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Runner's Stitch And The Thoracic Spine, Darren Morton, T Aune

Darren Morton

The cause of the abdominal pain commonly referred to as "stitch", but more accurately known as exercise related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), had until recently attracted more speculation than research. Explanations for the pain have included diaphragmatic ischaemia, (1) stress on peritoneal ligaments, (2) and irritation of the parietal peritoneum. (3) Although the exact cause of the pain remains to be elucidated, a neurogenic explanation has not appeared in the literature. We present the case of an elite runner who, after a thoracic spine trauma, developed severe and recurrent episodes of ETAP which were relieved by localised treatment. As a …