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Stomach cramp during swimming

  • 03-07-2018 3:34pm
    #1
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,609 ✭✭✭✭


    Occasionally I get stomach muscle cramps while swimming, generally always in the same spot just below my right rib cage.

    Is it bad breathing or undigested food or the cups of water I take before I swim?

    Or something like potassium deficiency?

    I take vits every day so should be ok on that front.


Comments

  • #2
    Rented Mule
    Registered Users Posts: 5,152 ✭✭✭Rented Mule


    I used to always get this when I didn't stretch before swimming.

    Can't remember the last time it's happened to me since I always stretch before a swim now.


  • #3
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,609 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Rented Mule wrote: »
    I used to always get this when I didn't stretch before swimming.

    Can't remember the last time it's happened to me since I always stretch before a swim now.

    The problem is I don't always get it.. perhaps 1 out of 10 times.

    I'm trying to figure out if it's water I drink too fast prior to swimming, or perhaps my breathing not being deep enough to fully extend my lungs as the pain seems to be around the bottom of the lung area.

    It does tend to happen more often when the pool is crowded and that sometimes messes up my rhythm, plus only affects front-crawl.


  • #4
    Unpossible
    Registered Users Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭Unpossible


    Is it a stitch?

    If yes try:
    Not eating up to an hour before going in.
    Make sure you do a warm up, don't just hit the water and go full pelt.
    Are you doing interval training? If yes are you getting enough rest?
    Are you breathing enough/properly?


  • #5
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,609 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Unpossible wrote: »
    Is it a stitch?

    If yes try:
    Not eating up to an hour before going in.
    Make sure you do a warm up, don't just hit the water and go full pelt.
    Are you doing interval training? If yes are you getting enough rest?
    Are you breathing enough/properly?

    Isn't a stitch a cramp though?

    I'm doing it after cycling from work. So I cycle perhaps 12km, then do the swim after drinking a few glasses of water. Don't really have a rest between beyond the time I take to get changed (15 mins?).

    I do a bit of stretching in the stomach area by stretching arms up and in front.

    I don't generally go "full pelt" but pace myself initially and build up speed after say 10 lengths.


    Since I posted I did find that when I do front-crawl and really "reach out" forward during each stroke this does seem to help stretch the stomach muscles and help alleviate any oncoming creeping cramps.

    I still haven't identified the cause yet as it only happens perhaps 1/10 times, despite my daily routine being the same.


  • #6
    Unpossible
    Registered Users Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭Unpossible


    Isn't a stitch a cramp though?
    Not really: https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets/fuelling-recovery/cramps-stitches/

    Personally I would consider a cramp to be the muscle(s) painfully locking up or going to spasm. Whereas a stitch is a different kind of pain. I can swim through one and not the other.
    I've recently had cramps in my abs after training and I wasn't able to move for a few minutes.

    Are you getting enough fluids in?


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  • #7
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,609 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Yeah drinking a lot. I find if I drink too much it seems to trigger the cramp though so I limit it to 5 paper cups of water. There's also the inevitable drops of water you "drink" as you swim :)

    What ever the pain is, it's a "ripping" feeling in my lower muscle and not something I can swim through.

    I'd categorise it as a stitch though as it's not a spasm. Just a feeling that I'll tear a muscle if I try to push through.

    Anyway the next time it happens I'll post back about what I did beforehand.


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