When you start your run in good spirits, you suddenly feel a side stab just below the rib cage. What can be the causes and what can you do about it?
A well-known problem for many athletes – especially runners – they suddenly experience a sharp, stabbing pain just below the rib cage during their workout. Do you have pain on the left side? Then your stomach and/or spleen may be cramped. This could be because you ate right before exercising. When digesting food, your organs need more blood, but during physical exertion your muscles also require oxygen-rich blood. Your body has 'only' six liters of blood, so it has to make choices at the expense of your stomach or spleen. There the blood flow decreases, the blood vessels shrink and voilà:painful side stitches.
Eat a nutritious meal two to three hours before your workout, then preferably nothing more. This gives your body plenty of time to digest the food. Research shows that drinking sugary drinks before exercise can worsen side stings.
Read also: ‘Tips against stabbing your side‘
Do you have a stitch on the right side? Then your diaphragm may be the culprit. With every step you run, there is pressure on the tires of your diaphragm. At the same time, during high exertion, your diaphragm is busy forcing air out of your lungs. This can cause great muscle tension, resulting in cramping and painful stings. It is also possible that the respiratory muscles in your diaphragm do not receive enough oxygen because other muscles require more blood. If you then start to breathe shallowly, there will be more and more
the respiratory muscles are pulled and the risk of cramping increases.
Slow down your pace to reduce the pressure. If the pain lasts for a long time, stop for a while. Raise your arms, stretching your diaphragm and abs. Extend your exhalation and squeeze your lungs completely empty. This will bring your diaphragm back to length and allow the trapped air to escape.
Side stitches can also be caused by stiff hip and trunk muscles. The psoas major is a hip muscle that connects the top of your thigh bone to the bottom of your spine. If it is stiff and does not move smoothly, it will be put to work with each hip extension during your run. This can also cause muscle tension and therefore cramps. The same goes for your torso muscle. This connects your lower ribs to the hip pelvis and is active in your breathing, extension of your spine and rotation of your upper body.
A good warm-up is indispensable. This allows your body to get used to the increased effort, you warm up your muscles and you can slowly build up your breathing. Are you very stiff? Then consider doing (more) yoga or Pilates.
Finally, a hollow back can also cause painful side stitches. In this way, your diaphragm is pulled into an unnatural position, which puts extra strain on your core muscles. The nerves can also come under pressure.
Core exercises can strengthen your back, hip, core, and abs, improving your posture. Think of exercises such as the plank, squat and various abdominal exercises, such as sit-ups.
