How to Stop Getting a Stitch When Running (UK 2026)

A stitch is one of the most common reasons a good run turns into a walk. That sharp pain just under the ribs, usually on one side, can stop you mid stride and feel alarming the first time it hits. The good news is that it is almost always harmless, it passes quickly, and a few simple habits make it far less likely. Here is what a stitch is, why it happens, how to shift one while you are still moving, and how to keep it from coming back.

What is a stitch, exactly?

Runners call it a stitch. Researchers call it exercise related transient abdominal pain, or ETAP. It is a localised pain felt most often along the lower edge of the ribs on one side, although it can show up anywhere across the middle of your belly. When it is mild it feels like a cramp, ache or pulling sensation. When it is sharp it can feel stabbing. It is very common. Surveys suggest around 70% of runners report a stitch in a typical year, and roughly one in five people feel one during a single race or event. Swimmers, cyclists and horse riders get it too, but runners report it most.

What actually causes a stitch?

Here is the honest answer. Nobody is completely sure. The stitch has been studied for decades and several theories still compete to explain it, so treat the ideas below as the leading explanations rather than the final word.

• Irritation of the abdominal lining. The current front runner links the pain to the parietal peritoneum, a thin, sensitive layer that lines the abdominal cavity and sits against the diaphragm and abdominal wall. When it is irritated, for example by friction or a full stomach, it can produce the sharp, local pain of a stitch.
• Stress on the diaphragm and its supports. Older theories point to the diaphragm itself, the main breathing muscle, either short of blood flow during hard effort or tugged by the ligaments that connect it to the organs below.
• Posture and the spine. Slumped running posture and irritation of the nerves around the mid spine may play a part, which is one reason people with more curved backs seem to report stitches more often.
• What and when you eat and drink. Running soon after a meal, and especially after sugary or concentrated drinks, makes a stitch much more likely.

Most likely a stitch is a mix of these rather than one single trigger, and the science is still catching up.

Why do beginners get stitches more often?

If you are newer to running, a stitch can feel like a personal curse. It is not. Beginners tend to get them more for a few practical reasons. Breathing is often shallow and rushed early on, so the diaphragm tires sooner. Core and trunk muscles are still building the endurance to hold good posture. Pacing is less even, so sudden surges in effort are more common. And new runners are more likely to head out too soon after eating or drinking. As your fitness, breathing control and core strength improve, stitches usually become rarer on their own.

Does what you eat before a run matter?

More than almost anything else, yes. A stitch is much more common when you run on a full stomach, and sugary or concentrated drinks seem to be the worst offenders. The idea is that a heavy, slow to empty stomach tugs on the structures around the diaphragm and irritates that sensitive abdominal lining. You do not need to run on empty, which brings its own problems. Instead, leave 1 to 2 hours after a proper meal, keep anything close to the run small and simple, and sip plain water rather than gulping a large, sugary drink just before you set off. If you always seem to get a stitch, keep a quick note of what and when you ate, then look for the pattern.

How do you get rid of a stitch mid-run?

You do not have to abandon the run. Try these in order.

• Ease off the pace. Slow to a gentle jog or a brisk walk. Reducing the intensity is the fastest way to calm most stitches.
• Breathe deep and slow. Switch to deep belly breathing rather than fast, shallow chest breaths. Draw the air low into your stomach, then exhale fully.
• Try pursed lip exhales. Breathe out slowly through pursed lips, as if you are blowing out candles. Lengthening the exhale can help settle the pain.
• Press and stretch the spot. Push two or three fingers gently into the sore area, or raise the arm on that side and lean the other way to stretch it. Bending forward briefly can help too.
• Change your breathing rhythm. Many runners find it helps to breathe out as the opposite foot lands. If the stitch is on your right, exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

Most stitches fade within a minute or two once you slow down and control your breathing. Then you can build the pace back up gradually.

How can you stop stitches coming back?

Prevention is mostly about what you do before and during the run.

• Leave a gap after eating. Avoid a big meal in the 1 to 2 hours before you run. A light snack is usually fine, but a full stomach is a classic trigger.
• Go easy on sugary drinks. Concentrated, sugary or fizzy drinks close to a run are among the most reliable ways to bring one on. Plain water or a well diluted drink is kinder on your stomach.
• Warm up properly. A few minutes of easy jogging and some gentle mobility lets your breathing and posture settle before you push the pace.
• Build your core and general fitness. Stronger trunk muscles support your posture, and a fitter diaphragm tires less, so a regular mix of running, strength and mobility work tends to mean fewer stitches over time.
• Run tall. Keep relaxed shoulders and a gently engaged core rather than hunching, especially as you tire.
• Build up gradually. Sudden jumps in pace or distance load your body faster than it is ready for, so steady, sensible progression helps.

When is side pain not a stitch?

A stitch is harmless and eases when you slow down or stop. Now and then, side or abdominal pain during exercise is something else, so it is worth knowing the difference. See a GP if side pain keeps returning, is very intense, or does not settle within about 20 to 30 minutes of stopping, especially if it comes with fever, nausea or vomiting. Pain low on the right that lingers for hours after a run also deserves a check. And pain that arrives with chest pressure, with breathlessness that does not match your effort, or that spreads to your arm, neck or jaw needs urgent medical help, not another lap. When in doubt, stop and get it checked.

Where does a training plan fit in?

A lot of stitch prevention comes down to sensible progression, steady breathing and a strong, mobile core, which are exactly the things a good plan builds in. Edge is a hybrid training app that treats running, strength, HIIT and mobility as one connected plan rather than separate apps bolted together. Your easy runs, your strength and core work and your mobility all pull in the same direction, so you build the fitness and posture that make stitches less likely, without guessing how much to do. Edge is free to start, and Edge Pro adds a fully personalised plan and a real coach to message anytime from £19.99 a month with a free 7 day trial. Today, 18,000+ members train with Edge across running, strength and HIIT.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.