stitches

Peter and Christine said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few weeks, I was
ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running, I get
these darn stitches in my side. Really painful, and I can't get rid of
them. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've tried all the stretches,
workouts, breathing etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anyone ever heard of
trying Vitaman E to solve this? Or if anyone has any suggestions, I would
certainly appreciate it.

thanks.

Have you tried strengthing the abdominals and
especially the obliques? Running is very intense
on those muscle groups. Crunches and bicycle
maneuver are effective.

do situps.

"Peter and Christine" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<3ztqd.242603$9b.58291@edtnps84>...

Quoted message said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few weeks, I was
ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running, I get
these darn stitches in my side.

I once had over 800 stitches to close a wound on my knee. How many do you have?

Peter and Christine said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few weeks, I was
ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running, I get
these darn stitches in my side. Really painful, and I can't get rid of
them. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've tried all the stretches,
workouts, breathing etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anyone ever heard of
trying Vitaman E to solve this? Or if anyone has any suggestions, I would
certainly appreciate it.

thanks.

Run slower. Run at a speed at which this stitch does not occur. If that
means walking, then walk. Then jog, then run. Get your body used to
running, the pounding and shaking of it. I have never heard of anyone
taking anything for sidestitch. It just goes away as your body gets used
to doing this running thing. Running is not one of those things where
improvements occur very quickly. Staring off slowly will get you through
sidestitches, and help you avoid all kinds of injuries, from strained
muscles to stress fractures.

I started and gave up on running severeal times in my life because of
things like sidestitch. If only the internet had been around then. I
would have known that I was running too hard too soon.

I'm not an expert, though.

Best,
Jeff

The cramps will subside moments after you stop jogging. Oh......you
weren't interested in what's REALLY causing the cramps, you just wanted
a phony remedy that avoids the real problem. My bad.

Peter and Christine said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few

weeks, I was

Quoted message said:

ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running,

I get

Quoted message said:

these darn stitches in my side. Really painful, and I can't get rid

of

Quoted message said:

them. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've tried all the

stretches,

Quoted message said:

workouts, breathing etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anyone ever

heard of

Quoted message said:

trying Vitaman E to solve this? Or if anyone has any suggestions, I

would

Quoted message said:

certainly appreciate it.

I found that I cannot run with much of anything in my stomach, or else
I'd get them. I run first thing in the morning, with just a glass of
orange juice before going. If that timing doesn't work out, then I
make sure it's been at least 3 hours since I last ate.

After awhile, I got them less and less, and I'm currently 40 lbs
overweight, and only go about 6-11 miles per week.

Cathy Weeks

In article <3ztqd.242603$9b.58291@edtnps84>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few weeks, I was
ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running, I get
these darn stitches in my side. Really painful, and I can't get rid of
them. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've tried all the stretches,
workouts, breathing etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anyone ever heard of
trying Vitaman E to solve this? Or if anyone has any suggestions, I would
certainly appreciate it.

thanks.

I find that pushing a big breath out fixes stitches for me. They are
often caused by too much carbon dioxide in your system. Which means you
are breathing in more than you are breathing out. It sometimes takes a
while to get your breathing sorted out.
I'm a beginner runner as well and get stitches when I'm trying to talk
and run. I get caught up in a conversation with my running partner and
forget to pay attention to my breathing. A couple of big exhales and I'm
okay again.
K.

On Wed, 1 Dec 2004 19:40:56 -0500, Sweetpea

. said:

In article <3ztqd.242603$9b.58291@edtnps84>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Hi all! I'm a new runner just starting out. For the first few weeks, I was
ok, took it nice and slow. Now, after about five minutes of running, I get
these darn stitches in my side. Really painful, and I can't get rid of
them. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've tried all the stretches,
workouts, breathing etc. Nothing seems to work. Has anyone ever heard of
trying Vitaman E to solve this? Or if anyone has any suggestions, I would
certainly appreciate it.

thanks.

I find that pushing a big breath out fixes stitches for me. They are
often caused by too much carbon dioxide in your system. Which means you
are breathing in more than you are breathing out. It sometimes takes a
while to get your breathing sorted out.
I'm a beginner runner as well and get stitches when I'm trying to talk
and run. I get caught up in a conversation with my running partner and
forget to pay attention to my breathing. A couple of big exhales and I'm
okay again.
K.

Condition has a lot to do with as well I'm sure. I ran for about three
months and never got them, had a break for a couple of weeks down to a
foot injury, and now I've started up again I'm getting killer side
stitches. I can only just run through them. And my aching back!

br d

try a *sit-back* rather than a sit up or crunches. (great for a lean waistline)

use your body weight to firm your abs.
here's how. (thank you lawrence morehouse..the exercise god)

sitting on the floor, hook your feet under a piece of furniture...as if you are
going to do sit ups.
instead..sit BACK, beginning from a knees to chest position.
lean with a straight back until you can hold for say a good 15 seconds.
prod your tight abs with fingers as you hold the position (breathe normally).
this will make them even tighter.

your abs will quiver when you have reached your limit. repeat at least 3
times...
do once or twice a day.
Increase your lean or move your arms either to your chest or later on above
your head to increase the intensity.

stronger abs make for better breathing and NO side stitches.
also make sure you are not tensed up and taking shallow breaths as you run.
maybe slow down a bit? you can always run longer.
teresa