Get to Know and Understand About "Suduken" or Side Stitches: Abdominal Pain That Occurs During Exercise

Ladies, have you ever felt a sudden pain in your stomach while exercising or doing strenuous activities? If so, what you feel is suduken. Suduken is a term in Javanese that describes pain in one part of the stomach with a sensation like being stabbed or cramped. Globally, this condition is known as side stitch or exercise-related abdominal pain (ETAP) in medical terms. Suduken often disturbs and even hinders our activities. Therefore, here are things you need to know about suduken.

Causes of Suduken or Side Stitches 

Even though the leading cause has not been found, the type and intensity of activity have a big role in someone experiencing suduken. Athletes or people who do activities that involve the torso up, such as riding, swimming, and running, have a greater chance of being hit by suduken. A 2000 study found that athletes participating in swimming (75%), running (69%), and equestrian (62%) reported experiencing suduken at least once in the previous year.

Here are other reasons why you might experience suduken or side stitches:

1. Untrained core muscles will make it difficult for the body to maintain stability while exercising and potentially interfere with the process of exchanging oxygen with carbon dioxide through abdominal breathing (diaphragmatic muscles).
2. Eating a large meal just before exercising or strenuous activities is not a good idea. A study in 2005 stated that a running athlete who ate a large meal 1-2 hours before a training session had a greater chance of being hit by suduken or side stitches.
3. Lack of water intake, known as dehydration, can cause muscle cramps in the abdomen.
4. Not warming up enough or increasing the intensity of exercise too quickly can cause suduken. When exercising, the body will allocate the oxygen the muscles need through the bloodstream. If the increase in intensity is done too quickly, the body will find it difficult to meet the oxygen needs.

How to Overcome Suduken or Side Stitches

Here are some ways you can do if you are experiencing a suduken condition in the middle of an activity.

1. If you are exercising, reduce the intensity or take a short break.
2. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
3. Stretch and do a little massage on the part of the stomach experiencing pain.
4. Always have sufficient water intake to avoid dehydration which can cause muscle cramps.

Tips to Avoid Suduken or Side Stitches

Here are some tips that you can apply to avoid suduken:

1. Be sure to always warm up adequately before exercising or strenuous activity.
2. Always do it slowly if you want to increase the intensity of the training so that the body has time to adapt.
3. Take time to do breathing exercises, as 40% of athletes can overcome suduken with deep breaths.
4. You can train your core and pelvic muscles to improve your posture while exercising to reduce the risk of suduken.
5. Avoid eating a large meal just before starting a sport or strenuous activity.

Even though suduken or side stitch is a condition that often occurs, it would be better to reduce the risk of its occurrence as much as possible. By creating a comfortable atmosphere, it is hoped that we can get maximum benefits when exercising. Consult a doctor if the problem of pain in the stomach does not go away.

Don't forget to read other health articles only on Fitie!