitis. I ran my second fastest marathon that day.

This is one of the funniest quotes I have seen on the blog!  And so non-challant, too.

[jtshad]

What I have found that works well is essentially the same thing Clyde indicated, belly breathing.  The way I do it is to basically "bark" or breath out very heavily when you breath out to force the air out and get your diaphram back in cadence with your footstrikes.   This has worked everytime for me.

[Marcie J.]

K I must be the complete opposite of everyone else. I get side stitches if I am really low on fuel, like if I dont eat dinner, the next morning for sure i will get a sideache, almost like there is nothing in my belly so the muscles or diamphram get strained, weird huh? Both St. Georges the past 2 years I have gotten them in the race,  I think also when I get nervous (which I always do extremely bad for SGM) i get those butterflies in my stomach and then a side ache comes.But you know what my whole stomach/diegestive system is a mess so maybe that contributes to mine! But deep belly breathing works for me, breathing in and pushing/blowing all the air out of my lungs slowly.

[Kory Wheatley]

I've had one in a marathon and couldn't get rid of it (last year at the Teton Dam Marathon 2007).  Then I had one this year and I read if you raise your arms up and breathe out heavily that might work.  I tried this and in this instance it fixed the problem.

[Sean Sundwall]

I too am prone to stomach aches if I eat or drink too much the night before the marathon or the morning of. I usually don't have anything the morning of a marathon and eat a big lunch the day before and a very light dinner. For shorter races (10k and below) which don't require any significant hydration, it generally doesn't matter what I do the night before.

What I have found to be very effective with stitches, those pains that seem to be right under the ribs, is to exhale hard as your foot on the opposite side of the stich hits the ground. I also have that foot hit the ground a little harder. So if I have a stitch on my right side I will exhale hard as my left foot hits the ground and I will exaggerate the left foot hitting the ground a little harder. Hard to explain but very effective.