Cramps While Running

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heffron742
heffron742 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone else feel like they are getting menstrual cramps while running?

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  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Work on your breathing. You tend to get cramps when you start taking quick, shallow breaths. Focus on taking slower, deeper breaths consistently throughout the run, and they should stop happening. I use to get running cramps a lot, and focusing on breathing has fixed it.
  • heffron742
    heffron742 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you! I Do you have any tips how to do so? I used to swim so I think I naturally try to hold my breath while running.
  • 4leighbee
    4leighbee Posts: 1,275 Member
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    When my breathing gets off, I focus on the rhythm of my footfalls and my breathing falls back in line. You could say your ABCs to yourself but in a steady 1-2-3 rhythm (not sing-songy) - or something - whatever you can do to get your head focused on the rhythm of your run and off your breathing. The more you worry about breathing, the more chaotic your breathing seems to be, at least for me.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Not prone to menstrual cramps, personally, but I assume you're talking pain in the lower-center abdomen area (as opposed to, say, side stitches): Are you gassy? I'll occasionally get intestinal cramps while running if I've over-indulged in either carbonated beverages or foods with simple carbs.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
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    I got these BAD when I was a high school track runner. No one else I knew had pain like this. It's not like a side ache/stitch or gas pains (I've had those, too...this is a different beast, entirely). At age 30 I had my tubes tied post-kid and was diagnosed with endometriosis at the same time (there was suspicion of endo from my very first period at age 12 -- I had pretty textbook symptoms). One of the many things I've learned about endo is that intense aerobic activity can irritate endo adhesions and bring on pain that feels exactly like menstrual cramps. Is it possible you might have endo?

    Ain't being a girl a big ol' picnic?! :s
  • kitsilana
    kitsilana Posts: 50 Member
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    I get these sometimes.
    And I'm pretty sure it's not a breathing thing...
    For me it's often near the middle of my cycle, so around ovulation.

    I've had it so bad I thought I'd pass out. I've been checked for endometriosis and I'm clear, so, at least for me, that's not the cause.

    If you do a google search you'll find dozens of threads on various running forums with women discussing this. So far I haven't found a cause.

    After my last experience I slow to a walk as soon as I feel it starting now. I don't want to be in a situation where I (or someone else) has to call an ambulance.

    I've seen some suggestions of 'just push through it, it'll go away' but that's not been my experience.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    I used to get side stitches quite a bit. I did a bit of research and the best I came up with was, they don't really know what causes them. I think the consensus is it is the diaphragm spasming, but they don't know why. My redneck explanation is, the diaphragm is a muscle and like other muscles it gets used to the exercise over time. I really just don't know.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    i used to when i first started running. Not anymore tho. Keep going

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