Why Your Stomach Hurts After Exercise

Exercise is good for you, so why does it hurt? Stomach pain after a workout is generally broken down into two categories: muscle pain and gastrointestinal discomfort. Neither one is pleasant, and in most cases, neither is particularly dangerous to your health. Stay hydrated and nourished with healthy foods, time your eating appropriately and adjust the intensity of your workout to prevent your stomach from hurting after exercise.

Dehydration

• Dehydration can cause severe stomach pain, according to a study published in a 2004 issue of the "Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan." Sweating during a workout cools you off, but also increases your risk of dehydration if you don't replace the lost fluids. This is especially true when exercising in hot weather. Prevent dehydration by drinking 16 to 20 ounces of water a couple of hours before you start your workout. Continue to drink water while you exercise, and follow up your physical activity with more fluids. The American Council on Exercise advises 16 to 24 ounces for every pound of water lost during exercise.

DOMS and Overtraining

• Delayed onset muscle soreness is a type of muscle discomfort that occurs after you exercise. DOMS-related stomach pain might not show up until a day or two after you've engaged your abdominal muscles during a workout, such as doing situps. Inflammation of the muscle fibers caused by microscopic tears is the reason your stomach hurts. This happens most often when you've worked the muscle past its normal capacity. Muscle cramps -- the involuntary contraction of a muscle -- can also be an indication of overwork. If you routinely develop pain in the abdomen, reduce the intensity of your workout or switch to a different exercise for a while.

Diet

• Your diet can contribute to stomach pain after exercising. Eating large meals or heavy foods that are fried, high in fat or greasy take longer to digest and can leave you feeling bloated, gassy and nauseated during and after a workout. Foods that you are not accustomed to, regardless of what they are, may also wreck havoc on your digestive system post-exercise. MayoClinic.com recommends eating a combination of whole-grain carbs and protein to give you energy for your activity. Bananas and other fruits, crackers, energy or granola bars and yogurt are ideal snack options that are unlikely to leave you with an upset stomach after you exercise.

Time Your Eating

• Eating too much right before you exercise or not eating anything before a workout could cause your stomach to hurt. Schedule large meals for at least three hours before you exercise. Consume smaller meals or snacks about two hours before a workout to give you energy without the threat of indigestion.