Almost every person has had side stitches or even side stings. Side stitches are cramp-like pains that occur on the left or right side of the chest and can vary in intensity. On the left side they are located at the level of the spleen and on the right side they are mostly at the level of the liver. Of course not every pain at this point is automatically a side stitch. Side stitches occur during endurance sports such as jogging, swimming, cycling and cross-country skiing.
Origin and cause of pain
According to popular belief, the pain of side stinging is caused by speaking during sports activities. But this assumption is not correct, because side stitches have nothing to do with talking during sports. There are several different causes for side stitches, one of which is breathing too fast.
Breathing too quickly means that the body is not getting enough oxygen. Muscles need oxygen to function properly. If the oxygen level in the blood drops, the body switches to an energy supply without oxygen, thereby producing lactate that accumulates in the blood and in the muscles.
If the lactate concentration is too high, the muscles may eventually cramp. Exactly this effect happens at the diaphragm. The muscles of the ribs tense up and contract as a result.
The diaphragm, which is connected to the rib muscles and other muscles in the chest, also contracts. The contraction of the diaphragm then leads to the side stitches, which can sometimes lead to the cessation of sports activities. Apart from the contraction of the diaphragm, there are other possible causes.
The spleen and liver can also cause this pain. During sport, the body redistributes the blood. During and after eating, the body directs the blood to the stomach to optimize digestion and effectively absorb nutrients from food.
The situation is similar during sports. When the body notices that the muscles are activated and moved, the body directs blood from other organs into the muscles to ensure the blood supply to the muscles and thus also to ensure an optimal supply of the muscles with the necessary nutrients. The blood that is missing from the organs and thus also from the liver and spleen causes a changed tension in the organs.
This altered tension then triggers the pain known as lateral stitches. For this reason, you should not do any sports directly after a meal to prevent side stings. Due to the anemia in the organs, they then release additional substances that intensify the pain.
Not only a lack of blood circulation can lead to side stings, but also too much blood circulation, which can build up pressure, which then also causes pain in and on the organs. Bloating and constipation are further factors that can cause side stitches. Due to a filled stomach or intestine with gas or food, the abdomen is very full.
Due to the limited space in the abdominal cavity, all organs are then constricted. This means that the body cannot breathe as well as it should during sports. In addition, there is a lack of space, which can build up additional pressure in the abdominal cavity.
But the abdominal muscles can also lead to the intensive side stitches. A weak abdominal musculature then behaves in a similar way to the cramping rib muscles. If the abdominal muscles are too weak, they tire first and can also cause cramps, which then contract the diaphragm like the rib muscles.
Posture in endurance sports can sometimes also play a significant role in the development of side stitches. If the body posture is bent and crooked, this can cause pressure in the abdomen, which disturbs the blood circulation and can lead to a poorer supply of nutrients. This in turn can cause cramps, which lead to the pain we know as side stitches.
The most common reason for side stings is increased blood circulation in the spleen. Physical exertion causes more blood to flow into the spleen, causing the organ to swell. The spleen is responsible for the redistribution of blood.
It sucks in the blood and then presses it back into the bloodstream. This contraction and pressing causes a constant swelling. The swelling leads to a stretching of the peritoneal coating.
The peritoneum is the peritoneum and lines the abdominal cavity. Most intestines are surrounded by it. It is located below the diaphragm and stretches to the entrance of the small pelvis.
The peritoneum serves as a channel for blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves of the abdominal organs. Besides the peritoneum, the ligamentum splenocolicum is also overstretched.This ligament is also located in the abdominal cavity and provides, among other things, for the suspension of the spleen in the abdominal cavity. This overstretching is probably responsible for the pain on the left and right side of the stomach.
All these theories are not completely wrong, but it is still not possible to say exactly where the pain comes from or when the pain is triggered by which cause. Because especially professional athletes should be trained enough to know their body and not risk cramps by breathing too fast. They should also know that eating before an endurance run is not conducive to athletic performance.
But still you can’t be completely sure not to get a side sting. It is well known that side stings can occur in all endurance sports, but runners are particularly often affected. Why this is so, however, could not be sufficiently clarified so far.
One approach is that the vibrations cause gases from the intestine to rise and thus trigger the pain. When running, the organs are sometimes shaken strongly. Especially when the stomach is full.
Therefore, you should not eat anything heavy three hours before a sporting activity. However, an empty stomach is also not beneficial. For this reason you should eat a small, easily digestible meal about one hour before exercise.
Food that can cause flatulence should therefore always be avoided. The wrong choice and quantity of drinks can also lead to side stings. Namely, if too much liquid is added or if the added liquid contains carbonic acid.
