Struggling with side stitches when you run? These are the five mistakes you’re probably making, according to a running coach

Woman in running clothes holds her side with a pained expression on her face.

There’s nothing like a sharp cramping in your side to bring your run to a premature halt. While stitches can hinder even the most experienced athletes, they’re especially common if you’re new to running, but they're also easily preventable.

Officially known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain, stitches typically present as a sharp pain around the ribcage.