Comments on: Itchy Legs When Running, Walking

By: amisah

amisah — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:14:38 +0000

when i walk fast my leg itch very bad, the pain is horrible, i just had occured not to long ago, it gets to a point that it is really bad that it even makes me cry, which is embrassing, as people look at you on the road funny. i tried all sort of things, to stop this from reoccuring, but nothing seems to work. i need help!!!!

By: Itchy RN

Itchy RN — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:58:03 +0000

I’m so glad that I’m not the only one with this problem. I thought I was for the longest time. It starts to itch after about thirty minutes of continues exercise ie. running, walking. I cant stand it so i have to stop and scratch. There must be a remedy to this awful problem. I would exercise alot more if there was. I have read a few good post on this site. I ‘ll give them a try and see how it works. Good luck to the rest of you. Don’t give up!!!

By: B

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:54:14 +0000

Hey now, it happens to some of us guys too

By: Lili

Lili — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:20:58 +0000

I have experienced the itchy legs since my mid-twenties. It started when I was living in Detroit (which is very cold). I was very thin and in excellent shape and started having trouble taking walks in the cold morning air. The problem persists today…. It doesn’t seem to matter if I am fit or flabby and it doesn’t seem to matter if I haven’t exercised in a while or am exercising every day. The itch occurs when taking morning walks in the cold air.

Like others said – no reactions when bicycling or exercising indoors where it is warm.

I do also get the dirt phobia that someone described in detail above. I fixate on every piece of dirt and every leaf on the ground and it makes me nauseous! How is this related to the itching???

By: Itchy Canadian

Itchy Canadian — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:45:28 +0000

Greetings itchy-legged sisters! I’ve never read this many posts about the same thing on a website before…I couldn’t stop reading!! Finally, to know I am not the only one. In University I asked my doctor about it and he just looked at me with no expression and said, “I don’t what that is, I’ve never heard of it before”. No attempt to look into it…No discussion about why it may be happening. Likely he thought I was crazy.

I’ve recently started going to the gym and I was all excited to finally become a runner and well, that plan lasted all of 20 minutes. I got on the treadmill and had the most intense itchy leg episode EVER! It definitely has something to do with impact because the elliptical is fine. The jiggling of my flab might be the culprit.

I’ve had no choice but to walk through the pain before if I was somewhere where I couldn’t stop walking, but it doesn’t subside unfortunately. I guess it’s my own fault for living a sedentary lifestyle all these years. I’m not overweight, but horribly out of shape.

Everyone has said they will try antihistamines, but no one has reported back! I will do the same and report back. I hope others do too. Obviously doctors are of no help, so we will have to do our own clinical trials.

By: north carolina

north carolina — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:53:42 +0000

I understand what you guys are going through. It’s super to find others who understand what I’m experiencing. Misery loves company and all that. lol..EmWill, my twin (sister?)from whom I was separated from at birth, I am with you!! My experience is exactly as yours. The itch starts and then the filth of all creation is obvious to me and I just want to beam myself home into the shower. I know that it is from the lack of activity because it happens when I begin an excercise regiment, or if I just walk quickly into Walmart to make a purchase and back to the car. The itch syndrome is so terrible I never progress past the initial 20 min but I always start again in a few months or so. To walk in the park or an outdoor track is the worst!! The treadmill really doesn’t work my muscles like actual walking. I do find that if I slow waaaaay down once the itch begans it doesn’t get to bad, and then I can walk normally.
I think a good plan is too just stay active like you said. I wonder if a muscle balm like ben gay/icy hot would help.
Family, you guys have given me renewed determination to carry on.
I’ve never known anyone to share my burden or even care to understand. Good to see that y’all are crazy like me!!

By: julie and rachael

julie and rachael — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:05:38 +0000

WOW….i am amazed, me and my daughter rachael have always been active, and have never experienced this in a gym situation, however we have just started training for a marathon, and i do’nt know wether the cold air outside is a big factor, but we have been doing 3 mile walks the last few days, and we have both experienced really bad itchy legs, rachaels are a lot worse than mine, today we just got back, and her legs are actually oedemetous, they are swollen with big white lumps on them, its driving her mad….so ive just covered her in antihistamine crean i did’nt realise this could happen, i’m amazed by this website…thank goodness we found it.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:31:26 +0000

I experienced this a little bit when I was in middle school at track practice. Now that I’m in my late 20′s, I have been noticing it a lot more often and it’s driving me CRAZYYYYYY….My butt itches the most which is the most embarassing….Today I went mall walking and within 15 minutes, I felt like freaking out. This past summer I was walking my dogs when I felt it come on and I couldn’t wait to get HOME so I could ITCH AWAY….and you guys are all right when you talk about dirty surroundings making it worse. I would see ant hills on the sidewalk that would make the itching even more intense….I am going to try Zyrtec to see if that works. Someone at work today told me to drink more water to help it???

By: Holli

Holli — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:03:55 +0000

this is an amazing site! Like all of you I thought I was alone!I have been getting this itchy burning sensation in my legs for years! Its only recently I have been strong enough to run through the torture! I joined a footie team in uni and I was terrified of how I was gong to overcome the itchy legs. The firt few weeks were torture but I kept on going and I completely overcame the itchy legs. Even when I was wearing only shorts in the snow and I was running and no itchy legs! it was a miracle. To me the answer is fitnes! Good luck everyone! Thanks for all your comments it was great to see I a not alone!

By: XenaXander

XenaXander — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:21:50 +0000

Do you hear that? It’s me breathing a huge sigh of relief. I thought I was being punished for sitting on my arse at work all day, because every time I take the pooches for a walk, I’m in itching agony! Some days are better than others, but I stress out every time I suit up the dogs for a walk. Usually its my thighs that are itching, but lately its been my calves and knees. Sometimes my feet. Always agony. The dogs always look at me with exasperation because our walks have so many stops in them, while I’m scratching like a damn monkey! Either that, or I try the ‘no pain, no gain’ approach and try to walk through it, at an excessively fast pace that means doggies have to pee on the fly! I know passing motorists must think I’m an animal abuser when they see me dragging my poor Remy down the street, hopping on one leg and peeing a trail on the bushes behind us…and poor little Sable, trying to squat and run at the same time.
I absolutely hate taking meds, but if one little antihistimine pill will stop this madness, I’m all for it!
THANK YOU for your posts!