Hi! I'm new here .

OK, so, I just went out for a jog/walk, and after about 15 minutes of on-off jogging, I had this horrible pain. It's sort of at the top of my stomach/bottom of my chest, and it feels like some kind of vital organ is going to explode. I'm sure it's nothing so serious, but I've never had this before, and I want to know why it's happening :/.

I went running about a month ago and had no such pain. The only differences that I can fathom between this time and last time are:

1. I had a breakfast bar about 20 minutes before setting off. I know I shouldn't have eaten, but I was hungry, and it was only 70 cals .

2. I didn't sleep last night (Insomnia - but I basically went running because it was less of a waste of time than staring at the ceiling).

3. Lack of fluid? I had a big drink before I left. That said, I doubt I had much more last time.

What is this, and, more importantly, how can I make sure it doesn't happen next time I go for a run?

When I am very tired, I get out of breath really easily. And when I get intensely out of breath I have the same pain you just described. Maybe it was the lack of sleep.

its a side stitch...relax! We ALL get them from time to time. You can dissect all you want why you got it, but really,it can be caused from anything. Me personally, if i DONT eat im more prone to get them. Next time you are out and it happens try this (running or walking)..... exhale HARD and FORECFULLY whenever the side that hurts steps-- does that make sense? When that foot strikes on the side that hurt, Force air HARD through your diaphragm. This works like a charm for me after a couple minutes!
Sorry about the side stitch, but dont worry, just cuz you got one THIS time, doesnt mean youll get one NEXT time.

Ugh, I have a horrible problem with side stitches. It's like you said, like a vital organ is about to explode xD And mine happen right where my liver/pancreas/gall bladder are so I always convince myself something is wrong. Always happens in the exact same place. Eating CERTAIN foods beforehand (like dairy or for some reason grains) for me seems to make it worse, but it isn't entirely predictable.

MK is right, breathing out hard/forcefully helps. I'm not sure why.

I think it works becuz technnically its a cramp in the diaphragm, and breathing out forcefully forces you to USE the diaphragm, and "massage" out the cramp...just a guess any hoo

When you have it, try to breathe in through your nose as deeply as possible, and out through your mouth.

It's nothing to be afraid of... just ease down a bit and do the nose breathing... and then increase the intensity again.

It's a matter of conditioning. Over time this will bother you less and less.

By the way, don't go running shortly after having a meal. That's asking for side stitches.

I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth pursing my lips. I do this from the very beginning of my workout. If I do it from the very beginning,99% of the time I will not have a side stitch.

This may sound weird, but if I shove my fingers into my side, very hard, against where the cramp is, and massage it, that seems to help, too.

There is a ligament that connects your diaphragm to your internal organs (liver, etc.). When your foot lands, gravity forces your internal organs downward, which pulls on the ligament connected to your diaphragm, which in turn stretches the diaphragm, causing it to spasm--the source of the pain. Almost all runners get them at some point, but some people are more prone to them than others.

I seem to be more prone than average to side stitches. I used to get them all the time as a kid during swim practice, which makes almost no sense, given the explanation above. They are also a frequent problem when I run. Here are a few things that have helped:

• Strengthening my ab muscles. This has probably been the number one biggest help. As my ab muscles have gotten stronger, I have fewer side stitches and they are easier to control.
• Running on a treadmill, rather than running outdoors. The treadmill absorbs some of the shock, lessening the strain on my diaphragm.
• Making sure I suck in my ab muscles in when I run. Wearing compression shorts or tights also helps.
• Not running outside when it is above a certain temperature. If I run outside when the temperature is over 70, I will get most definitely end up with a side stitch. When it's warm outside, I do my running indoors on a treadmill. It's just a limitation I've come to accept.
• Staying on plan with my eating. I'm more likely to get side stitches when I've been eating off plan. I suspect it is a matter of water retention and/or proper hydration.

My acupuncturist says that side stitches can be the result of eloctrolyte imbalances and recommends taking magnesium to correct this. I tried taking magnesium, but it didn't agree with me, so I haven't really tested this out.

When I get a side stitch while running, I can sometimes control or eliminate it by sucking in my stomach and carefully controlling my breathing, the way mkroyer suggests (although I forcefully breathe out when my left foot lands, so that I am inhaling when my right foot lands). It also helps to change my pace and to stop and stretch my abs. And, if nothing else works, shoving my fingers into my side or squeezing my side, as saef suggests, at least helps. This relieves some of the pressure on the diaphragm.

Here is a useful article on side stitches.

I'm gonna have to try some of those tips!
Thanks BlueToBlue I never thought about whether the temperature might affect whether I get painful stitches or not, I'll have to experiment with that too. Oh, I also find that if I run within a few hours of actually WORKING my abs, my stitches are usually worse. I wonder if that's because my core is already tired?

That could be. My trainer says to do abs at the end of your workout because you engage your core in every exercise that you do. Even bicycling engages your core (I had specifically asked him if I could do abs before spin class). You definitely engage it when you run. You don't realize how much you use your abs until they are sore and you can really feel them.