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Gastrointestinal symptoms during endurance running
Author(s) -
Koistinen P. O.,
Jauhonen P.,
Lehtola J.,
Takala T.,
Salokannel J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.1991.tb00302.x
Subject(s) - medicine , retching , asymptomatic , heartburn , physical therapy , nausea , incidence (geometry) , disease , physics , reflux , optics
The incidence and type of gastrointestinal complaints among endurance runners were investigated with a questionnaire among participants in a marathon event in northern Finland. The running distances were 1/4, 1/2 and full marathon. The fitness level of the participants varied from habitual joggers to national‐class endurance runners. The response rate of the 426 participants was 55% (230). Gastrointestinal disturbances during the run were reported by 32% of the respondents. The prominent symptom during the 1/4 marathon was stitch (32%). The main complaints during the 1/2 marathon were stitch (21%), pain (12%), and retching or heartburn (5%). The most frequent symptoms during the full marathon were stitch (16%), pain (9%), diarrhoea (4%) and nausea (4%). Gastrointestinal symptoms hindered maximal performance subjectively for 16%, 18% and 19% in the 1/4, 1/2 and full marathon, respectively. Most of the symptomatic runners (73%) had suffered from gastrointestinal complaints during the preceding training period, and 25% of the asymptomatic runners reported previous gastrointestinal troubles during training.