Running/Walking

[C.Hern5972]

I have been running and walking allot and keeping in my target zone. My question is, when i jog after about 1/4 mile my side kills me and i have to pretty much power walk from there on out. Why is this?????????

[houtex]

This is a side stitch. Pretty common. When I get these its because I started out too fast and am not in running shape yet and haven't got the breathing down. I usually just raise my arm up and touch the top of my head and take slow deep breaths to allow the spasming muscle to relax. Raising your arm takes the weight of your ribs off of the diaphragm. Walk it off and take deep breaths/hold it and release slowly.

Here is some info I got off the 'net.

Causes of Side Stitches

A "side stitch" is a sharp, intense pain under the lower edge of the ribcage caused by a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. Such pain can occur during vigorous exercise, such as running, and seems to occur more commonly in novice exercisers who have not yet established proper pacing and who tend to breathe more quickly and shallow. However, about 30% of all runners will experience stitches at some point. What exactly causes them? On inhalation, we take air into the lungs, pressing the diaphragm downward. When we exhale, the diaphragm moves up. If the body has some trapped air/gas below the diaphragm, if we've eaten too close to exercise, or if we start exercising too vigorously, the diaphragm may cramp, causing pain under the rib cage on the right side.
Treatment of Side Stitches

As with any muscle cramp, the best immediate treatment is to try to stretch the cramping muscle as much as possible. How do you get to the diaphragm on the inside of your body?, Try altering your breathing pattern. Take a deep breath in as quickly as you can, to force the diaphragm down. Hold the breath for a couple of seconds and then forcibly exhale through pursed lips to restrict the outward air flow. You may also find that bending forward can help you expel as much air as possible. I have actually found that stretching up as tall as I could, even to the point of extending arms up over head, then alternating crouch-tall and tightening/flexing the abs, helped as well.

You may even have to stop and walk briskly for a few seconds while concentrating on deep breathing. Continue running after the stitch goes away. If you get a cramp in the middle of a race, you might want to try mixing up your rhythmic breathing/ striding pattern. If you always exhale when your right foot strikes the ground, try exhaling with the left foot strike. The organs attached to the diaphragm on the left side of the body aren't quite as big as those on the right side, hence there is less strain on the diaphragm. Another technique that may work for some is peaceful visualization--if you are feeling stressed from the day or race, try imagining you are elsewhere, and take deep calming breaths as you run.

[C.Hern5972]

Thanks. I have been doing som ereading on it as well. Good info you have. I have to stop and walk about 1/4 mile then run another 1/4 then walk. Kinda make me want to go back to HIIT training. Seemed to work better. Just dont want to over do it at first.

[houtex]

I plan on doing HIIT as well. It did wonders for my running and fat burning a year ago before I hurt my ankle on a run and laid off of it until starting back up lately. At least that is my excuse. LOL. But yeah, HITT works. 15 minutes of that and you are done.

[Valkorin]

'Least its not shinsplins! (sp?)

[SylverGirl]

You have got to make sure that you are well hydrated as well. Drink lots and lots of water and none of this 8 cups a day. Especially in our environment you need to be drinking more.

[ddgtomahawk]

I plan on doing HIIT as well. It did wonders for my running and fat burning a year ago before I hurt my ankle on a run and laid off of it until starting back up lately. At least that is my excuse. LOL. But yeah, HITT works. 15 minutes of that and you are done.

Whats hitt?

[C.Hern5972]

high intesity interval training

[ddgtomahawk]

lol didnt know thats what it meant always heard it called interval training