Sport Vlaanderen and Sporza want to continue to promote exercise. But of course sports and exercise go hand in hand with some beliefs, statements and sometimes myths. In our series, we keep some mysteries under a magnifying glass.
Most of us may have experienced it before. You are finishing your normal walking route and suddenly you get a stabbing pain in your side.
The spleen is often seen as the culprit, but is that always right?
The “myth” in a nutshell:
- There are several causes for a stabbing pain in the side.
- Usually the spleen has nothing to do with it.
- Do not make efforts for which you have not been or are not trained.
- Do not eat too late if you still want to walk.
- Don’t skip steps in building your fitness.
The spleen as the culprit? “Earlier cramps in the diaphragm”
“The stabbing pain in the side can have various causes,” explains Peter Hespel, exercise physiologist at KU Leuven.
“Usually it has nothing to do with the spleen itself, but rather with diaphragmatic cramps.”
“This type of cramp is common in people who are not used to putting in some physical effort.”
“However, the causes are very varied and sometimes there may even be stitches in the liver.”
So it often remains guess the cause, although the spleen usually has nothing to do with it. ”
“The best way to prevent the stitches is to avoid efforts that you have not been trained for.”
“Well-trained (recreational) athletes rarely, if ever, suffer from cramps. ”
Professor Peter Hespel.
The importance of nutrition and especially the moment of eating
According to nutritionist Stephanie Scheirlynck, a wrong diet is also one of the possible causes.
“Eat too late before you exercise can lead to a stabbing pain in the side. “
“So it’s not a good idea to have a waffle after work before you walk.”
“Many people not only eat too late, but also choose the wrong nutrition.”
“Runners in particular experience violent jerking movements, which makes them much more sensitive to stomach and intestinal complaints.”
“So make sure you always on time eat before exercising. After all, your body should be given time to complete the digestion process. ”
Eating too late before exercising can lead to a stabbing pain in the side.
European marathon champion: “Don’t skip steps”
Marathon runner Koen Naert also joins Scheirlynck. “It is better not to overeat before you start walking. It is also best to find out for yourself how long in advance you should eat before you walk. ”
“I recommend starting runners to start very carefully and do not skip steps. So it is certainly not the intention that you go red every training. “
“In the beginning you can also run at a slow pace. In this way you develop a basic condition that you can gradually build up.”
“The first weeks are the most difficult, but when you bite through, you feel the condition sparsely improve.”
Koen Naert became European marathon champion in Berlin.
Time for the conclusion:
While there are many possible causes for side stitches, the spleen almost never has anything to do with it.
Often the pain is provoked by too intensive efforts for which too little has been trained in advance.
Another plausible explanation is the incorrectly planned eating times.
It is important to eat early enough so that your meal is completely digested before you exercise. Preferably also opt for a lighter diet.
Finally, it is very important to build up your condition calmly.
If you are on the bit your teeth, you will clearly notice the progress made afterwards.
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