How can you prevent/ treat side stiches when you're running?!
Question: I just started jogging again and a problem I've always had are with side stiches. I try to breath in through my nose. How can I prevent them? If I get one, how can I treat it and keep running?
Answers:
I used to get those all the time, and when I looked into it, I was told that it was due to dehydration. Your body sweats when you jog, and if you're like most people, you aren't properly hydrated to begin with, so when you start to sweat, then you lose that much more water, thus cramping. What also helped for me was to take deeper breaths, and breath through your mouth; your body is starving for oxygen when you exert yourself, so breathing through your nose doesn't help. That just worsens the problem; so breath through your mouth. The best way to tell if your taking deep breaths is if you feel your belly move out. If breathing is part of the problem, then keep in mind once the cramping starts, it won't go away just like that; it'll take time for your body to get used to more oxygen and recover from the lack thereof.
Other Answers:
I heard once that lack of potassium can cause you to get cramps (or stiches) more easily. Bananas contain a lot of potassium. My suggestion to you is to eat a banana an hour before your jog.
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