August 28th, 2009

Do you know how to get rid of and prevent side stitch?

Reports the New York Times:

Here’s how a “side stitch” most likely happens: Pumping your legs increases the pressure on your abdominal muscles, which press up against the diaphragm. At the same time, rapid breathing expands your lungs, which presses down on the diaphragm. The dual pinching from above and below shuts off the flow of blood and oxygen to the diaphragm. Then the diaphragm muscle cramps.

It’s also been postulated that food itself may add to the diaphragm’s distress. We know that a meal of less digestible, fatty food before exercising makes the stomach heavier and increases the tugging on this diaphragm muscle.

So how does a runner get rid of a side stitch? Susan Paul, training program director for the Track Shack Foundation in Orlando, Fla., advises runners to stop and take deep breaths while pressing upward in the spot where it hurts. Stretching exercises may also help.

The better strategy, she says, is to prevent stitches from developing in the first place. Avoid eating meals one to two hours before running, drink more water throughout the day and consider simple exercises to strengthen the diaphragm.

To read her advice in detail, go to the full article, “How Do I Get Rid of Side Stitches,” at Runner’s World.

Read more at the NYT.