Stomach Aches After Running

There are some things you can do to help alleviate stomach aches after running.
Image Credit: Vladimir Vladimirov/E+/GettyImages

You go for a run and everything's fine, but soon after you stop, your stomach seems upset. Nothing unusual about that.

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Runners are subject to quite a number of stomach complaints, to the extent that they've invented their own syndrome: "Runner's Stomach " or "Runner's Diarrhea," says Mayo Clinic, which can be anything from nausea to cramping.

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There are a number of different possible causes. Some of them might be remedied with minor changes in dietary habits while others may signify a more serious underlying condition.

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Read more: Stomach Pains After Running

Meal Timing Is Key

When you're running, as you might expect, your blood supply rushes to your extremities, decreasing blood flow to your internal organs by as much as 80 percent. The stomach's OK with this as long as it doesn't have any heavy work to do, but a big meal much sooner than three hours before you run could cause your stomach to go into contractions, causing a crampy, aching feeling after or during your run.

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When you stop running, rather than immediately flow back into the core, the blood actually makes one last big surge toward the limbs. If your stomach is carrying just a bit too much of a load, that may be enough to trigger a stomach ache.

Running when you're too hungry has its own problems, possibly leaving you dizzy, nauseous and quite possibly with a stomach ache. The American Council on Exercise recommends having a light, easily digested carbohydrate snack about a half hour before running.

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No Cold Fluids

Good as it might feel in the moment, chugging large quantities of a cold beverage immediately after you run is not a fantastic idea. Drink water that is room temperature — slowly — to prevent feeling water logged.

Avoid NSAIDs Before Running

Do you take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Alleve) or even plain old aspirin, to ward off aches and pains before you run? That's not be a good idea because taking NSAIDs before exercise can damage the intestinal lining and even injure your kidneys, says Stanford Medicine.

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You may end up with a stomach ache after your run, and over time the meds can cause ulcers and bleeding. Ibuprofen, in particular, may actually impair healing time for the aches and pains you took it to run through too.

Ibuprofen before exercise may increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and delay healing by impairing the synthesis of collagen.

Read more: Running and Severe Upper Abdominal Pain

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Hernia and Running

A hernia is an opening or tear in the abdominal wall, usually either at the navel or in the groin area. A hernia allows the stomach or intestines to push through, making it possible for them to become strangulated by surrounding muscle tissue, cutting off circulation to the affected area and raising the possibility of necrosis.

A strangulated hernia probably won't go unnoticed as the pain is excruciating and you would be screaming your head off to be taken to a hospital. However, running with a hernia could irritate sympathetic nerve endings that could lead to spasms and other sensations of pain. Hernias are corrected surgically.

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