I ran a half marathon all out the other week, as part of Paris Marathon training.
19/21km of the race went swimmingly, until I stitchiest of stitches…
I don’t usually get stitches but this felt like being stabbed repeatedly.
I kinda don’t want this to happen on marathon day… So I delved into the world of stitches – what causes them (so I can prevent them) and what to do if I get one on the run.
What causes a side stitch and how do I prevent them?
There are 4 main causes worth talking about, PLUS a bonus fifth that’s emerging.
These are: Dehydration, Improper breathing, Digestive issues, and Weak core strength (postural and abdomen).
It’s hard to pin down exactly which one of these are causing your side stitches but it’s best to cover all bases by ticking each one off:
- Dehydration: Make sure you stay hydrated on the run and well before it, including electrolyte supplementation.
- Improper breathing: Breathing should go as deep as possible IN to help take in oxygen and go far enough OUT to help expel carbon dioxide (I blame elite marathon runners for global warming). Get into a steady, consistent running like 2 steps in, 2 steps out.
- Digestive issues: Avoid heavy, indigestible meals immediately before running. Stick to highly digestible carbs like white bread, bananas, honey, dates, jam, etc. if eating close to run time.
- Weak core strength (postural and abdomen): The more stable you can make your torso while running, the better. You do that through traditional core work like twists and crunches, PLUS posture improving moves like deadlifts.
Now BONUS time… There’s even research now suggesting that stitches are a reflection of your stress and anxiety levels.
The research isn’t that robust though. It’s based on surveying peoples’ stress levels and there isn’t even a biological explanation of how stress can cause a stitch. But it’s interesting food for thought to contextualise race day nerves.
What if I get a side stitch while running?
Of course, prevention is better than treatment here, but it’s good to have this protocol in the back of your head if you do get a side stitch on the run.
- Do everything in your power to relax.
- Just drop your shoulders away from your ears, so that you unlock the natural motion of your arms.
- And then just get some deep breaths in, nice and slowly, through the nose and all the way into the belly, then let go through your mouth.
- We’re trying to get as much oxygen as possible in to help clear any waste build-up, and nasal breathing encourages this.
- If that doesn’t work, slow down to a walk for a couple of mins.
- And if that doesn’t work, then stop for a few mins.
