Stitches and how to drop them! - Beginners

FAJ

01/04/2003 at 15:12

Hiyah,

No doubt there's plenty info on the forum about stitches and if I dig deep enough I'll find it. But I was hoping I could take the lazy person's way out and just jump in and ask....

What does everyone find is the best way to get rid of a stitch? Or, even better, how to avoid getting them (as far as possible) in the first place? I'm beginning to think that it's all in the mind, kind of like that phantom pee thing I hear so much about!

Thanks, everyone

FAJ

ultra meerkat

01/04/2003 at 15:51

Hiya FAJ - my method of stitch removal is: check how you're breathing when you run. If you normally breathe in when your right foot hits the ground, swap it round, so that you breathe in on a left foot strike. And the fitter you get, the less you'll get it.

Michael Keeley

01/04/2003 at 16:38

Hi FAJ

I use to get stitches when I first started running and would masage while running the side with the stitch and it seem to pass.

I also heard that core strenghtening helps and I have to say that since I lost the little pot belly I had developed and tightened up my abs I don't seem to suffer with stitches any more. I actually can't remember the last time I got a stitch while running (touch wood).

So maybe if you dont already, include some core sternghtening into your workouts.

I am now up to 2 sets each of 40 reps of crunches, crunches with legs raised onto stability ball, oblique crunches and reverse crunches every second day. Seemed to work for me.

Check out this site for some info

MK

Bodjit - Training very slowly

01/04/2003 at 20:40

Hi FAJ
Also breath out as though you are blowing into a paper bag, this often helps. Don't eat for a couple of hours before you run, and it will get less as you get fitter.

Brunette bird

01/04/2003 at 21:04

Hi, Im having the same problem, I get a sitch in the right hand side for the past few runs, my last food before a run is a snack of a bowl of cereal about 2 1/2 hours before I run. I also work my core stability muscles on my non run evenings, I will try other suggestions of breathing when other foot reaches ground, any other suggestions would be appreciated, also any other suggestions on what to snack before going out, so long as its not meat or fish as dont eat either, thanks

hobbit lady

01/04/2003 at 21:42

I find that if you change your breathing pattern while you're running it helps like, meerkat says, and take some long slower breaths (hard I know when you are puffed out) in between your faster breaths.

Kitanda

01/04/2003 at 23:19

Also agree. I found out on here that if you breathe out hard as you put your foot down on the side where the stitch is, it goes after about 3 repeats of this.

Works for me.

Andrew Murray

02/04/2003 at 11:01

Breathing out when my left foot hits the ground seem to do the trick. Not running on a full stomach.

Doing crunches also helps.

Minks

02/04/2003 at 13:04

Try having something light to eat (e.g. a banana) 2-2.5 hours before you run, and don't drink anything in the hour before you run (you can make up for this when you finish your run).

I find raising my arm on the side of the stitch straight up can help too (looks a bit strange, and be careful you don't accidentally flag down a passing taxi!)

Since I started the banana thing I haven't had a stitch at all, and I used to get them constantly. Guess it's unfortunately a case of trying things out to see what works for you.

DBSA

02/04/2003 at 13:41

A few deep breaths normally does the trick for me.

I only get them when i eat or drink within an hour of running (and im not talking about a banana or something).

Emsie B

02/04/2003 at 15:02

I to get stitches, but much less now I'm fitter. I do exaggerated breathing out and blow my tummy out at the same time, and then when I breathe in pull my tummy in. Also, big breath out every 2nd time my left foot strikes the ground. I think this helps partly because you're stretching the stomach muscle, partly because you are puffing out on the left side when stitches happen on the right, and partly because when you're trying to concentrate on keeping this together and running you forget about the stitch!

FAJ

03/04/2003 at 15:27

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Me and my running chum tried them last night and they seemed to do the job. Though I found that puffing out when my right foot hit the ground was, would you believe, causing a stitch on that side. So I swapped to breathing out when my left foot hit instead and that was fine. I also found out that drinking 3/4 litre of fizzy water in the hour-and-a-half leading up to going out is a right no-no! What a chump. I'm not sure about not eating anything for 2-2.5 hours before I go out, though, as I fear I would pass out!

Fiona

Brunette bird

05/04/2003 at 13:06

Tried not eating to much 2 hours before running, still had stitch!! tried massaging area, now have a bruise there!!! obviously rubbed to hard!! will try to remember breathing tips next time although have enough trouble with breathing anyway!!

08/04/2003 at 11:34

Get someone to look at you as you're running past (once your near the end of a session and you've got stitch - not at the beginning). You may need to straighten your torso out more, i.e. stand up straighter, which will help your diaphragm and stomach muscles unknot.

Definately advice about massaging the area, eating (or not) before races etc definately works for me. My original cut-off point was about 2 - 2.5 hours when I started but is now down to about 1.5 hours of starvation prior to a 10k provided its light - e.g. cereal not a fry-up.

Can now have a few mouthfuls of water about 20 mins before a race too - its just the ligaments/tissue which hold your intestines in place need to get used to the bouncing around.

Tania Kelly-Baker

07/04/2009 at 19:21

am really surprised at what you are saying about drinking. is it bad then to drink while running? I don't think I could do a 10K without my bottle of water!

sallya

07/04/2009 at 21:41

I don't often get stitch, except for if I eat/drink too close to running. When I do get it, I find that dropping my arms down by my side and blowing out very hard a couple of times helps to get rid of it.

Lostkat

07/04/2009 at 21:47

I used to get stitch all the time when I started out. I just tried to make sure I was running upright (not bending forward) and ran through it as it went away eventually. Thankfully, I don't seem to get it anymore. I always have a mouthful of water before going out on a jog just to wet my mouth and keep me going.

Julie Hollingdrake

12/12/2010 at 18:51

Is there a paticular time or distance when a stitch kicks in? For me it's usually about 3 miles.

Leigh Maltby

18/02/2011 at 15:50

I found something online the other day which seemed to work. When you start getting a stitch stretch your arms up and backwards and takes deep breaths. This has worked a couple of times for me now.

Jenjen84

22/02/2011 at 16:55

Has anyone considered (in females) the relationship between getting a stitch and water retention?

Today I did a circuit and had a stitch during the laps. Yesterday I played squash and had a stitch. On Sunday I ran 5 miles and had a stitch.

However, at other times I can go for about two or three weeks without getting a stitch.

I wouldn't say that i'm a world class athlete but for the past 14-16 months I've been undertaking regular (3-4 times / week, minimum) exercise, inculding running, which began properly with the Manchester 10km in 2009. I really do feel stronger and fitter in many ways.

I will try the tips mentioned here (all I've tried so far is the breathing exercises, to no avail) but I'm also going to map when in the month I get a stitch. I'm curious as to whether there might be a link between low levels of water in the body and getting a stitch.

Hmm....