Is pushing through the pain supposed to be this itchy?
Sometimes I think I might be allergic to exercise. I mean, here I am, trying to be healthy, trying to walk (or run a little bit) around my neighborhood a few times a week. And how am I rewarded? By breaking out in a rash. When I exercise, I very often get itchy on my legs, especially on my thighs. It happens more when I wear shorts, and I had been thinking that wearing warmup pants to walk had solved the problem, but this morning I was walking/running while wearing my warmup pants and on the way back to the house I started itching like crazy. I ran the whole way home so I could jump in the shower and scald my legs with hot hot water (which actually took the edge off). It’s discouraging to think that big red welts (seriously, my legs look awful) are my reward for trying to take care of my body.
October 21st, 2005 at
Maybe you’re allergic to the fabric that the shorts or pants are made of? Are they nylon?
Don’t give up! Excercise is good for you.
October 21st, 2005 at
It’s happened with both cotton and nylon shorts. And it’s happened when I’ve taken my Claratin and when I haven’t. I can’t figure out a pattern.
October 21st, 2005 at
A friend of mine, who is a nurse (just to lend her an air of authority), told me that the itchiness I experienced in my legs when I began running regularly was due to increased blood flow in the extremities. It eventually went away. Of course, the source of yours could be something different entirely…
October 21st, 2005 at
One of my friends said it has something to do with amino acids that start coming out when you first start breaking a sweat. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
October 21st, 2005 at
I can neither confirm nor deny your amino acid theory.
What I *can* do is agree that working out is itchy. If I get all sweaty - which, from what I’ve been lead to understand is a major goal of exercise (yuck) - I itch like CRAZY until I can get a shower.
I don’t break out in welts, though, so take this grain of salt and and toss it over your shoulder for luck.
October 22nd, 2005 at
sounds like you should try out some under armor and PROTECT YOUR HOUSE!
October 29th, 2005 at
I itch when I sweat… it might also be the kind of clothing detergent you use? I know that we were using a certain brand and Gabe had nearly the same reaction as you when he would work out. We changed and he hasn’t had any problems. So glad to see that you’re walking (and running some!). I know that when I’m faithful to exercise, I feel so much better the rest of the day.
November 15th, 2005 at
I have the same problem. When I begin exercising, before I break a good sweat my skin itches awful, its borderline painful. Once I break a good sweat it goes away, this happens everytime I exercise, with varying degrees of itchiness. I’ve tried drinking more water, changing fabric softener and detergent, double rinsing clothes, nothing seems to work. My totally unprofessional opinion is that my exercise routine has been so strenuous over the past years, with so much sweating, that my sweat glands are getting tired of it and angry with me. I just don’t know what to do, its really annoying.
November 28th, 2005 at
I’ve read that the itching is caused by tiny spasming in the capillaries in the legs (or any other place where there is usually more subcutaneous fat) that triggers a release of histamines into the body. It is especially common after periods of inactivity and usually relieves itself after the body gets reconditioned to exercise. It might be relieved by taking a dose of liquid Benadryl about 15 min before you exercise. Don’t take my word, though… better to check with your doctor to be sure.
April 9th, 2008 at
after a long period of not working out i decdied to start walking again. My 1st day I cam home after an hour walk scratching my waistline, thighs, hips and butt. OMG - the welts were horrible. releif was the shower and within 2 hours all signs of them when away. the next day the SAME exact thing happened but mostly on my butt and thighs this time. I thought it was the cold weather (i had on sweatpants) but the next day I went to the gym and hit the treadmill. same thing happened after an hour walk. I had a dermatologist appointment the next day so I walked prior to going and showed my dorctor. He says I could be allergic to my own sweet. But this is hard for me to beleive becuase I never get welts in my armpits or on my arms and shoulders. I really hope that this is due to inactivity adn will go away soon if I continue to work out. It iches so bad!!!