It's fairly common to feel stomach cramps during exercise, especially if you're running or performing some other form of vigorous exercise. If you suffer from stomach cramps during exercise, you may not actually be feeling cramps in your stomach; although gastrointestinal pain occurs in runners and other athletes during exercise, you may actually be experiencing a muscle cramp that seems to originate in the vicinity of your stomach.
Side Stitch
If your stomach cramps actually occur more on the side of your torso than in the center, closer to your stomach, you're probably experiencing a side stitch, according to the Stretching Institute. Up to 70 percent of runners and other athletes have experienced this annoying muscle pain at some point during their workouts in the last year. If you're working out vigorously, or if you've just started an exercise routine, you're more likely to get a side stitch. They also occur more frequently in people who participate in sports with up-and-down movements such as jumping rope and running.
Side Stitch Remedies
When you feel the pain of a side stitch, it's because your diaphragm -- the muscle just above your stomach that helps you to breathe -- has contracted in a painful spasm. To counter a side stitch, slow or stop your activity and take deep breaths. Try to alter your breathing pattern, and avoid taking fast, shallow breaths in order to calm your muscles and reduce the pain of your side stitch.
Gastrointestinal Pain
Your stomach cramps during exercise may also be the result of exercise-related problems in your gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal problems related to exercise can take many forms, including stomach cramps, diarrhea, gas, belching and even vomiting, and appear more commonly in runners than in swimmers and bikers. Dehydration can contribute to these symptoms while you're working out, so make sure to drink plenty of liquids before exercising.
Other Causes
Other medical conditions, including urinary tract infections and, in women, menstrual cycle issues, can cause cramps in your stomach area while you're exercising. If your pain continues and you fail to alleviate it with simple steps to stop side stitches and rehydrate, see your doctor for a full checkup to rule out any more serious causes for the cramps.
