How To Avoid Side Stitches
- February 10, 2009
- 4,405 Views
Writer
Andre_Scott
Voice Over Artist
Ryan Hunter
Music
Kenny James
You’re cruising along at a nice clip when suddenly your breath’s cut short by a sharp pain in your side. A stitch can halt your run. Not anymore.
You Will Need
- Strong abs
Step 1: Avoid big meals
Avoid eating a big meal within two hours of running—a full stomach can jostle your diaphragm and spawn a stitch.
Step 2: Practice breathing
Practice deep breathing, filling your belly with air, to stretch and loosen up your diaphragm.
Step 3: Build your abs
Build up your abdominal muscles with 10 to 20 sit-ups and stomach crunches a day. These muscles will help keep your internal organs from jiggling and affecting your diaphragm.
Step 4: Breathe deeply
If stitches hit you during a run, consciously start breathing deeply until the pain goes away.
Change your breathing pattern—particularly by exhaling when the opposite foot hits the ground.
Step 5: Rest
If need be, take a breather. If the pain is bad, rest on your back with your legs elevated. When the stitch goes away, you can resume running.
Side stitches affect swimmers more frequently than runners.
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Comments (1)
The all out solution is to breath in through your nose and out your mouth. Breathing in through your mouth can cause stitches.
over 2 years ago by greyecho
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