I have had some side stitches on my recent runs. Does anyone have experience getting rid of them? Would drinking more or doing abs help? Thanks!
I have had some side stitches on my recent runs. Does anyone have experience getting rid of them? Would drinking more or doing abs help? Thanks!
Having a stronger core is always good.
One thing to try is controlling your breathing instead of an irregular series of long/short breaths. If you focus on what you're doing, you'll be surprised. Try to time your breaths with a certain number of steps. Also, if it gets bad during a run, try breathing in through your nose, our through your mouth. It's ridiculously effective. That may just be because it forces your to focus on controlling your breathing, but it's definitely something you should try.
With the team I coach, we have had a lot of success controlling side stitches through focused, forceful belly breathing.
As soon as you feel one start coming on, begin exhaling more forcefully by squeezing / contracting your stomach muscles. As you inhale, allow the belly to fully expand. Keep doing this until it goes away.
Emergency tactic: Stop running. Bend over at the waist at a 90 degree angle. Forcefully push ALL of your air out by strongly contracting your stomach muscles, as if you are trying to make them touch your spine. Inhale and repeat a few times. This will usually shut down a bad stitch.
Coach Mark
Something that works for me is breathing in when the foot on the side of the stick hits the ground and breathing out when it hits the ground next. I think what this does is just control your breathing so it is on rhythm but my coach swore that the side/foot strike mattered.
Now that I am coaching I tell my kids the same thing ha ha.
Side stitches appear from breathing at an abnormal rhythm. The easiest way to cure that has been suggested - pick the side where the stitch is and you're either inhaling or exhaling on each step. When I'm going all out it can be inhale on one foot and exhale on the other.
Having stronger abs and obliques will also make this problem less severe.
Also, look at your pacing. If you run too hard early in a race, it can cause the stitches to come.
Lots of good suggestions. Yes.
Being better hydrated will help as well.
You must fart more on your runs.
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