Side Stitches So Long to the Pain
SIDE STITCHESSo Long to the Pain
Side stitches don't give much warning. One minute your kid is fine and the next minute he's doubled over with a sharp pain in the side. These unpleasant little pains can grab hold when your child is running after a soccer ball, sprinting for third base or just walking fast.
What causes a side stitch? No one knows for sure, but it apparently occurs when the diaphragm, the muscle that helps us breathe, doesn't get all the oxygen it needs. When the diaphragm or the abdominal muscle in front of the diaphragm begins to spasm--that is, tighten and release in short, spasmodic bursts--the child feels a painful side stitch.
You can help prevent or stop your child's side stitch quickly with these tips from the experts.
Warm up before working out. Your child can avoid most stitches by taking time to warm up, says Eli Glick, a physical therapist at PhyCare Physical Therapy in Bala Cynwyd and Flourtown, Pennsylvania. 'Before running or other active exercise, have your child do calisthenics like touching his toes and doing sit-ups. He should do this for about 10 to 15 minutes to increase blood flow and respiration,' says Glick.
Stretch to stop stitches. The child should also stretch his arms and rib cage, says Glick. To stretch his arms, he should reach for the sky with his arms stretched over his head and slowly bend to each side. Lower the arms, then push forward with the arms, rounding out the back and shoulders. For rib cage expansion, have the child do a slow, gentle, large yawn. Repeat each stretch several times.
Encourage fitness. Side stitches are usually related to a lack of training. 'The more fit your child is, the less likely she'll be to get frequent stitches,' says Gregory Landry, M.D., staff pediatrician at the University of Wisconsin Hospital Sports Medicine Clinic in Madison and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin--Madison Medical School. Be sure your child exercises regularly, not just occasionally. If she has just started a running program, she should gradually increase distances and speed, says Dr. Landry. A ten-year-old, for instance, should not run more than one to two miles per day or five to seven miles per week when she begins running for distance, according to Dr. Landry. After she runs that distance without any pain or stitches, she can gradually increase the distance an additional one to two miles per week.
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When to See the Doctor That pain in your child's side isn't always a side stitch. If the pain continues and is very severe, your doctor should check out the possibility of appendicitis or a bowel disorder, cautions John F. Duff, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, founder and director of the North Shore Sports Medical Center in Danvers, Massachusetts, and author of Youth Sports Injuries. Seek medical care if any of the following symptoms exist. * The pain remains after a bowel movement * The child has a slight fever * The pain lasts longer than three hours * The stitches continue to occur even after several weeks of training And never give a laxative to a child with a side pain, hoping to urge a bowel movement. If the problem is appendicitis and not a gas pain, the laxative could cause the appendix to burst. |
Avoid big meals. Gulping a pizza and a giant slush drink just before a soccer game could give just about anyone a side stitch. A full belly increases the likelihood that the diaphragm and abdominal muscles will spasm, says John F. Duff, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, founder and director of the North Shore Sports Medical Center in Danvers, Massachusetts, and author of Youth Sports Injuries. Your child doesn't have to avoid eating completely, but it's best if he only nibbles lightly before the big game.
Slow down. 'If your child is running and gets a stitch, he should slow down and walk,' says Dr. Landry. If the pain doesn't disappear, he should sit down and rest until it does. A stitch can also be a sign the youngster is pushing too hard and should cut back his workouts.
Take tiny breaths. Deep breaths will likely only make the stitch hurt more, says Janet Perry, a physical therapist with Rehabilitation Network in Portland, Oregon. She recommends that the child take small, shallow breaths for about ten breaths and then try to return to normal breathing.
Go slack--then massage. When the stitch hits, have your child slump over for a few seconds by bending at the hips and knees with their hands on the knees, suggests Perry. This makes the pained muscles go slack--and your child may feel better in just a minute or two. Meanwhile, he may also want to massage the area that hurts, to provide relief, suggests Dr. Duff.
Ice the stitch. It helps to have an 'instant icer' handy in case your child gets a stitch. Freeze some water in a paper cup, and take the cup along in a cooler when you go to your child's sporting event. 'Tear a half inch of paper off the top of the cup, and you have what we call an ice stick,' says Dr. Duff. Have your child rub the ice over the painful area for one or two minutes, he suggests. The first touch of cold ice is a shocker--but if he rubs it around, the ice stick really can help. Just be sure he keeps it moving so the skin doesn't get frostbitten.
Find a bathroom. If a side stitch persists for more than a few minutes, there's a good possibility the pain is caused by gas pain rather than muscle spasm, says Dr. Duff. There's a quick way to find out. Ask your child if she needs to have a bowel movement. If so, the problem may be gas pain, and it will subside soon after she moves her bowels.
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