Anyone else's legs itch when you run/walk?

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  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    Well I don't know if this is the case with anyone else, but my legs will do that if my skin is dry while I run so I try to moisturize once a day (it doesn't have to be before you work out, just at some point before you work out) and I haven't had it happen to me since. And try to use something for sensitive skin even if your skin isn't sensitive; stay away from perfumed lotions for this.
  • lizbennet
    lizbennet Posts: 8 Member
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    i have the opposite issue--when my body temperature rises, it break out in a rash for at least an hour. it happens after a take showers or baths, during spring and summer esp as it gets hotter. i would even wake up in the middle of the night just ITCHING horribly--only ice and cortizon cream help. there actually is a name for it, which i have forgotten. i recently started taking zyrtec, which has helped a lot. doesn't make it go away completely, but it does lessen the reaction. totally sucks. i hope it helps you, though!
  • Aj722
    Aj722 Posts: 12
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    I don't know why it happens, but when I started walking for exercise my legs would itch so bad after a half mile I would have to stop. Normally it was my upper leg. It would turn red and blotchy. I kept walking and after several months it didn't itch any more. Now I can run or walk as much as I want without any issues. I just kinda had to power through it. I know it's not the best advice and if you get hives or anything like that you should see a doctor, but otherwise keep building yourself up and see if it goes away after several months. Good luck!
  • lee3978
    lee3978 Posts: 274
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    I hate it! Couple times almost passed out. It's an exercise allergy.

    I take allergy meds before running outside. I found drinking heavily the night before can affect my runs as well.

    http://allergies.about.com/od/anaphylaxis/a/eia.htm
  • momto1g1b
    momto1g1b Posts: 118 Member
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    That used to happen to me a lot, and it would be almost unbearable. It's improved considerably - I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I stopped using body lotion and started using baby oil to moisturize my skin instead.
  • dreamsofsomeday
    dreamsofsomeday Posts: 62 Member
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    That's happened to me numerous times, especially on a cold morning. I've also had it happen in the summer when I was on the treadmill and was not cold.
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    Wow, thanks for the great response everyone! At the very least it's nice to know I'm not alone, and that you know that now too!!! I'm going to go check out the links posted here and respond more specifically in the morning.... Thanks everyone!!!
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise_urticaria

    Interesting! Thanks for the link!
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    If it were me, I'd get a physical. It could also be a sign of chronic venous insufficiency. Depending on medical advice from these forums is never a good idea, since even a minor symptom like this may have multiple causes.
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    I googled it...check out this link. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-my-legs-get-itchy-when-i-walk.htm

    That's a good article... links to another on that's just about exercise urticaria... hives from exercise!!!
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    YES! What a relief it is! I am so tired of when I tell people this they think that I am making it up! My son's old school is next to a park with a track that goes around the lake there. I tried to walk the track there once and about halfway around my legs were on FIRE! I wanted to scratch them so bad but it was right next to a busy street! Ugh I hate this. I can do it on the treadmill without and problems but outside is a big NO NO!
    The first time it happened it was cold but I've had it happen in every weather since then.
    I asked the doctor about it once and he told me it had something to do with lactic acid but he kinda just dismissed me too.

    According to some links people have posted, it looks like it could be like an "exercise allergy" especially if outdoors... maybe more blood flow make the legs sensitive to allergens in the air? Several folks have recommended trying an antihistamine before working out outside... I'm going to give it a try... but as with anything, check with your doc! (even if he is dismissive, better safe than sorry!)
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    It was explained to me that when you are exercising, or say you come in from a snowy day... your legs may itch because your blood is pumping hard and rising to the surface. And apparently, that process makes a lot of people itch.

    Good Point... I never made that connection, but it's a LOT like when you come inside from having a snowball fight. but a little more itchy. Interesting! thanks for sharing!
  • weeblex
    weeblex Posts: 411 Member
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    I sort of tangent, but

    I had poison ivy and my poison ivy goes nuts when I exercise. I talked to the doctor and the doc stays that the sweat from working out irritates the allergic reaction from the poison ivy. Sounds like maybe a mild allergy that the raised heart rate and cause some irritation?
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    This may be more for the girls...but I used to ich like crazy when I ran and I found that it helps if I don't have any lotion or body spray on...it seem to make it worse mixed in with the sweat! Not sure if that's the initial cause but it helped me not to itch as much.

    Good point! Always a good idea to workout with less stuff on the skin...
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    I've heard that it's because the small capillaries in your legs contract due to inactivity. Then when you exercise (which is most likely less frequent when it's cold) your blood rushes through the capillaries causing them to be forced open which causes the pain and itching. I find once I'm back in a routine of walking/running on a consistent basis, it does not happen anymore.

    This sounds like a pretty likely explanation. AS with anything, exercise gets better/easier/less painful the more you do it. So logical...
  • KendraLoveless
    KendraLoveless Posts: 51
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    Well I don't know if this is the case with anyone else, but my legs will do that if my skin is dry while I run so I try to moisturize once a day (it doesn't have to be before you work out, just at some point before you work out) and I haven't had it happen to me since. And try to use something for sensitive skin even if your skin isn't sensitive; stay away from perfumed lotions for this.

    Interesting idea! I'll try it if taking an antihistamine before hand doesn't work! thanks for your input!!!
  • misterkd69
    misterkd69 Posts: 2
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    Hi. I suffered from this problem and it irritates me when it happens! I'll start walking and about 10 minutes into it, my legs are itching so bad that I want to claw them raw! But that's not all, now I have to walk back home and you can't scratch because who knows who may see you! So by the time I get home I'm raging mad and scratching to there's blood. My solution was just to not take walks and/or run. Since then I decided to keep walking and slowly increase the distance every week and you know what, every week I was able to walk further than the week before my legs would start to itch! Now I can walk or run great distances with my legs itching!

    Symptoms: When you start running, you feel an itchy sensation that is sometimes so bad, you have to stop running. It most often occurs if you run after a long period of inactivity.
    If the itching is accompanied by a rash, it might be a different condition, such as exercise-induced anaphylaxis.

    Causes: The most common cause of itchy legs is actually because of what's happening inside the skin, not on it. When we exercise, the millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles expand rapidly because of the demand for more blood. If we're fit, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but, when unfit and inactive, they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage (which, by the way, is fine for a sedentary person). The expansion of the capillaries causes adjacent nerves to send impulses to the brain, which then reads the sensation as an itch.

    Prevention: The problem should go away once you have increased your fitness level. Start off walking a short distance then gradually increase as your able to tolerate.

    Another problem may be dry skin is also a common cause of itchiness, so if you think that's your issue, try using a moisturizing oil or lotion, especially after your bath or shower. You may also want to change your laundry detergent to one that contains no perfumes or dyes.
  • misterkd69
    misterkd69 Posts: 2
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    Correction. I'm able to run now greater distances without my legs itching!
  • liebemuse
    liebemuse Posts: 1
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    I get this. Just happened to me today when I tried running on the treadmill again. I do elliptical and I don't itch at all. i can go forever on the elliptical. Treadmill i can run for about two minutes and the itching is so bad I get dizzy and can't focus and have to stop. I think it has something to do with the pounding action when running. Your skin and muscles shake more which can irritate whatever causes this. The elliptical is nice and smooth so there is no irritation. I would love to train to actually run a 5k but it's just impossible with the itching. So I made it to 5k on the elliptical and i guess I'll just have to keep going to 10k on that. Frustrating but at least there is some way around it. Anyone else find they are fine on the elliptical? I wonder if I took loratidine daily it would help. I read a lot that it could be a histamine thing. Maybe i'll try doing that and then try running again in a month or so. But I can say this is NOT due to inactivity. I go to the gym 4 or 5 times a week with no less than 30 minutes of cardio, usually more. I never itch unless I'm on the treadmill. So frustrating!!!
  • andrea0979
    andrea0979 Posts: 2
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    I experienced this in my feet as a child then it transferred to my thighs, butt, etc. I found drinking water helped, but like everyone here I thought it was just me.

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