Stitch, What Is It?

[essexplumber]

As I get to the end of my run I get quite a bad stitch. It normally comes on at the end of a sprint and has got a bit worse as I lose more weight and get fitter.

Not concerned by it but I'd like to stop it as it kinda slows down my progress and I'm interested to know what causes it.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

It's basically cramp of the diaphragm, caused by movement of internal organs combined with heavier breathing when running.

It should decrease the fitter you get.

[turbolucie]

It frustrates me every time I run. Even when I did a triathlon a few months ago I spent the whole run wincing with the pain of the stitch. I've found that not eating for 4 hours before helps, but when your triathlon starts at 8am that means running on empty.

[944fan]

I have the same problem when I run. I find putting pressure on the area a breathing deeply helps lessen the pain but I have basically just got used to running through the pain.

Can't find anyway to prevent them.

[essexplumber]

Thats the main point of my querie, to see how to prevent it.

I used to do sit-ups just before I went on the treadmill so I started doing them after but that didn't help.

Would the gradual increase in core muscle strength lessen the stitch? I used to get it when I played football but it would normally subside after 15 minutes and not return.

[Use Psychology]

concentrate on your breathing more should help prevent it - deep breaths in and shallower ones out. try to breathe regularly as well.

[goldblum]

Use Psychology said:

concentrate on your breathing more should help prevent it - deep breaths in and shallower ones out. try to breathe regularly as well.

Try changing the rhythm of your breathing as you run,this seems to work for me and the stitch goes after 1-2 mins.

[essexplumber]

Ah, ok. I'm gonna try that, my breathing is pretty sharp as I'm trying to re-build my fitness after 10 years of lethergy.

Its frustrating though as I feel like I can really start to push the time I run for but then this bloody stitch gets in the way.

Cheers for the answering my question though guys.

[daz3210]

Must be partly an old wives tale I guess, but we used to get a stitch when we used to do cross country at school, our answer to it was to carry a fairly large stone and squeeze it in our hand. We were told (can't remember exactly who), that the squeezing would prevent the stitch. This was something that seemed to be passed from year to year group.

Of course in reality it probably did absolutely F A to prevent the stitch, but merely focused our attention elsewhere.

Could a similar technique (no not carrying a stone, but focusing attention on something else) help?

[mattikake]

daz3210 said:

Must be partly an old wives tale I guess, but we used to get a stitch when we used to do cross country at school, our answer to it was to carry a fairly large stone and squeeze it in our hand. We were told (can't remember exactly who), that the squeezing would prevent the stitch. This was something that seemed to be passed from year to year group.

Of course in reality it probably did absolutely F A to prevent the stitch, but merely focused our attention elsewhere.

Could a similar technique (no not carrying a stone, but focusing attention on something else) help?

Haha, did you go to the same school as me?! That is 100% what I could've posted.

[ewenm]

I find I get a stitch if I eat anything too close to running - 2 hours is my limit.

[daz3210]

mattikake said:

daz3210 said:

Must be partly an old wives tale I guess, but we used to get a stitch when we used to do cross country at school, our answer to it was to carry a fairly large stone and squeeze it in our hand. We were told (can't remember exactly who), that the squeezing would prevent the stitch. This was something that seemed to be passed from year to year group.

Of course in reality it probably did absolutely F A to prevent the stitch, but merely focused our attention elsewhere.

Could a similar technique (no not carrying a stone, but focusing attention on something else) help?

Haha, did you go to the same school as me?! That is 100% what I could've posted.

I doubt it fella (unless you hail from Yorkshire), but obviously it is an 'old wives tale' that is not restricted to our local area then.

[mattikake]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

It's basically cramp of the diaphragm, caused by movement of internal organs combined with heavier breathing when running.

It should decrease the fitter you get.

Where did you hear that, in terms of it being a matter-of-fact? IIRC there are no confirmed reasons for a stitch. Diaphragm cramps are one theory of several, but not proven.

Another is internal organs rubbing - Liver and Spleen for e.g.

Another is an imbalance of the Thoracic Spine causing all sorts of ligaments to rub when they shouldn't.

Another is the abdominal membrane rubbing against something, usually an internal organ.

Apart from as a kid, the only time I now ever get a stitch is walking downhill. I'm fit, I can run miles, bike uphill at 15km/h, nothing. But walk more than 100 metres down a hill - stitch. As soon as the ground levels out, it goes. Always on the right side around about rib 9. Annoying. That would fit more with something in tune with the last 3 theories than a cramped Diaphragm.

Only fix is just to run it off, as we used to say in footy.

[theshrew]

I started getting them if i had food before i went to the gym / run. Seem to be okay again now and if i do get one its only a slight twinge. Before it was full on pain

[essexplumber]

mattikake said:

Only fix is just to run it off, as we used to say in footy.

Thats what I used to do too. Going Gym at 4, haven't eaten since 11am so fingers crossed.

[TROOPER88]

The gut attaches to the diaphragm via ligaments. If the gut is heavy; could be too much food or more common to much liquid, the ligaments pull and will give you a stitch.

As the food or liquid filter through the gut the pain goes.

Try not drinking so much before the work out.

[dudleybloke]

daz3210 said:

mattikake said:

daz3210 said:

Must be partly an old wives tale I guess, but we used to get a stitch when we used to do cross country at school, our answer to it was to carry a fairly large stone and squeeze it in our hand. We were told (can't remember exactly who), that the squeezing would prevent the stitch. This was something that seemed to be passed from year to year group.

Of course in reality it probably did absolutely F A to prevent the stitch, but merely focused our attention elsewhere.

Could a similar technique (no not carrying a stone, but focusing attention on something else) help?

Haha, did you go to the same school as me?! That is 100% what I could've posted.

I doubt it fella (unless you hail from Yorkshire), but obviously it is an 'old wives tale' that is not restricted to our local area then.

its a well known "cure".
its realy just something to concentrate on till you break through the pain.

[essexplumber]

TROOPER88 said:

The gut attaches to the diaphragm via ligaments. If the gut is heavy; could be too much food or more common to much liquid, the ligaments pull and will give you a stitch.

As the food or liquid filter through the gut the pain goes.

Try not drinking so much before the work out.

I drink water as I go, I may have drunk 750ml by the time I start running, thats probably what it is then.

[superkartracer]

mattikake said:

I'm fit,bike uphill at 15km/h

Thought you said fit?

I find drinking cold water when training brings these on, deep breathing controls the pain but other than that you just have to carry-on, painful as they are.

It could also be a spasm in the rib muscles.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

mattikake said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

It's basically cramp of the diaphragm, caused by movement of internal organs combined with heavier breathing when running.

It should decrease the fitter you get.

Where did you hear that, in terms of it being a matter-of-fact?

I didn't, I made it up for comic effect!