Health tip of the day: Don’t let stitches plague you

Eat lightly before a run and try to match your breathing with your strides

A stitch in your side can quite literally stop you in your tracks, and they’re especially common if you’re only just learning to run properly. However, a stitch isn’t a reason to cut your workout short entirely.

To ease the ache, firstly concentrate on your breathing. It will relax your diaphragm and respiratory muscles. Take your fist and press it beneath your rib cage, while taking deep breaths from your belly for about ten steps. Within a minute, the pain should subside.

According to Runners World, to help prevent your chances of getting a stitch, eat lightly before you run, make sure you warm up properly, and try to match your breathing with your strides.