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Stitch in the side: Causes, workup, and solutions

  • Published:
Current Sports Medicine Reports

Abstract

Side stitch is an acute, localized, sharp, transient pain that occurs during exercise, most often in runners or swimmers, but also in those participating in team sports, and less often in cyclists. The pain is vexing and performancelimiting, but fleeting and benign. Three theories compete to explain it: diaphragmatic ischemia, stress on peritoneal ligaments, and irritation of the parietal peritoneum. The differential diagnosis seems broad, but the classic side stitch is so unique in its features and setting that a reasonable working diagnosis can be made from a careful history and physical examination. Practical tips, although anecdotal, offer lasting solutions.

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  1. University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 5505 N. Stonewall Drive, 73111, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

    E. Randy Eichner MD

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  1. E. Randy Eichner MD
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Correspondence to E. Randy Eichner MD.

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Eichner, E.R. Stitch in the side: Causes, workup, and solutions. Curr Sports Med Rep 5, 289–292 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-006-0055-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-006-0055-7

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