Question: Legs after exercise?

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MrsSmith2010
MrsSmith2010 Posts: 225 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I'm a pretty big girl- 5'8'' 315lbs, but I'm wondering if this doesn't happen to more people than myself.

After I work out, decent workouts, like 20ish minutes, my legs feel really funny. They feel tingly and itchy and they even turn red. Does that happen to anyone else?

I'm thinking maybe it's the massive amount of blood flow going through them from the cardio but I could be wrong. Does anybody know why that would happen? Is it normal or should I be concerned?

Thanks all! :)

Replies

  • fearlessfatty
    fearlessfatty Posts: 206 Member
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    I would suggest going for massage, ideally a fascial-release massage. the gist of it is that the layer surrounding each muscle and tissue in your body (so that things slide off each other) is super tight! from not stretching or from not getting enough water or just from carrying extra weight. when you work out and the blood starts pumping and the muscle are working hard to exchange gases and keep you moving, those areas tug on one another as they're adhered to each other. Like trying to force air into one of those long skinny balloons. the effort to do so is a strain. a massage can release a lot of that for you and if you follow it with some heat and stretching i think you'll notice an improvement for sure! My calves do that to me during my cardio and massage helps immensely.

    granted, that's just my theory. i'd still mention it to your md just to make sure it's not a circulatory issue of some kind.

    good luck!!!!
  • jesshall281
    jesshall281 Posts: 219
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    when i get off my bike my legs feel like jelly and this makes me walk funny. they do go slightly red, but this is the same for my face, chest and arms after Ive done a ride so im guessing it is just the increased blood flow while exercising. They dont go itchy or tingly though....but maybe different people have different reactions after exercising, especially depending on your fitness level
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    In people who've been running for a while, the arteries open up rather fast to allow increased blood flow to the lower body during a running workout. Since this is not the case for you, it's probably just your body trying to expand the arteries and capillaries to send the extra blood you need during activity. This is normal, if not annoying. If it continues more than 10 or 15 minutes after the run then I would maybe get a checkup with your doctor and make sure you talk to them about the condition. It could also be a mild allergy to your own sweat (called Urticaria) but that wouldn't be limited to the legs so I doubt that's it.

    With time the blood flow should even out and your circulation should normalize. Just make sure you do proper warm up and cool down periods before running after a bout of high relatively high intensity, the blood can pool in extremities which increases the possibility of stroke and/or other circulatory issues.
  • MrsSmith2010
    MrsSmith2010 Posts: 225 Member
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    Well I don't run yet, mostly because I'm too heavy and it still hurts to run. I do a little bit of jogging for maybe 2-3 minutes at a time at the most. They also don't get itchy or tingly until after I'm off the treadmill, or at least I don't notice it until then. My face and chest get red too, but they don't feel like my legs do. If it makes any sense, my legs also feel this way when I'm outside in the cold for a long time and come back in. Like when they are realllly cold and trying to warm up it happens then too. Weird, I know lol
  • fitbot
    fitbot Posts: 406
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    warm up and cool down is key
    but SO IS STRETCHING/
    make sure you stretch before and after cardio.

    :)
  • CrazyKylie
    CrazyKylie Posts: 20
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    Yes, happens to me too. It's called exercise induced urticaria or cholinergic urticaria It's really annoying and uncomfortable!
  • maineislandgirl
    maineislandgirl Posts: 14 Member
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    I get temperature induced hives. I get them from swimming in very cold water or by exercising and sweating. They itch like crazy, make my skin feel tingly and usually only last while I am at a drastic temperature difference and go away when my skin temperature returns to normal. I hate them. I am especially prone to a reaction from the cold side of things so when I get out of the ocean my legs often look like they have been attacked by a swarm of bees as the hives I get then can be as big as half dollars. The heat induced ones usually are pretty small in comparison, but still very itchy!
  • Missouwechanged
    Missouwechanged Posts: 963 Member
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    The only advices I can give you are to strech your muscles when you get off the treadmill and to get a myofascial release massage in order to help your muscles out. Also, have you spoken to your doctor before beginning the exercise program? We should always verify with our doctor and see him often when beginning a program, especially when we haven't exercised for a while. Good luck!

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