Turns out, theres a pretty reasonable physiological adaptation that could easily explain the itching.
And in most caseslike mineitll stop soon after your body gets used to the new exercise.
But in some cases, there might be something more going on.
Jordan Tiberio
And if youre one of them, you dont need to freak out.
Heres everything you’re gonna wanna know about why your legs itch while you run.
Why do my legs itch when I run?
First, it helps to understand what happens to your body when you start a new aerobic activity.
And you need greater blood flow to help deliver it.
That can give you that itchy sensation.
Can itchy legs while running be something else?
After that time, your body should get used to that increased pressure in your blood vessels.
Youre more likely to notice it with higher-exertion aerobic exercise like running than with lower intensity workouts like walking.
Along with the itchiness, you might also start to feel hot and notice the development of small hives.
While they can occur anywhere, they usually tend to develop on your torso, says Pien.
Thats because exercise-induced urticaria is part of a bucket of other hive-triggering skin conditions.
Another factor: You start to itch well after your bodys acclimated to running.
Itchiness sparked by the physiological adaptation of your blood vessels should only last a few weeks, says Burns.
If you think your signs point to exercise-induced urticaria, its important to see your doctor or allergist.
How can you prevent itchy legs while running?
The good news is, chances are pretty high that itll peter out soon.
Its a necessary discomfort of adapting to a new stronger, more aerobic body.
One thing youcando to stop it from happening again is to keep running, says Burns.
First, pay close attention to the kinds of exercise that trigger the itching.
It might be that a slow, easy jog is okay, but a high-intensity sprint session isnt.
Your doctor may also recommend that you take an antihistamine before exercise that you suspect might trigger it.
(Just see to it you talk with your doctor before you do so.)
