Side stitch while running

[mercury]

Hi everyone,
I'm almost done Week 4, and I wanted to ask: has anyone else here had problems with a persistent side stitch?

I've been enjoying the program so far, but I almost always get a stitch halfway into my run. I've experimented with not eating two hours before my workout, altering my pace and running slower, pressing the stitch, etc - nothing works. While I'm not actually tired from the run itself, the stitches are starting to get really demotivating

Does anyone have any other advice or similar experience? I thought maybe I just had to harden up and run through it, but it's been 4 weeks now, and sometimes it's pretty excruciating. Weirdly, two runs of the entire program so far (in week 3) were stitch-free: easy and awesome.

[benjohn]

I've not had really bad stitch – I'm sorry you're suffering, and it's terrible if it's demotivating you!

The thing I've found helped me when I've had some stitch is breathing. I concentrate on my breathing. I make sure I'm breathing quite deeply, quite firmly (if that makes sense – taking the breath in smoothly and breathing it out smoothly), breathing regularly (I breath in rhythm with my running, several steps in and several steps out), and avoiding quick breaths (certainly not panting). I breath through my mouth, usually.

I also make sure that I've got my back pretty straight, and chest out a little, and try to draw my tummy in – good posture, basically. Being conscious of these things for a few minutes usually makes it go away.

Something else you should watch for it "hydration". Make sure you're having plenty to drink. Personally though, I avoid drinking much while I'm actually running. If I take a bottle at all, I'll just have sips. I don't drink directly before hand, as I find the feel of liquid rolling about in my tummy is really uncomfortable!

Hope that will help

[mercury]

Hi Benjohn, thanks for replying with potential solutions!

I went out on w4d3 convinced that I had to tackle my running form, but no luck: stitch just as fast as ever

I drink a lot of water through the day and I've tried every possible combination of breathing... I'm starting to see why week 4 is the 'drop out week', because for the first time in the program, I'm starting to wonder whether I may not be cut out for running

Instead of forcing myself through week 5 in pain tomorrow, I'm planning to repeat a couple of days of week 4 to see if it gets any better.

[benjohn]

Sorry that the suggestions didn't help

Definitely don't force yourself through something that you dislike. If you can continue at the same place for a while, that's definitely a whole lot better than doing nothing

There are some quite good thoughts in the last few paragraphs of this article, although it might not be anything new for you.

[kishe_lily]

This might not be the case with you, but I have given myself a really bad stitch by drinking too much water during my runs, I had about 2/3 of my 600ml bottle before my final run, and had a horrible stitch as a result. I still carry water and sip at it in walking intervals, but I save most of it to drink during my cool down walk.

I tend to get stitches walking rather than running, but I find the manual application of pressure mentioned in Benjohn's article is really helpful when it comes to reducing the pain. I know this doesn't solve the problem, but hopefully it will at least put you on until you find a solution.

Good luck!

[Bruciebonus]

Hi, wanted to reply to this because I've been having the exact same problem! I'm now in week 6 and up until week 4 hadn't had any trouble with stitches, since then I have had one nearly every time I have run. I tried running before breakfast, after breakfast, drinking lots of water, just a little water etc!!!! When I googled it I read suggestions on stamping the opposite foot to the side of the stitch whilst running, which I find can help and controlling your breathing, one which I'm still trying to master! The main thing for me is that I have started thinking about it all too much and not relaxing! Sounds simple but today I did my w6r2 run and didn't suffer too badly, I tried to keep relaxed and not stress out about my breathing, it worked for me! The programme doesn't specify stretches before the run but I have started just doing light stretches before especially side stretches. If I was near the end of a run I wouldn't mind so much running through the pain but when it strikes at the beginning it's very difficult to run through that sort of pain. Fingers crossed it doesn't continue!
Beat wishes, Claire.

[AssOfDoom]

I had this and a friend suggested rubbing deep heat cream into the area where you get the stitch before you start. It did seem to help but I've no idea why! Possibly just a distraction technique?!

[mercury]

Thanks everyone, it's really heartening to come on here and read your responses, as well as to hear that others have had similar problems. I sort of fell off the wagon and missed my last two runs - while I was fine enough battling my asthma during week 1-3, I really dread imminent stitch pain!

Bruciebonus - I totally agree with your advice to try stay relaxed - I find that I'm now so tensed up expecting pain from the moment I start my warm-up, that the stitch starts quicker than ever before! Nevertheless, it's encouraging to know that someone else with a mysterious stitch is obstinately sticking to the program.

AssOfDoom (lol), thanks, I think I'll try this before I venture outdoors again.

I think I'll tackle week 4 again tomorrow, but indoors, since my stitches seem to be less severe on a treadmill (which is why I initially thought the stitch had something to do with poor running form outdoors!) My goal is to complete an outdoors race though, so I feel it's a bit pointless to do the program on a treadmill, since it won't really get me much closer to my goal :/

[violabird]

Hi,

Not sure if this will help at all but I recently found a solution to a problem I had, and it may be worth a try!


I didn't have a stitch but I had severe muscle burn in my calves, which over time just got worse in my left leg, whilst my right leg got better. I was really worried that I was somehow running wonky, because the pain was getting so bad in my left leg, so asked my brother (who's a rather more hardcore runner than me!) and he suggested I try altering my breathing patterns so that I alternate which leg I breathe in and out on. Sounds bizarre but it actually worked!

I breathe in for 2 steps and breathe out for 3, or in for 3 and out for 4 depending on how I'm feeling. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as the total steps for one cycle of breathing in and out is an odd number. The minute I started doing that my leg pain totally evened out, so if your stitch is always in one side it might work for you! It's very hard to keep up your concentration, and also you feel like you're hyperventilating a little to start with, but persist and it should get easier!

Hope it helps, good luck!