Why Do Your Feet Itch While Running and What to Do About It?

This morning I went for my first run in a long time. After just a few minutes, my legs began to itch uncontrollably. And then I remembered: oh yes. Happens. If you’ve experienced this too, don’t worry: It’s surprisingly common to get itchy feet or an itchy whole body while running. Fortunately, the itching goes away over time.

The itch we’re talking about today is a general general itch (not hives or a rash in a specific area), and it tends to get worse if you’re new to running or returning to it after a break.

Where does runner’s itch come from?

It may not sound very satisfying, but there is no clear scientific answer to why running might cause itching. Leading theories include:

• Blood vessels dilate to deliver more blood to and nourish the muscles, as well as to the skin, helping to regulate temperature. This may be what causes the itching or tingling sensation. Over time, either your blood vessels will begin to dilate better when needed, or you will simply become desensitized to the sensation.

• Histamine is released during exercise, especially at higher intensities. Your body may do this to help dilate these blood vessels or to help you stay alert. But histamine is also involved in our allergy response and can cause itching as a side effect.

• Vibration appears to cause itching, as shown in studies using whole-body vibration platforms . Running can cause your skin to quiver with each step, which can cause a similar effect.

• Skin irritation due to clothing or substances (such as new detergent), dry skin, or other skin conditions.

The vibration theory seems most correct to me at the gut level: the itching subsides within a few minutes of switching from running to walking, even if I push myself uphill, and my heart rate remains the same. But I will leave this question to the scientists. It’s important for runners to understand what to do about it.

More serious reasons why you may be itching

If your itching manifests itself as raised bumps or you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis such as a swollen tongue or difficulty breathing, this is different from what I described above. If you are having trouble breathing or think you are having a serious allergic reaction, stop reading this article and call 911. Life-threatening anaphylaxis has been known to occur as a result of exercise.

Urticaria, also known as urticaria, can also occur during exercise. This is known as exercise-induced urticaria. Besides exercise, you can also get another condition called cholinergic urticaria from heat or stress.

Strategies that can help prevent or reduce itching

Many runners have experienced this itch and, despite it, continued to run happily. They will tell you that itching doesn’t happen every time and that as your body gets used to your new running habit, the itching will usually go away.

This is also my experience. The first week or two when I come back from a break, my body comes up with all sorts of ways to feel weird, bad, or wrong. My skin may itch; my shins may hurt. I remind myself that it won’t always be this way, but this is the way it is today. Here are some things that may help:

• Take extra time to warm up . This may mean walking for the first five minutes or so before you start running. If you like to do warm-up exercises like air squats or high-knee jogging in place, you can add those in as well. Some runners find that this helps relieve itching.

• Moisturize well. It may help dilate your blood vessels, or it may just keep you hydrated while you itch. Either way, it can’t hurt to make sure you’re drinking enough, especially if you’re going on a long and/or hot run.

• I’m walking slowly. When you get back into the running habit, your priority won’t be how fast you run or how much you run versus walk. Your goal is to develop this habit . Walk until the itching subsides, then decide if you’re ready to run some more.

• Minimize skin irritation. Moisturize. Wear soft, comfortable clothes. Don’t try a new laundry detergent just yet.

For today’s run, I stuck to the “go slow” strategy. My lungs and legs felt okay to keep running, but the itching was driving me crazy. I reminded myself that the most important thing was to finish the run (okay, walk/jog) feeling good enough to look forward to the next time.

In total, I ran less than half of the planned distance, and this was already a short route. But I know that next time I’ll probably itch a little less. And pretty soon I’ll forget it was ever a problem.

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