Stiches

richardjallen

What causes a stich? I have never suffered them while riding until recently. I have changed to a road bike rather than a hybrid and I drink from a bottle while riding. These are the only things I can think of that I do differently.

Bob the dog

Probably just weak tummy muscles mate, the new riding position is giving them something else to do.
Pop down to Tesco, buy one of their ab trimmers for seven quid, do 100 crunches every day, you'll be sorted in no time.

peteracp

From what I can remember, a stich is the discomfort caused when the membrane of some internal organs rubs with the inside of your rib cage or abdominal wall ... I think, there's every possibility I'm way off the mark.

No idea what causes it or how best to get rid of it, but I remember reading that (while running any way) you can get rid of a stich by breathing out heavily as the foot that the side that the stitch is on hits the ground. On the bike I guess you could translate this to huffing out as the corresponding foot goes to the bottom of the pedal stroke.

...It's like hiccups: everyone's got their own cure

Peter