Don’t get stitched up

Whether by a medical surgeon or an East End gangster, getting ‘stitched up’ is a slang term that almost always describes dire or unpleasant circumstances.

In the realm of exercise and fitness jargon, the outcome is much the same. Have you ever felt stabbing pains in your abdomen area during particularly arduous bouts of physical exertion? If so, they probably weren’t caused by surgery or dodgy wheeler-dealing, but you might simply be suffering from a classic case of the ‘stitch’.

Getting a stitch can be a very unpleasant experience indeed. It normally occurs when we are untrained and suddenly attempt to run or otherwise physically exert ourselves in a manner to which we are not accustomed.

The pain can be fairly local, just attacking one side of the lower abdomen, but it may also quickly spread through to the chest and shoulder on both sides of the torso.

So what causes this strange phenomenon and more importantly, how can we prevent or cure it? Try today’s simple tips and avoid getting stitched up by your workout ever again.

To understand what a stitch is, let’s first have a closer look at what exactly we are dealing with inside that torso and abdominal region where the pain so commonly manifests itself.

In your chest region you will find the heart and lungs. Separating the chest from the abdomen or lower torso is a large dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm. This muscle plays a vital role in breathing; when we breathe in it contracts and flattens, increasing the volume of the lungs thereby drawing air in. Beneath the diaphragm, we find the abdominal organs which include among others, the stomach, colon, liver and spleen.

We know for sure that the stitch pain is somehow related to the diaphragm, but there have been several schools of thought over the years attempting to explain exactly how and why.

A common explanation revolves around the repetitive strain incurred by the ligaments supporting the abdominal organs during high impact activities like running, exacerbated by the constant up and down movement of the diaphragm above, but this theory fails to explain why we still experience the stitch during non-impacting activities like swimming or cycling.

A more recent theory points fingers at the membranes that line the inside of the abdominal wall and the abdominal organs themselves. These membranes are separated by lubricating fluid, but when this fluid is in short supply or the stomach is too full, then friction may occur, causing the pain we associate with a common stitch.

The two membranes are known as the peritoneum and parietal peritoneum, and connect to a nerve that runs up the shoulder joint, helping to explain why stitch pain can also sometimes be felt that far up the torso.

So if our closer examination of your abdominal organs has made your stomach turn, let’s instead turn our attention to some popular stitch remedies that actually work.

To prevent a stitch in the first place, avoid eating too much too close to your workout. Steer clear of high-fat or high-fibre foods as these will fill up or ‘distend’ the stomach. You might need to leave up to four hours before exercise if you have consumed a particularly heavy meal.

More stitch-stimulating culprits include sugary soft drinks and fruit juices. These are retained longer in the stomach than water or traditional sports drinks. Aim to stay hydrated through small regular sips, not big fluid binges.

During exercise itself, always strive to control your breathing. Regular rhythmic breaths will help keep your muscles saturated with oxygen and fuel, and generate less internal friction than more rapid haphazard breathing patterns.

By far, the best stitch-prevention strategy of all is to get generally fitter by sensibly increasing the volume and intensity of your workouts gradually over time, as the stitch is far less likely to occur in fitter exercise enthusiasts or athletes.

If all else fails and the stitch does indeed rear its ugly head, then reduce the intensity, slow down, or stop altogether until it subsides.

Once you’ve stopped or slowed down, a common method of quickly alleviating the pain is the application of pressure directly below the affected region, while simultaneously flexing at the hips or bending forwards. Take deep controlled breaths until the pain subsides.

Before things get out of hand, however, a popular method of containing a mild stitch while running is to synchronise your pace and breathing. It doesn’t matter how many steps you take between each breath, but always initiate expiration (start breathing out) when the foot of your less painful side strikes the ground.

During other forms of physical activity like swimming or exercising on a cardiovascular machine at the gym, see how you can match your movements with your breathing for similar results.

This method has been known to help, whether it is due to the synchronised movement of the internal organs or simply an effective means of preoccupying your thoughts on controlling your breathing rather than the pain, it is worth a try before the stitch takes over and becomes a nasty needle in your side.

info@noble-gym.com