TRIVIA: how does stitch occur, prevention and alleviation of stitch

During running, its a common occurrence to experience stitches (also referred to as side cramp) someone near the stomach/ under the ribcage. It can occur on either side depending on the individual. It is caused by... is what I want to be able to share, but unfortunately, even scientists do not know the exact cause of stitch. Through reading a factsheet provided online by the Australian Sports Commission, there are a few theories for the cause of stitch. However, previous theories has their loopholes and a more recent and accepted theory is that stitch is caused by irritation of the parietal peritoneum (layer of membrane that line the abdominal cavity).
To put it simply, due to a lack of lubricating fluid between the membranes of the abdomen during exercise, friction between the membranes causes discomfort which we experience as stitch. This pain experienced is usually benign and a quick verification is to stop running and the pain should subside.

Shake off the stitch and continue running

That said, the main problem with stitch is that the runner does not want to stop! Especially when you only started  running for less than 5 minutes and you have to stop due to the stitch when every other muscle of your body is still roaring to go! So what are the ways to treat stitch on the run?

Well I personally tried this method that I found online.

1. Hold the area where you're feeling the stitch by stabbing around it with your fingers. 
2. Change your breathing pattern.  If you always exhale when your right foot lands, change your breathing rhythm to exhale when your left foot lands.

My personal take: It did manage to alleviate my stitch. However, I also added some elements which I think is the most useful to treat the stitch on the run

• Slow down your intensity of the run. Change your pace to a slow jog for a few minutes to shake off the stitch before gearing up your speed again.

If the stitch still persists, you should rest. I know, I shared before to never give up, but there are times you should take a break. To alleviate the stitch, bend forward while holding on the affected area and do deep breaths. You can then start with a slow jog to see if the pain comes back again.

Prevention of Stitch

Though the theory of stitch is unknown, what is heartening is that we do know that doing certain things before running will increase the probability of it. Now the best way is probably to avoid doing these things:

1. Do not eat or drink too much water 2 hours before and during a run. This always gets me and by experience I have stopped any large intake of food/water if I want a great workout session.
2. Run regularly. I realised that the occurrence of stitch is more frequent if I run spontaneously rather than run religiously. It seems that regular training do have an effect to strengthen your abdominal against stitches occuring.
3. Maintain deep breathing and good posture. I probably didn't realise it, but the more I ran, the better was my running posture and breathing rhythm. This explains why you are more likely to get a stitch if you run at inconsistent speeds. Avoid suddenly sprinting at first, always start your run slow and steady.

Finally, if you are interested in running, do check out my previous post on running longer and further. May your next run be a stitch-free one!

EUFASS