Stomach Pain while running

[justkiddin]

My 13 yr. old daughter has started experiencing lower stomach pains while running during PE and basketball practice.  She has been unable to complete the required mile and says the pain is quite intense. She ran track last spring and was able to run more than that without any problems.  She also played competive summer basketball without any problems with the running.  She is 5' 7'' and weighs about 125 lbs.  Also, she is not drinking cold liquids or eating a lot prior to practice/running.  Thanks for any info.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Two possibilities are there.First is exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP) or stitches.Caused by insufficient blood supply to the diaphragm, stress on the ligaments as a result of ‘jogging’ the abdominal organs, or taking in too much water while exercising.

Ask your daughter to avoid distending or bloating your stomach before sport , sip rather than gulp fluids while exercising and avoid soft drinks.

Second possibility is of muscle strain.Apply warm compresses on the abdominal muscles and some muscle relaxant.She can also take some OTC non steroidal anti inflammatory pain reliever like ibuprofen or diclofenac.Also ask her to do some stretching exercises before running and to avoid food atleast half an hour before running.

Hope it helps.If you have any additional queries,then pls post us.
Take care and regards.

[Dr_Smita_S]

Hi

Pain in the stomach in runners is a very frequent problem. It may be due to the abdominal wall muscles ("stitch") or the gastrointestinal system.

Dehydration prior to running may lead to gastrointestinal complaints like belching, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, intestinal cramps, and stomachache.

Stitches are sharp pains like cramps that occur during exercise (particularly running), usually near the ribs, that may cause the runner to stop from running.

Avoid eating one to two hours before a workout and maintain hydration. Any workout should be started with a slow warm-up for four to five minutes, followed a very gradual increase in speed. While running, one should take deep breaths. If pain actually starts, stretching, massaging, taking deep breaths may be tried.

Ref: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/aa053100a.htm

       http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/abd.pain.html

However, I would advise that you consult your GP for a complete medical examination of your daughter to rule out any abdominal or other pathology.

Take care