Swollen fingers?

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I almost always get swollen fingers when i exercise. You guys know why this happens?

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  • husker_gal
    husker_gal Posts: 462 Member
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    don't know but would love to know because I get the same thing. Sometimes it feels like they are gonna explode.
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
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    b/c your hands are lower than your heart and the blood pools????

    When I walk I have to put my hands up and wiggle fingers to stop it from happening to me. :) Sometimes after a long walk I have to walk with them on my head. I'm sure people drive by and think, what is she doing????

    Take off your rings before you exercise and it helps
  • kianaik
    kianaik Posts: 48 Member
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    Mine swell also. I've learned that when walking, you should keep your arms bent at a 90 degree angle (like you would do if you were running). Still not an answer to your other types of workouts, but helps when walking.
  • dragonfarie
    dragonfarie Posts: 84 Member
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    Yeah, My fingers swell too. I have found I am less likely to swell if I am well hydrated and avoid salt before exercising.
  • PokenStick
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    From the mayo clinic:

    Hand swelling during exercise is a fairly common problem. The cause isn't completely clear, but hand swelling appears to be a result of the way your body and blood vessels respond to the increased energy demands of your muscles during exercise.

    Exercise increases blood flow to your heart and lungs, as well as to the muscles you're working. This reduces blood flow to your hands, making them cooler. In turn, the blood vessels in your hands may overreact by opening wider — which could lead to hand swelling.

    As you continue to exercise, your muscles generate heat that makes your system push blood to the vessels closest to the surface of your body, to dissipate heat. This response triggers perspiration and may also contribute to hand swelling.

    In rare instances, endurance athletes develop hyponatremia (hi-po-nuh-TRE-me-uh) — an abnormally low level of sodium in the body. Swollen fingers and hands may be a sign of hyponatremia, but other signs, such as confusion and vomiting, are more prominent than is swelling. Drinking too much water, particularly during a marathon or similar long, strenuous event, may cause your body's sodium to become so diluted that you become hyponatremic. Confirmed hyponatremia requires immediate medical attention.

    There's no proven way to prevent or reduce most exercise-related hand swelling. Before you exercise, you may want to remove your rings and loosen your watchband. During exercise, it may help to do occasional forward and backward arm circles. You might also stretch your fingers and then make fists several times during exercise.
  • jimmydeanbakker
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    You're probably having some sort of electrolyte imbalance after doing a ton of sweating.
  • kimjoan
    kimjoan Posts: 192 Member
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    There are several reasons why this happens: Increased blood flow to the appendages and muscle tissue happens during exercise. The body reacts to exercise by opening the blood vessels. Swelling may occur when the blood vessels become too dilated. And/or: It may be due to excess fluid in the body. When exercising your heart rate increases to increase blood flow and to transmit other fluids to all parts of the body. While the legs have larger muscles to properly disperse blood and other fluids, the hands are not as muscular and also have to fight against gravity. Also, dehydration, environment temperature or a high salt diet can cause the swelling.

    Note that this is VERY common and as long as the swelling goes away a short time after exercising it is nothing to be concerned about, more annoying than anything. You can prevent this to a certain degree by keeping bending your arms and having hands at heart level during exercise.
  • aavincen
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    I get the sweeling as well. If you move your arms as described by the mayo excerpt above and stay well hydrated the swelling may decrease. That is what I do and it keeps them from hurting as badly.
  • Hannastyrbjorn
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    Thank you so much everyone! Now i'm a little more educated and sure that my fingers wont explode. ;) Keep up the good work, and hopefully i'll be able to answer some of your questions some day.
  • Marcia_11
    Marcia_11 Posts: 143 Member
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    This just happened to me tonight for the first time so of course, I turned to the boards to see if anyone else has had this problem.. lo and behold, I'm not the only one. Thanks for the answer! I feel a bit relieved now knowing this is sorta normal.