You’re running along, feeling fine, and then a sharp, stabbing pain jabs in under your ribs — usually on the right side — and forces you to slow down or stop. That’s a side stitch (officially “exercise-related transient abdominal pain”), and it’s one of the most common things that frustrates new runners. It’s harmless, it’s beatable, and once you know the tricks, you can usually shut it down without stopping. Here’s how.

What causes a side stitch

The exact mechanism isn’t fully settled, but the leading suspects are irritation of the diaphragm and the connective tissue in your abdomen, often tied to:

  • Eating or drinking too much, too soon before running. A full or sloshing stomach is the most reliable stitch trigger.
  • Shallow, erratic breathing, which can stress the diaphragm.
  • Going too hard for your fitness, especially early in a run before you’re warm.

Notice the theme: most stitches trace back to fueling timing, breathing, and pacing — all of which you control.

How to get rid of one mid-run

When a stitch hits, you don’t have to quit:

  • Slow down. Ease your pace or drop to a brisk walk until it fades. Often that alone releases it.
  • Breathe deep and deliberate. Take slow, full belly breaths instead of shallow panting. Try exhaling forcefully when the foot opposite the stitch strikes the ground (e.g., stitch on the right → exhale on the left footfall) — it takes pressure off the diaphragm.
  • Press and stretch. Push your fingers gently into the painful spot, and/or raise the arm on the stitch side overhead and lean slightly away to stretch the area.
  • Don’t panic. It’s not dangerous. Slow, breathe, press — it passes within a minute or two.

How to prevent them

Stop stitches before they start:

  • Don’t eat right before running. Leave ~2–3 hours after a full meal, and ~30–60 minutes after a snack (what to eat before a workout). Avoid big drinks or sugary/high-fat foods immediately pre-run.
  • Sip, don’t gulp. Too much fluid sloshing in your stomach can trigger one.
  • Warm up and start easy. Don’t sprint out of the gate cold (warm up and cool down). Ease into pace.
  • Breathe deep and rhythmic from the start, not shallow and frantic (how to breathe while running). Deep belly breathing is the best stitch prevention there is.
  • Build fitness gradually. Stitches get less frequent as you get fitter and your breathing and core strengthen. A stronger core may help too.
Stitch vs. something serious: a side stitch is a sharp, crampy pain in the side/under the ribs that eases when you slow and breathe, and disappears after the run. That's normal. Chest pain, pain down the arm, dizziness, or anything that doesn't resolve is not a stitch — stop and seek medical help. When in doubt, don't tough it out.

The bottom line

Side stitches are a normal, harmless nuisance caused mostly by eating too soon, shallow breathing, and pushing too hard early. Beat one by slowing down, breathing deep, and pressing the spot; prevent them by timing your food, easing into runs, and breathing deliberately. They fade as you get fitter.

Don’t let a beatable little jab convince you running isn’t for you — it’s a beginner rite of passage, not a verdict. Keep showing up and they become a non-issue, which is exactly the kind of consistency Gym Bully AI is built to protect. Slow, breathe, and run on.