The Dreaded Runner’s Stitch & Tips On How To Avoid!

By Chris Curtis, http://www.running-coaching.co.uk/

A stitch can really cause you problems when you’re running.  Try out these tips the next time you are running and avoid the dreaded stitch!  Please share any tips that have worked for you by leaving a comment!  Thanks, Betty

What is a stitch?

A ‘stitch’ is a spasm of the diaphragm – a large, flat muscle that separates the abdominal cavity from the lung cavity. The diaphragm is involved in breathing. During light breathing (that which we do unconsciously, for example) it’s really just the diaphragm moving up and down to expand and contract the lungs. When we start breathing harder, the rib cage and surrounding muscles also get involved. Now, because the diaphragm forms the ceiling of the abdominal cavity it also serves as an attachment for many organs. The liver, for example, hangs from the diaphragm. In fact, the liver is often the culprit in a side stitch. The liver is a large organ and the heaviest one that is suspended from the diaphragm. When we run, the vertical motion of running causes the liver to tug downwards on the diaphragm (you may have noticed that we rarely get a stitch when we swim or bike, and that’s because there is little or no vertical motion involved with these two activities, therefore the liver isn’t getting jerked around). Combine that with the extra effort of heavy breathing and the diaphragm will often spasm, giving you pain.

Tip No. 1 How to Get Rid of a Stitch

Most (but not all) stitches occur on the right side because that’s where the liver typically resides. The trick to fighting off a stitch is to change your rate and pattern of breathing. When you get a RIGHT sided stitch you need to EXHALE (breath out) when your LEFT foot hits the ground. It is difficult to consciously breathe, so you will have to think about this while you’re running. Once you start to breathe in this pattern, the stitch should subside. It works in the majority of runners.

Tip No 2. How To Get Rid of a Stitch

If you are persistently getting stitches, consider how you run – particulary your vertical displacement. This is the amount of up and down motion in the body during each stride. If you watch elite runners, there is very little up and down motion when they run. You can see this clearly if you watch from the side. Some new runners bounce up and down with each stride. Not only is this inefficient and can cause and injury to the legs, it is also a potential cause of stitches.

Tip No. 3 Help Prevent a Stitch

Aside from that, we don’t really know a lot about them. There has been some suggestions that certain foods can trigger a stitch – milk being a particular one but try the suggestions above.  Make sure you are well hydrated, and eat an hour before running, but nothing too heavy.

If all else fails, try to run a little more slowly for the bulk of your running and build up your running fitness gradually. As your running fitness increases, so generally do the incidents of stitch. 

Thanks again to Chris Curtis for this article, who is a UK Athletics Level 3 coach for road-running, marathon and sprints.  He is also a qualified Police Personal Safety Instructor and Public Order Trainer.  You can find out more about Chris on his website at http://www.running-coaching.co.uk/

Thanks to STVCumbernauld for the image.