Just why do you get stitch when running?

As a kid I was a martyr to stitches. Luckily, as the years passed so did the stitch, and I forgot all about it until a couple of my clients complained that it was affecting their daily runs.

There is surprisingly little information on the cause of a stitch but what we do know is:
It's most common during running.

The site varies, but is most commonly the mid/lateral abdomen.

It decreases with increasing age.

It's more common in people who train less regularly.

It can lead to difficulty breathing.

It also occurs frequently in horse riders and other athletes whose torsos are subjected to excessive movement.

From the research, a stitch seems almost certainly linked to poor posture and breathing technique.

Rounded shoulders close the chest, pressing the ribcage into the diaphragm. As a result the diaphragm doesn't work as it should and the muscles surrounding the ribcage over-compensate.

This means that the body has to work extra hard to inflate the lungs, causing the muscles to fatigue and go into spasm, hence the stitch.

For me the solution lies in improving posture and breathing. The best known forms of exercise that concentrate on these areas are Pilates and yoga.

Both teach you not only to control your breathing but also how to breathe without engaging the neck and shoulders. So not only do they reduce the stitch, but by helping the lungs work more effectively they'll also make your running easier and more enjoyable.