How to Stop Side Stitches Mid-Run (Quick Fixes That Work)
You’re a mile in, feeling great, and then it hits. That sharp, stabbing pain just below your ribs. A side stitch. It can turn a good run into a miserable one in seconds.
The good news? Side stitches are common, well-studied, and (most importantly) fixable on the spot. You don’t have to stop your run and walk home defeated. Here’s what causes them and how to deal with them, both in the moment and before they start.
What Actually Causes a Side Stitch?
The medical name is exercise-related transient abdominal pain, or ETAP. Researchers have studied it for decades, and the exact mechanism is still debated. But we know a few things for sure.
A 2015 review in Sports Medicine found that side stitches are especially common in activities involving repetitive torso movement, like running and horseback riding. The leading theory? Irritation of the parietal peritoneum, the membrane lining your abdominal cavity. When that membrane gets jostled or stressed (from bouncing, eating too much beforehand, or shallow breathing), it lets you know.
Other contributing factors include:
- Eating or drinking too close to your run. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that fluid intake before running significantly increased stitch intensity.
- Shallow, rapid breathing. When you breathe only into your chest, your diaphragm stays tense and cramped.
- Poor core stability. Your torso absorbs a lot of impact while running. A weaker core means more internal jostling.
- Going out too fast. Ramping up intensity before your body is ready is a classic trigger.
How to Fix a Side Stitch Mid-Run
You don’t need to stop completely. These techniques work for most runners, and the Cleveland Clinic backs several of them as go-to fixes.
Slow Down and Breathe Deep
This is the first thing to try. Slow your pace (don’t stop) and switch to deep belly breathing. Place your hand on your stomach. You should feel it expand with each inhale. Breathe in through your nose for 3 counts, out through your mouth for 4. This relaxes the diaphragm and takes pressure off the peritoneum.
Press Into the Pain
Use two or three fingers to press firmly into the spot where it hurts. While pressing, bend your torso slightly forward. Research on mid-run stitch relief found that bending forward while tightening abdominal muscles alleviated the pain within seconds.
Exhale on the Opposite Foot Strike
If the stitch is on your right side, focus on exhaling when your left foot hits the ground (and vice versa). This shifts the impact away from the side that’s cramping. It takes a little coordination, but most runners feel relief within 30 to 60 seconds.
Purse Your Lips When Exhaling
This one sounds weird, but it works. Exhale through pursed lips, like you’re blowing out a candle. It creates back-pressure in your airways and helps your diaphragm relax more fully. The same fluid ingestion study noted that breathing through pursed lips with increased lung volume alleviated stitches quickly.
Raise Your Arm on the Affected Side
Lift the arm on the stitch side straight up overhead while continuing to breathe deeply. This stretches the intercostal muscles and opens up the side of your torso, giving the cramped area more room.
How to Prevent Side Stitches Before They Start
Fixing a stitch mid-run is fine, but preventing it is better. These habits make a real difference.
Time Your Pre-Run Meals
Wait at least 2 hours after a large meal before running. If you need a quick snack, keep it small and low in fat and fiber. Both slow digestion and increase the chances of abdominal discomfort during movement.
Warm Up Properly
Jumping straight into your target pace is one of the most common stitch triggers. Spend 5 to 10 minutes walking or jogging easy before picking things up. Your diaphragm needs time to adjust to the increased breathing demand. If you’re working on building a running habit, our guide on how to start running when you’re out of shape covers warm-up basics in more detail.
Strengthen Your Core
Runners with weaker core muscles experience more torso movement and more internal jostling. You don’t need a gym membership for this. Planks, dead bugs, and bird-dogs a few times a week can make a noticeable difference. If you’ve been running for a while and still getting stitches regularly, core work is probably the missing piece.
Practice Belly Breathing on Easy Days
Don’t wait until a stitch hits to figure out diaphragmatic breathing. Practice it on easy runs and even while sitting at your desk. When it becomes your default breathing pattern, you’ll naturally resist stitches more effectively.
Stay Hydrated (But Sip, Don’t Gulp)
Take small sips of water before and during your run instead of chugging a bottle right before you head out. Large volumes of fluid sitting in your stomach are a known trigger.
When to Actually Worry
Side stitches are almost always harmless. They go away on their own, and they get less frequent as your fitness improves. Beginners get them more often than experienced runners, and younger runners report them more than older ones.
But if you’re experiencing sharp abdominal pain that doesn’t go away after you stop running, pain that keeps coming back in the same spot outside of exercise, or pain accompanied by other symptoms like nausea or fever, see a doctor. Those could point to something else entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I always get side stitches on the right side?
The right side is the most common location for stitches. Researchers believe this is related to the liver sitting just below the right side of the diaphragm. The weight and movement of the liver during running may contribute to peritoneal irritation on that side more than the left.
Do side stitches mean I’m out of shape?
Not necessarily, but fitness level does play a role. Research shows that less experienced exercisers report stitches more frequently. As your cardiovascular fitness and core strength improve, stitches typically become less common. That said, even elite runners get them occasionally.
Should I stop running when I get a side stitch?
You don’t have to stop completely. Slowing down and using the breathing and pressure techniques above usually resolves the pain within a minute or two. If the pain is severe enough that you can’t maintain any pace comfortably, it’s fine to walk until it passes. Pushing through intense pain isn’t productive.
Can I prevent side stitches by changing my breathing?
Yes, and this is probably the single most effective prevention strategy. Switching from shallow chest breathing to deep diaphragmatic (belly) breathing reduces diaphragm tension and lowers your risk significantly. Practice it on easy runs until it feels natural.
The Bottom Line
Side stitches are annoying, but they’re also very manageable. Slow down, breathe deep, press into the pain, and it’ll usually pass in under a minute. For long-term prevention, focus on pre-run meal timing, a proper warm-up, and core strength. If you’re tracking your runs with Vima Run, you might even notice patterns in when stitches happen (early in runs? after lunch? on speed days?) that help you zero in on your personal triggers.
Now get out there and run stitch-free.
