Whether you’re out running or doing any exercise, an all-too-familiar sharp pain in your side can stop you in your tracks. You know just how distracting and uncomfortable it can be if you’ve ever experienced a side stitch—also known as a muscle stitch or exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP).
Side stitches are common during many forms of exercise, particularly running. A 2015 study estimated that as many as 70% of runners had experienced a stitch in the previous year. Additionally, about one in five race participants will likely get a stitch.
Fortunately, ETAP is not a medical emergency or a reason to see a doctor. The causes of side stitches are not yet fully understood, but most people can deal with one if it happens. Learn how to get rid of a side stitch so you can keep moving without the discomfort.
What Is a Side Stitch?
A side stitch is a sudden sharp or stabbing pain is usually felt on the right lower abdominals below the ribs. It is especially common among runners and swimmers. The main symptom of a stitch is localized pain on one side of the abdomen. Stitches typically occur on the right side twice as often as on the left.
While age plays a role in ETAP—with older adults less prone to side stitches than children, adolescents, or younger adults—a person’s sex or body composition does not. Anyone of any shape, size, or ability can get a side stitch from many types of physical activity.
If you experience what seems like a side stitch while you are inactive, it’s likely something else, such as a cramp or indigestion. If you are concerned about a side stitch that isn’t caused by exercise or persists after movement, seek medical care. Some forms of pain in the abdominal region can be medical emergencies, such as appendicitis.
Research shows that people describe ETAP differently, depending on the pain level: sharp or stabbing if severe, or like a muscle cramp or pulling sensation when less intense. While the exact causes may not be well understood, a handful of known risk factors are associated with ETAP.
For instance, age may play a role. Younger runners are more likely to get side stitches than older adults. But older runners develop ETAP; they tend to rate the pain as less severe.
Ingesting food or beverages before a run can also increase the risk of getting a stitch. Certain types of food and drink seem to be more associated with ETAP, particularly those higher in sugar or fat, some fruits and fruit juices, and dairy products.
Those new to exercise may experience cramps like side stitches if they’re still working on developing and strengthening their abdominal muscles. Conversely, exercising too hard despite your fitness level could make you more likely to get a stitch, especially if you’re not warmed up.
Some people find running harder in cold weather since the chilly air can cause the diaphragm to spasm. You may be subjected to a cramp or stitch if you cannot breathe deeply.
Warm-Up to Prevent Side Stitches
A proper warm-up gets oxygen flowing through your body, which can help prevent a stitch, particularly in runners.
Causes of Side Stiches
Although side stitches have been well-studied, researchers still aren’t entirely sure why they happen. While there are many possibilities, most are based on anecdotal evidence. Reasons you might get a side stitch may include:
- Having a curvature of the spine (scoliosis): One study found a link between ETAP and increased curvature of the spine.
- Drinking sweet beverages: Some research has shown that consuming sugary drinks before exercise increases the likelihood of stitches.
- Going for a run too soon after eating: Runners sometimes notice they’re more likely to get a stitch if they’re still full from a pre-workout meal or snack.
- Neglecting to warm up before a run: Runners sometimes report that they are more likely to get a side stitch if they start running without warming up.
- Taking shallow breaths: Not breathing properly while running has been attributed to side stitches.
Stitches also are often attributed to muscle cramps, but at least one study has shown no significant difference in electrical activity in the muscles when a subject was experiencing ETAP.
While there is no definitive explanation as to the cause of a side stitch, researchers have proposed two possible theories to explain the phenomenon: dietary-related causes and physiology-related causes.
Diet
Whether you’re an exerciser or runner, what you eat and drink during and before a workout matters. Research has shown that eating foods before exercise is the predominant cause of ETAP. Interestingly, the volume of food eaten seems to have less of an effect than the timing of a meal or the types of food eaten.
A study published in 2015 in Sports Medicine found that consuming juices or beverages high in carbohydrates (11% concentration or greater) just before or during exercise increased the risk of a side stitch.
Additionally, some studies have suggested that drinking fruit juice or high-carbohydrate sports drinks before and during exercise can lead to ETAP. By contrast, people who consumed water or low-carb sports drinks experienced fewer side stitches.
Physiology
Exercise itself is not necessarily a risk factor for side stitches. ETAP is usually caused by repetitive movements in which the torso is repeatedly extended, which occurs during certain types of physical activity.
This could explain why side stitches can affect horse riders or off-track racers whose upper bodies are placed in upright positions under rapid, repetitive stress.
Structures Affected by Repetitive Stress
- Diaphragm: the muscle layer situated between the abdominal cavity and lungs
- Lumbar spine: an area located on the lower back
- Parietal peritoneum: the soft lining of the abdomen and pelvic cavity that surrounds most of the internal organs
- Peritoneal ligaments: the connective tissues that hold the internal organs in place
It is possible that the friction between tissue layers and the stretching of ligaments and muscles could trigger spasms and inflame the sensitive nerve endings of the spine and parietal peritoneum in the abdomen.
As for runners, some anecdotal theories posit that exhaling on the right foot exerts more significant pressure on the liver (which is also situated on the right, just under the ribs). According to the theory, this may cause the diaphragm to lift while the liver drops, potentially triggering ETAP—though there is insufficient evidence to support this claim.
How to Get Rid of a Side Stitch
There’s no shortage of tips for stopping a side stitch. While they might not work for everyone, none of them are harmful—and at least one of them might do the trick for you. The next time a stitch threatens to thwart your exercise, here is a sequence of steps to try before you throw in the towel:
- Gently push your fingers into the area where you feel pain on the right side of your belly. This should help relieve it to some degree.
- Alter your breathing pattern: Take a deep breath as quickly as possible—this will force your diaphragm down. Hold your breath for a couple of seconds, then forcibly exhale through pursed lips.
- Try changing your breathing/striding pattern. If you always exhale when your right foot strikes the ground, try exhaling with the left foot strike.
- Try stretching the area. If you have a side stitch on your left side, raise your left arm over your head and lean toward the right side. This will help open up the muscles in the area of the stitch.
- If all else fails, slow down to a brisk walk and concentrate on deep breathing. When the stitch goes away, you can resume activity.
If you develop a side stitch while you’re exercising you should stop the activity immediately and take steps to alleviate the discomfort. If you continue to experience pain, call your doctor.
How to Prevent a Side Stich
There are known risk factors for getting a stitch while running and exercising. Fortunately, by taking a few precautions, you might find that preventing a stitch can be easier than making one go away. While some risk factors, such as age or the weather, cannot be controlled, there are some helpful dos and don’ts you can keep in mind.
Do’s
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Drink only water before a workout
Always warm-up
Regulate breathing
Try yoga
Don’ts
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Eating within one hour of a workout
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Run hunched over
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Skip cold-weather gear
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Do too much, too fast
Know How to Fuel Up
Be sure to eat appropriately, too. Avoid heavy meals just before exercise, especially foods high in protein that can take longer to digest. Skip the high-carb sugary beverages, including sports drinks, and drink plain water for pre-hydration. While training, sip rather than chug fluids and avoid drinks with high acid concentrations, added sugar (carbohydrate), or sodium.
What and When to Eat Before Exercise
Regulate Breathing
Get oxygen flowing through your body before you ramp up your exercise. Regulating your breathing is one of the most effective ways to avoid a stitch. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, breathing deeply from your belly and not your chest to breathe more air.
If you’re running, change your stride-breathing pattern. Most runners follow a two-to-one breathing pattern, taking one full breath every two strides. Consciously changing that pattern now and then may reduce the stress on the abdomen and torso.
How to Breathe While Running
Strengthen Your Core
Incorporate yoga into your fitness routine. The practice will help you to learn how to breathe correctly—breathing techniques in yoga focus on deep belly breathing. Learn to breathe with your diaphragm by extending your belly during inhalations and pulling in your stomach during exhalation.
Specific yoga postures can strengthen your abdominal muscles—incorporate core strengthening into your training, including planks, side planks, and V-sits.
Practice Good Form
Always warm up first: Start with some dynamic stretches and a 5- to 10-minute walk or jog to get the blood pumping to your muscles before you run. Focus on maintaining good posture and proper running form. Make sure you avoid hunching over, allowing you to breathe more deeply.
Dress for the Weather
If it’s very cold outside and you’re not dressed for it, you will likely find breathing deep lungfuls of frigid air difficult. Before going for a cold-weather walk or run, put on a neck warmer, snood, or wrap a scarf around your neck and lightly over your mouth and nose and breathe in and out.
11 Common Running Mistakes to Avoid
A Word From Verywell
Side stitches are common but uncomfortable and can interfere with your training sessions. While they are sometimes unavoidable, there are many ways you can eliminate or prevent them. Following the above recommendations can help you avoid getting a side stitch while training. If you experience pan in your abdomen unrelated to exercise or if it persists beyond training, seek medical attention.
When Should I Run Through Pain?
Frequently Asked Questions
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What causes a stitch in your side when not exercising?
A stitch in your side when you are not exercising is likely due to something else and not technically a side stitch. It could be indigestion, cramping, or another issue. If it is painful, accompanied by nausea, or prolonged, seek medical care.
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How long do side stitches last?
Side stitches usually do not last long after you stop movement. During movement, you may continue to feel pain if you cannot address the issue with deep breathing or other techniques. If you continue to feel pain, seek medical attention.
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Is a side stitch a cramp?
A side stitch is similar to a cramp but is caused by physical activity. The causes are varied and can be due to food or liquid intake, failing to warm-up, and other factors.