My side hurts when running – should I worry? - Be healthy!

There can be many reasons for side pain while running. This phenomenon is especially common among beginners with a low level of physical fitness. The body is not accustomed to running loads and tries to respond.

In this material we will tell you why your side hurts while running, what are the causes of this pain. You will also learn what needs to be done to make the pain go away and how seriously you should take it.

Factors that can trigger pain

Determining exactly why side pain occurs is quite difficult even for doctors. However, there are several risk factors that significantly influence the occurrence of cramps in the side:

Poor physical fitness;

Lack of warm-up before class;

Training in very cold weather;

Eating or drinking immediately before running;

Age. This may seem strange, but in younger people this type of pain is more common and feels much stronger;

Internal organs that can provoke spasms

The main internal organs that cause pain in the side:

Pain on the right side under the chest - liver;

Pain on the left under the chest - spleen;

Side pain when running - diaphragm.

It is not the internal organs themselves that hurt. The cause of discomfort is the acceleration of blood flow in the body during physical activity. This, in turn, increases the size of organs and creates situations where nerve endings can be affected.

Causes of side pain while running

Side pain while running can occur in both beginners and experienced athletes. Unpleasant sensations can appear unexpectedly, and acute pain can force you to stop, and if we are talking about competitions, even quit the race.

Why does my side hurt when running? There is no definite answer to this question; unpleasant sensations arise for various reasons. However, many ways have been invented to get rid of or dull pain in the side.

The location of the pain can be either in the left or right side. For some, these sensations are similar to a nagging pain, for others, a sharp stabbing pain. Factors that can provoke discomfort and spasms:

No warm-up. Warm-up is necessary in order to warm up the muscles and prepare the body for stress. People who frequently run note that without warming up, cramps occur much more often;

Get a little rest

Oleg Babchin, founder and senior coach of the Second Wind school:

It is necessary to be able to analyze any pain sensations, except muscle ones, to identify truly serious ailments or temporary inconveniences. If your left side hurts, it is likely that it is the pancreas or spleen. As a rule, this is a temporary spasm that can be leveled out by simple palpation or temporary rest, after which you can continue training. It’s a completely different matter if the right side is sick - it’s the liver and its adjacent parts, the bile ducts. In this option, you should be more careful, but there are possible ways to solve the problem, as with the right side. There can be several causes of pain: late meals, problems with pain-signaling organs, incorrect running pace, in which the body cannot cope with an excess of lactic acid.

Causes of side pain after running

If you get cramps after exercise, then the reasons for this are exactly the same as during training. It is not recommended to jump from a fast pace to a step, much less stop; the body experiences stress and responds in the form of pain.

If the pain does not go away immediately after stopping running, you can try the following:

Sit, relax, breathe deeply. The body should be completely relaxed;

Do a stomach massage;

Press on the place of pain and do not release until the sensation goes away;

Inhale deeply and exhale through pursed lips;

Bok Choy Recipes

Home » Recipe collections » Cabbage dishes » Bok choy cabbage dishes

If you are not yet familiar with Chinese cabbage bok choy (pak choy), then it’s time to cook it at least once, using our recipes with photos. You will certainly be able to appreciate its delicate taste, which will appeal to the most discerning gourmets. This type of cabbage is usually served fried, as well as as part of various hot main dishes. Bok choy leaves are quite delicate, so they need to be properly cooked to produce a truly delicious dish. With the help of our bok choy recipes, you will learn how to create real culinary masterpieces.

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Chinese bok choy in kimchi dressing

Categories: Main courses, Appetizers, Vegetables, .

Bright green vegetables like bok choy or broccoli pair well with oyster sauce. This garlicky and slightly spicy version of the sauce is distinguished by a sweet and sour note, which is given to it by balsamic vinegar, which has - read more

bok choy, fresno pepper, garlic, oyster sauce, fish sauce, balsamic vinegar...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Braised bok choy with bacon, onions and lima beans

Categories: Main courses, Cereals, legumes, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Bok choy cooks quickly, and this side dish will take you less than half an hour. Bacon gives it a fantastic taste: the cabbage is fried in the fat rendered after frying the bacon, and then mixed with canned lima beans - read more

bok choy, lima beans, balsamic vinegar, bacon...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 214

Korean smoked loin on the bone

Categories: Main courses, Meat, Grill, Meat, Vegetables, fruits, .

Pork loin cutlets on rib bones are grilled along with red onions and bunches of bok choy. The spicy-sweet ginger sauce gives the whole dish a wonderful Asian taste. Start cooking with it, then divide the sauce - read more

pork loin, pork, bok choy cabbage, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, chili sauce, sesame oil, ginger root...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Bok choy stir-fry with ginger and garlic

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

The best and fastest way to cook bok choy is to fry it in an Asian stir-fry technique with spices. The cabbage is fried, stirring frequently, until it becomes slightly softer. At the same time, it should retain its juiciness, so read more

bok choy cabbage, ginger root, garlic...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Stir-fry with cabbage and chicken

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Chicken breast and mushrooms cook in minutes and make a great base for a quick Asian stir-fry. The ingredients are finely chopped and fried in sesame oil with frequent stirring along with broccoli, carrots, green beans - read more

chicken breasts, champignon mushrooms, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, broccoli, carrots, green beans, bok choy...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Natural pork cutlets in turmeric with bok choy cabbage

Categories: Main courses, Meat, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Natural pork cutlets or boneless pork loin steaks are used in the preparation. Rub them with turmeric for a stunning golden color and tangy taste and fry them in a pan for a few minutes. Tender meat is fried - read more

pork loin, pork, bok choy cabbage, duck sauce, fish sauce, balsamic vinegar, fresno pepper, turmeric...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 530

Bok choy stir-fry with Canadian bacon

Categories: Main courses, Cereals, legumes, Meat, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Stir-fry is a great way to quickly prepare delicious and healthy Asian-style food. All components are fried over high heat, so that they brown on the outside and retain their juiciness and all the benefits inside. Fry shiitake mushrooms with - read more

soy sauce, sriracha sauce, sugar, smoked bacon, shiitake mushrooms, sweet pepper, red onion, garlic, bok choy cabbage, brown rice...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 448

Chicken katsu with ginger rice

Categories: Main courses, Cereals, legumes, Poultry, .

In Japan, this dish is also called torikatsu, which means breaded and fried chicken cutlet. The cutlet itself is a chicken breast fillet, which is dredged in flour, then dipped in egg, then rolled in Japanese breadcrumbs - read more

chicken, bok choy, ginger root, panko breadcrumbs, eggs...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 610

Bok choy with miso sauce in the microwave

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Delicious and packed with vitamins, bok choy is microwaved with garlic and ginger until it softens a little but retains its healthy crunch and juiciness. Before serving, pour Asian cabbage over the finished cabbage - read more

bok choy cabbage, ginger root, garlic, miso (soybean paste), sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 70

Teriyaki chicken with bok choy

Categories: Main courses, Poultry, .

To prepare this dish, chicken gherkins are used, cut in half lengthwise. These chicken halves look very festive and luxurious on the table, and in addition, each guest gets all the delicious parts of the chicken in their own way: leg, thigh, - read more

chicken, bok choy cabbage, grapefruit, green onion, ginger root, chili pepper, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Dinner in the oven: Hoisin-glazed salmon and bok choy

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, Fish, .

What could be more desirable on a weeknight than a delicious dinner that doesn’t require a lot of fuss? This dinner can be prepared in a few minutes on one sheet pan and is delicious, healthy and easy. Moreover, after preparing it in your kitchen - read more

salmon, bok choy, asparagus, ginger root, hoisin sauce, green onion...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 2 Calories: 435

Grilled bok choy with sesame seeds

Categories: Grill, Vegetables, fruits, .

Bok choy is a tasty and healthy vegetable crop, which is classified as a type of cabbage or broccoli. Bok choy is known as a dietary product with unique nutritional value: it is low in calories and contains many vitamins and - read more

bok choy, salsa, peanut butter, rice vinegar, honey, sesame...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Chinese bok choy with sweet and hot peppers

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Detailed recipe with photos.

bok choy, chili pepper, rice vinegar, garlic, basil...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4

Steamed Bok Choy with Asian Seasonings

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Side dish recipe for steamed bok choy and seasoned with soy sauce, lime and sesame oil. - read more

bok choy, chives, soy sauce, lime...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 30

Bok choy stir-fried with garlic and ginger

Categories: Main courses, Vegetables, mushrooms, .

Side dish recipe for bok choy lightly fried with garlic and ginger. - read more

bok choy cabbage, garlic, ginger root...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 2

Grilled bok choy

Categories: Grill, Vegetables, fruits, .

Recipe for grilled bok choy with Asian BBQ sauce. Consisting of rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and brown sugar. - read more

bok choy cabbage, hot sauce, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, chili pepper, rice vinegar, brown sugar...

Difficulty: easy Servings: 4 Calories: 58

Braised bok choy with shiitake mushrooms

Categories: Main dishes, Vegetables, mushrooms, Thick, stewed dishes, .

Recipe for a side dish of bok choy cabbage cooked in Asian style. Bok choy cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and jicama were stewed in chicken broth. With the addition of sake and oyster sauce. - read more

bok choy cabbage, mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, jicama, starch, oyster sauce, garlic, sake...

Difficulty: easy
Recipes in alphabetical order

Localization of pain - where and why

If you feel pain or a slight tingling in your side after starting a workout, determine on which side these sensations are localized. If the pain is in the left side:

Perhaps the spleen reacts to physical activity. Don't stop, lean your left elbow against your body and slow down your running speed;

Take a deep breath. With this action you will create pressure inside the body, which affects the internal organs. As you exhale, hold your breath for a while, then continue running.

If the pain is localized on the right side:

Take a deep breath and exhale;

Slowly reduce your running speed. When you take a step, stop and reach your toes with your hands;

Draw your stomach in, take a deep breath and exhale several times.

Relax and breathe deeply

Denis Vasiliev, coach of the running club Runlab Running Laboratory, St. Petersburg:

Pain in the right hypochondrium is a common problem when running, especially for beginners. There can be many reasons. I will list a few main ones.

Load on the liver. Remember when your last meal was, what you ate before running and the day before. If it was a heavy meal, and even eaten immediately before running, then the reason is most likely clear. If pain occurs regularly, you may need to reconsider your diet. To prevent pain from taking you by surprise during competitions, I advise you to take a couple of no-shpa or spasmalgon tablets with you.

Curvature of the bile ducts. In medical terminology, the diagnosis sounds different, but the essence does not change: there is a violation of the outflow of bile. But this is, rather, not a pathology, but a structural feature of the gallbladder. If you are afraid that pain may strike you during an important race, then I recommend taking a course of a choleretic herbal mixture well before the start. This is a simple, affordable and at the same time effective remedy. Before using medications, consultation with a specialist is recommended.

Load on the heart. The systemic circulation supplies our organs and tissues with oxygenated blood. In simple terms, the heart works intensively, pushing a large volume of blood to the organs, including the liver. But the liver cannot cope with such a volume of blood. In this case, the best remedy is to reduce your running pace and intensity accordingly.

In all three cases, it doesn’t hurt to relax, take a few deep breaths and exhales, involving the diaphragm in the breathing process. If pain occurs regularly, then of course you should consult a doctor.

What to do to avoid side pain

There are many ways to prevent side pain. Since it will not be possible to immediately and accurately find out the cause of the pain, you will have to remember several options and try to use them one by one if the pain still overtakes you. Here is a list of tips:

Always warm up before running. This warms up the muscles, prepares the body for stress, both from a physical and psychological point of view;

Don't rush forward from the start if it's not a competition. During a training session, it is best to start at a slow pace and gradually increase the speed;

A good solution might be to pump up your upper body. Side pain occurs in sports where this part of the body is actively involved. If you can strengthen your muscles, then your body will feel more stable in terms of movement during running and other activities, and your internal organs will stand firmly in place and not squeeze each other;

Learn proper breathing technique. This will help you feel easy while running at any distance with any intensity;

Don't eat before training. The last meal should be 2-3 hours before it starts;

Pump up your abdominal muscles - this will reduce the risk of pain in this area;

Always do a warm-up

Maxim Denisov, founder and head coach of the Gepard school:

Most often, the side begins to hurt in insufficiently trained people. If you are just starting to run, you may often encounter this problem at first. Nothing wrong with that. Just slow down to a comfortable level. Keep running, and as your training increases, everything will pass. This happens much less often to experienced runners, but they are not immune either. The side can catch at the most inopportune moment, for example, at competitions.

Do a good warm-up and never start with a full stomach. Arrive at the start early, allowing for time to warm up. A full warm-up is 2 km of running at an easy pace, warming up the joints and several short accelerations. Be sure to time your meals before starting or training.

What to do while running to stop the pain

Coping with cramps while running is quite difficult. There are several tips that can help, but each case is different and their effectiveness is not guaranteed.

Apply a little pressure to the area of pain and remove your hand while exhaling;

Slow down your running speed, but do not stop for a long time;

Start breathing deeper, inhaling for two steps and exhaling for the third. Thanks to this, the muscles will relax and spasms can go away;

Stop and do stretching exercises - bending to the side or forward;

Slowly transition into a walk and then stop. After this, lean forward slightly - tense internal organs and the diaphragm will relax;

Massage the area where the pain is located.

Methods for treating and preventing diseases

As a treatment for cholestasis, Western medicine suggests taking hepatoprotectors, cytostatics, vitamins, and antioxidants. The subhepatic form of cholestasis requires urgent surgical intervention.

For hepatosis, the main stage of treatment is following a diet that excludes fatty, fried, flour, salty, and alcohol. Depending on the findings of diagnostic tests, allopaths may recommend surgical treatment.

Attacks of biliary colic are relieved with antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial drugs. Western doctors recommend surgery for frequent exacerbations of the disease.

In case of urolithiasis, Western medicine resorts to surgical treatment (extraction of stones). As a preventive measure, the patient is prescribed drugs that improve microcirculation in the kidneys and relax the urinary tract.

To prevent complications of nephroptosis, wearing a bandage and special exercises that strengthen the muscles of the back and peritoneum are recommended. When bacterial infections develop, antibiotics are needed, and in some cases, surgical treatment.

For chronic pancreatitis, doctors prescribe a special diet, antispasmodics, enzymes, and vitamin therapy.

Should you see a doctor?

If your side hurts while running, then in most cases the discomfort should go away some time after you stop exercising. However, each case is individual. If these pains are regular and constant, and no methods can be used to muffle them or remove them, then this can be a serious wake-up call.

In this case, it is recommended to make an appointment with a therapist, who will give further recommendations on how to get rid of unpleasant sensations. Continuous pain in the left side may indicate a disease of the internal organs:

Spleen;

Bud;

Pancreas.

Unpleasant sensations on the right are most likely provoked by the liver, and specifically by the “Glissonian capsule”. A timely appointment with a specialist will prevent the development of complex pathologies and preserve your health.

Calculous cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder, which is accompanied by thickening of bile and the formation of stones from it. The reasons may be irregular nutrition, hereditary factors, infectious diseases, and a sedentary lifestyle.

The acute form of cholecystitis is accompanied by stabbing pain, vomiting, nausea, and fever. The chronic form is manifested by biliary colic, which occurs when a stone gets stuck in the neck of the gallbladder. The symptoms are the same: acute pain, vomiting without relief, bloating, diarrhea, heartburn. It can be provoked by severe stress and dietary errors. When walking or running quickly, the complaints intensify.

Methods for diagnosing cholecystitis: blood test (determination of liver tests, pancreatic enzymes), cholecystography, ultrasound of the gallbladder.

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