Holy Side Stitch!

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2007-10-23 11:17 PM

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Subject: Holy Side Stitch!
So what the heck causes a stitch? Can it be prevented? I got a really nasty one today. It just wouldn't go away. I would stop running and walk for a minute or two, and just when I thought is was done it started back up again.

My run turned into a scare fest because I was in the middle of some State owned woods in the dark I couldn't run because it hurt like hell, so I had to walk 4 miles in the woods at night. Might I add that there was absolutely nobody around for miles and miles.

Advice anyone?

2007-10-23 11:57 PM
in reply to: #1021738

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2007-10-24 12:49 AM
in reply to: #1021738

Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!

There's a gazillion theories and remedies for side stitches, but the bottom line is that no one really knows, and different things seem to work for different people.

Walking it out and belly-breathing sometimes work for me (even below-belly breathing: I pretend I'm filling my legs with air). Stretching up (if both sides) or to the opp. side of the affected side while breathing deeply sometimes helps.

One time it was so bad I had my training buddy punch me in the gut right on the stitch. Weird, but it worked.

Next time it happens, just try different stuff until something works. FWIW, in my experience, it won't kill you to run on a stitch--might hurt so much it makes you cry, but sometimes that makes it go away, too. 

2007-10-24 6:16 AM
in reply to: #1021738

Extreme Veteran
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Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
I found that when I'm not hydrated as much as I should be I get side stitches much more quickly. But I do what the PP said, raise an arm and massage the area, breathe deep and through my belly, I try to get a rhythm to my breathing and really focus on form. I do not ever walk through a side stitch though. I try to imagine that this is a race and what would I do if I had one in a race... definitely not walk!
2007-10-24 6:26 AM
in reply to: #1021738

Champion
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SRQ, FL
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
There is a trick I have used in the past. Most runners tend to inhale and exhale on a repeated side (e.g. always exhale on the right stride). The theory is that switching this rhythm causes the diaphragm to stretch in a different frequency.

Is that true? I don't know but it works for me. I also try to take deeper breaths so I'm changing two variables at once. Give it a shot and let us know.
2007-10-26 3:08 PM
in reply to: #1021738

Expert
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Montana
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
I try to breathe out with more effort than I breathe in. That makes the pain go away for me.

2007-10-26 3:15 PM
in reply to: #1021738

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Lake in the Hills
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
2007-10-26 11:35 PM
in reply to: #1021738

Master
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Bellevue, WA
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
I used to get terrible side stiches on my left side, especially running 5K races.

The cure for me is to exhale with every other left foot strike. The theory is that by exhaling at that moment, you are stabilizing the diaphragm with your core muscles and resisting the internal banging around.

It absolutely, definitely works for me.
2007-10-26 11:45 PM
in reply to: #1021738

Master
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Flagstaff and Phoenix, AZ
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
I've tried all the above suggestions and found that breathing out really hard/forcefully works best for me. But I have to do it during the whole run, from the very beginning, not just once I feel the stitches come on. By then it's too late...

2007-10-27 11:16 AM
in reply to: #1021738

Expert
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Portland
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
Why worry about it?  It's one of the rare pains that are not indicative of an injury.  The pain will go away shortly after you stop running without any sequela.  Just fight through it . What's the worst thing that could happen?

Edited by MikeJ 2007-10-27 11:16 AM
2007-10-27 1:47 PM
in reply to: #1026614

Mountain View, CA
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!

MikeJ - 2007-10-27 9:16 AM Why worry about it? It's one of the rare pains that are not indicative of an injury. The pain will go away shortly after you stop running without any sequela. Just fight through it . What's the worst thing that could happen?

I don't know about anyone else, but if I let a stitch get really bad, I end up barely being able to breathe without feeling like someone's puncturing my lung repeatedly. So I try to avoid letting it get really bad.

What works for me: making sure I'm hydrated, stretching out my sides, breathing with a rhythm that has me exhaling every other time that my left foot strikes the ground (since most of the mass of your liver is on your right), exhaling somewhat forcefully. If that doesn't work, I walk with my arms over my head. Good luck! I struggle with these, too. Pretty frustrating sometimes!

2007-10-27 1:57 PM
in reply to: #1026614

Master
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Bellevue, WA
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
MikeJ - 2007-10-27 9:16 AM

Why worry about it?  It's one of the rare pains that are not indicative of an injury.  The pain will go away shortly after you stop running without any sequela.  Just fight through it . What's the worst thing that could happen?

Clearly you've never experienced this pain to the degree I have. Most of the time it is "fight through it" level, but a couple times in 5K races I've had "ice pick stabbing pain" that is most definitely not endurable.

And I have a fairly high pain tolerance.
2007-10-27 2:07 PM
in reply to: #1021828

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Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!

TriRSquared - 2007-10-24 6:26 AM There is a trick I have used in the past. Most runners tend to inhale and exhale on a repeated side (e.g. always exhale on the right stride). The theory is that switching this rhythm causes the diaphragm to stretch in a different frequency. Is that true? I don't know but it works for me. I also try to take deeper breaths so I'm changing two variables at once. Give it a shot and let us know.

My stitches are on the right side.  What works for me is to exhale on the right foot strike.  I read something about it one time, it's about the position of your diaphragm and the jostling of your internal organs, but I can't explain it very well except to say:  it works. 

2007-10-27 7:03 PM
in reply to: #1021738

Champion
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No excuses!
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!
Had a horrible one last night, probaly shouldn't have ran so close after eating dinnerFrown
2007-10-27 8:56 PM
in reply to: #1021738

Master
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Clifton, NJ
Subject: RE: Holy Side Stitch!

Cheetah - 2007-10-24 12:17 AM So what the heck causes a stitch? Can it be prevented? I got a really nasty one today. It just wouldn't go away. I would stop running and walk for a minute or two, and just when I thought is was done it started back up again. My run turned into a scare fest because I was in the middle of some State owned woods in the dark I couldn't run because it hurt like hell, so I had to walk 4 miles in the woods at night. Might I add that there was absolutely nobody around for miles and miles. Advice anyone?

i thought side stitches were hydration issue related - but i can see i learned something today.

dude. that's some scary surroundings - yeah.

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