How to prevent side cramps while running?

[Shakespeare]

Went for a PT run with the DEP today. We did some hills, and after that I got a nasty sideache that slowed my run down quite a bit.
One of the people suggested eating a banana to help prevent it (potassium?)

I know some of you guys have had this problem :p
What works for you?

[IHaveEGA843]

I need to subscribe to this thread because the sidecramps are brutal blows to ones run game. I drastically slow down then this happens.

[Lisa 23]

How to Stop Runners' Cramps

How to treat -- and avoid -- cramps that strike while you run or jog.

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

You're jogging right along -- actually, nearly galloping -- and hoping for your best time ever in a 5K, 10K, or just your regular run.

Then it hits, out of nowhere -- you get a side stitch or cramp, a stomach cramp, or your leg muscle constricts, threatening to stop you in your tracks.

Cramps while running are the painful opposite of a runner's high, sometimes making even veteran runners grimace and groan.

They're common, according to experts and researchers. In one study of 848 runners and walkers -- most of them runners -- 27% said they had exercise-related abdominal pain -- described often as a cramping sensation.

But you can learn to minimize cramps while running, and to act quickly when they do strike.

Here, two experts talk about where cramps come from, how to avoid them, and how to handle them if they strike anyway.

What Causes Cramps While Running?


The origin of a cramp depends on the type.

Side cramp or ''stitch": This cramp strikes you in the side, as the name implies, or even in the lower abdominal area. It's mainly the result of shallow breathing, not breathing deeply from the lower lung, says Jeff Galloway, a 1972 Olympian and veteran runner who has trained more than 200,000 runners and walkers and runs a marathon training program. ''The side pain is a little alarm" alerting you that you're breathing too shallowly, Galloway says. An imbalance of blood electrolytes (such as calcium, potassium, and sodium) in your body may also contribute, says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and spokesman for the American Council on Exercise.
Stomach cramps: Again, incorrect breathing can play a role, Galloway says. But so can what you've eaten or drank before the workout. "If you have put too much fluid or food in your stomach, you can't get a large breath," Galloway says. If your levels of sodium, potassium, and calcium are off kilter, it could contribute to stomach cramps, too, McCall says.
Muscle cramps: When your leg muscles cramp up on you, dehydration is often to blame, McCall says.
How to Prevent Cramps While Running

To avoid side cramps, Galloway suggests deep lung breathing. His advice: Put your hand on your stomach and breathe deeply. If you're breathing from your lower lungs, your stomach should rise and fall.

Side cramps affect beginners more than long-timers, Galloway notes. "
Veteran runners shift [naturally] to lower lung breathing," he says.

To avoid side pain, don't start your run jackrabbit fast. Many side stitches are simply a result of starting too fast. "It's always better during the first 10 minutes to be more gentle," Galloway says.

Nervousness can play a role, too. When nerves hit, "you have a tendency to breathe more rapidly, or some do," Galloway says. "When that happens, a lot of people revert to shallow breathing," which can bring on a side cramp.

For stomach cramp prevention, consider what you eat before running, and see if there might be a connection, Galloway says, explaining that it's often an issue of digestion. The fix: Avoid eating for a longer period of time before the run.

"If you have a problem [with cramps after] eating two hours before, eat three hours before," Galloway says.

Also pay attention to what you eat and its effects on your running. You may be choosing a pre-workout food that doesn't agree with you, or at least doesn't agree with your run. "A simple carb by itself [such as a piece of fruit] and water usually is fine," Galloway says.

It's a matter of finding what works for you. For instance, Galloway says many people tell him they have gut problems after eating bananas, but not apples, before a run.

To prevent muscle cramps, McCall also tells runners to get enough fluid before exercising. He advises drinking 16 to 20 ounces 45 minutes before training and two to four ounces every 15 minutes during a training session, plus eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

How to Treat Cramps While Running

If you get a side or stomach cramp while running, Galloway recommends slowing down to a walk. "Do the lower lung breathing while walking, maybe [for 2-4] minutes. That can bring it around," he says, adding that for stomach cramps, "often a burp or passing of gas will get rid of the cramp."

When a muscle cramp strikes, McCall tells runners to stop exercising, rest, and hydrate -- preferably with a sports drink that can restore their electrolyte balance.

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/how-to-stop-runners-cramps

[Nj St Of Mind]

You just have to run more, it just means your body isn't use to running, the more you run the longer time you have til you get cramps. Eating a lot of protein helps but its still a matter of your body and what it can do.

Eventually you learn how to avoid them by figuring out your pace. I still get them too, and really bad sometimes, but I fight through them, you just gotta push it out.

I run with some track people some times and they once told me which ever side the cramp is on to just step harder with the corresponding foot. At the time It helped, I was running 5 miles and I was dying, and it helped .. mentally .. lol.

[MunkyVsRobot]

That was some great information Maam.

Pretty much as it says in Softball's post the first thing you should be doing all day before after and even if you are not running is Hydrating, they are going to be making us do a crap load of this at recruit training wether you want to or not so id get used to the taste of water.

Id also suggest eating foods with lots of potassium to prevent that such as bananas and even raisins and peanuts will help with that. That dude who did the ultimate basic survival guide has some great tips for that kind of stuff. Sgt Volkin is his name i believe...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sKYo6vCglg&feature=fvst

hes got some decent videos that have some nice tips wether you will be able to use them all or not i doubt it but some of his tips are pretty broadbased.

[IHaveEGA843]

I'm going to try this breathing thing today


Very disappointed in myself, going to get it in until I'm about dead man......No bull****

[Shakespeare]

Thank you very much everybody. I had planned to try these all out today, but I woke up with the flu so running would be a bad idea :(

[IHaveEGA843]

I did the running while attempting to breath "shallow" but I ran a mini circut at a slow pace.

I think I'm not use to running a 1.5 or I may have ran close to 2 miles today because my legs are sore now. Imma time myself and get in a IST like run later one.

[93Reaper]

I just want to throw this out there, i think we should make a sticky thread where we post our pre-boot camp workouts. We all can gain from seeing what other people are doing and tailor our workouts to what we think is best for improvement. Also it will help the future poolees.

[OVonRomer]

I used to get side cramps real bad whenever I'm nearing the end of a nice 3-miler. A few Marines back at my RSS who would come run and PT with us suggested that we avoid loading on water within the hour you'll begin running. Following that advice, I still get those cramps, but they're not so severe. :)

[IHaveEGA843]

We did a three miler today.....probably more like 4 miles with ammo cans and circuts inbetween the first 2 miles.


All the info given is true. I started running more and I quit drinking water before PT/Running and the just had 2 banannas to eat. No side cramps at all. The shallow breathing works also.

If any Poolees have problems with running and cramps they need to view this because it really does work.

[Brooks1193]

If it's potassium issues and you don't like bananas, you can drink coconut water. it's an odd taste but it's got just as much potassium.