We all know that feeling. You’re in the middle of your workout or run and suddenly you get a dreaded stitch in your side. You have to pause and you try desperately to get rid of it. We all get them, but there is a lot of speculation around the actual cause of stitches. So what can you do to get rid of them?
Core Training
Apart from looking good, your core muscles hold everything in that area together. By training them, you are also making sure that the muscles which can be affected by a stitch are better stabilized
Increase Mobility
If you relieve tension in your muscles, your core will be able to move optimally in all directions, which will help against stitches. So if you do exercises which only focus on one side of the body at a time, always do an equal number on both sides.
Mindful Eating Habits
Before training, try to avoid eating too much or anything too decadent. A full stomach will cause physical pressure on the muscles used for breathing from within, which can encourage a stitch when training.
Breathing Exercises
During training, inhaling deeply and slowly can help to reduce the intensity of a stitch. The best remedy once a stitch really kicks in is to stop briefly, whilst breathing slowly, regularly and deeply. Practicing these breathing exercises at home will also train your diaphragm and the muscles involved in breathing, helping to avoid a stitch in the first place.
Fasciae Training
Muscles and fasciae (all types of connective tissue) are inseperable when it comes to the stabilization of the whole body. Special dynamic exercises will help you to stay supple and strong at the same time and help deter stitches.
Now there’s nothing standing in your way. Nothing slowing you down. Next time a stitch starts to ruin your training, you’ll know how to beat it.
