That magical portal through which my fat leaves...

zoomtech16
zoomtech16 Posts: 100 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I get really bad stitches in my side when I workout, and I have to workout because I like to eat ;) but the stitch in my side is the only thing keeping me from upping my workouts. I usually just think of it as the magical portal through which my fat leaves, but I'm just tired of it hurting me. I have asthma so I take my inhaler before I workout and I try to focus on taking deep breaths, but its still there and then stays with me even when I'm not working out. So any advice to get rid of it would be much appreciated thanks!

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,096 Member
    Have you had a physical assessment yet to see if it may be something internal?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Try working out fasted. I get a side stitch if I work out less than 2-3 hours after eating
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    What kind of workout are you doing? If it's running, try slowing way down.

    Honestly rereading your OP it sounds like you're saying it's there all the time, in which case go get checked by your GP just to be sure it's nothing concerning.
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    It's likely your liver (is it the right side?), it's connected to your diaphragm. Breathing too shallow (and yes eating too close to working out) puts pressure on the connective tissue. Try breathing into your stomach. If the ache comes stop, press up against the pain with your hand and lean forward until it passes.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Have you had a physical assessment yet to see if it may be something internal?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I second this.

  • zoomtech16
    zoomtech16 Posts: 100 Member
    edited February 2015
    It's not there if I don't work out, but when I start working out say for a few weeks it will be there for days when I'm not even currently working out. I run on the elliptical, but I run on the lowest setting :/ And yes it is on the right side.
  • zoomtech16
    zoomtech16 Posts: 100 Member
    When you say physical assessment what do you mean? I mean I have to get a physical once a year for school, and nobody has ever said anything.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    No, an assessment is telling a doctor or a physiotherapist you have a pain in your right side that is not going away. The rule of thumb is if the pain does not subside in a day or two, get it checked out.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Yeah if it stays after you're doing working out it's definitely worth seeing a doctor about. It could be reflux, or bursitis, or....
  • zoomtech16
    zoomtech16 Posts: 100 Member
    Oh yeah it goes away after a few days without a workout or if I'm swimming, but it's winter lol. I'm pretty sure it has to do with my asthma, and not breathing as deeply as I maybe should. I was just wondering if there was like any exercise to strengthen this area or something.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    I totally agree with the posters who say go to the doctor! However, I'm like Sullus. If I've eaten in the past 3-4 hours, I get a stitch in my side when I run. I do best when I eat a light lunch, run after work and then eat dinner after I've coolled down from my run. (As a bonus, I usually eat extremely healthy after a run, because I'm feeling virtuous, LOL.)
  • zoomtech16
    zoomtech16 Posts: 100 Member
    Ok well I have an appointment with my asthma dr in march, so I guess I'll ask him then. Thanks guys!
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    Years ago (cause I'm old now) when I first started running cross country I would get a stitch in my side that sounds just like what your describing. Shortly after I started cross country we got a new coach (who was a marine) the first thing he changed was making us run to military cadence songs and we chanted along (he cleaned them up so the were pg-13). Not only does it regulate your breathing, it forces you to take deep breathes (yes doing it now when I workout by myself I may look stupid, but it works). Make sure that you are taking deep breathes if your working so hard your taking gasping shallow breathes slow down. Once you work out only taking full deep breathes you should notice an improvement with the side pain. If it doesn't stop, slow down your workouts until you meet with your doctor. If you notice a worsening of symptoms, such as numbness or tingling in fingers, toes, arms or legs, bluish tint to fingers, toes of lips, light headedness, confusion etc stop and go to the emergency room asap.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    jennifershoo wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Have you had a physical assessment yet to see if it may be something internal?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I second this.


    Hey you, person who flagged my post for agreeing with the poster who said to go to the doctor, this is not how the flag system works. It's not a "dislike button".
    /end
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