Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 09

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk 36 ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners ETAP That’s a stitch to you and I HEALTH : PAIN it could be... You know, that stabbing pain you get, usually to the side, just under your ribcage. Well what is it? It’s technical name is Exercise related Transient Abdominal Pain. What causes it? There are a few theories. The cause, (according to running.competitor.com ) is: when running, there is increased abdominal pressure pushing up on the diaphragm. At the same time, rapid breathing causes the lungs to expand and this presses downward on the diaphragm, a muscle that if pinched from above and below, gets less blood flow and therefore spasms. Another theory (news.bbc.co.uk ) is: it is caused by fluids which the body finds hard to digest, causing the gut to ‘tug’ on the ligaments connecting it to the diaphragm. It is also a common occurrence in those who fail to do a significant warm up. If breathing is too shallow it can restrict oxygen to the diaphragm, hence the importance of a suitable warm up. You may also find that if you’ve eaten too close to running, the body is still digesting food and you’ll get a stitch. Caused by the reduction of blood flow to the diaphragm, you’ll find that fats and fibre take longer to digest so these should be avoided 1-2 hours prior to lacing up. How to overcome it Bending over and touching your toes is said to help. You can ‘run it off’ but this is often painful and uncomfortable to do so. You could also try relaxing the upper body and letting the shoulders sag forwards whilst taking some deep breaths to increase the flow of oxygen. You should be right as rain in no time and ready to pound those trails.