Abdomen pain is relatively common during running, but you should not ignore the pain as it could be something very serious. Be careful of self diagnosis, as a number of different factors could contribute to your abdominal pain. You may think you may have something basic like a muscle strain, when in reality you could have something life threatening; either way, consult a doctor if you develop abdominal pain while running.
Side Stiches
A side stitch is a pain in the diaphragm. It is caused by a muscle spasm that produces a sharp pain on your side right below the ribcage. Runners Rescue estimates that about 30 percent of all runners develop side stitches at some point, especially novice runners who have not learned how to properly pace themselves and control their breathing while running. You can help to alleviate the pain from side stitches by trying to stretch the injured muscle, or by switching up how you breathe while you run; for instance, you could try breathing deeper or developing a pattern, such as exhaling every third time your left foot hits. Avoid running on a full stomach as well.
Muscle Strain
It is not common to strain a muscle in your abdomen while running, but a strain that occurs while engaging in a different activity can certainly give you trouble as you run. Muscle strains often occur low in the abdomen and are characterized by pains that increase and become very sharp when the muscle is contracted. A mixture of anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen and rest can help heal abdominal muscle strains, with steroid injections and surgery as possibilities if the pain is too severe for too long.
Gastrointestinal Pain
Many runners experience some sort of gastrointestinal discomfort while running, including belching, flatulence, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can often be prevented or alleviated by hydrating properly. Your body can sweat up to 2 liters per hour, but cannot absorb that much water during an hour of exercise, so it is necessary to hydrate ahead of running. Hyperhydration, or drinking between 400 and 600 mL of cold water about 20 minutes before exercise, can help delay the effects of dehydration and prevent gastrointestinal pain.
Symphysis Pubis
Symphysis pubis is an inflammation of the joint where your pubic bones meet and can cause runners to develop abdominal pain. Often the pain does not stay localized in this joint, as it can spread to the hip abductor muscles on the inner thigh as well as to the scrotum, for males. Rest and physical therapy can help alleviate this pain, as can localized cortisone injections.
