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My hands swell when I do cardio, especially outdoors, WHY?
By Christina | November 11, 2008
This is a common side effect of exercise and is called vasodilation. This medical/ technical sounding term really just means your blood vessels are opening up and there is an increase in blood flowing to the layer of dermis or skin closest to the surface which leads to swelling.
Believe it or not, this reaction your body is having is to try and reduce its temperature. Like sweating, it is a way to cool you down. You may also find this happens more when you run or jog as compared to when you ride a bike because of the position of the hands. If your hands are below the level of your heart fluid becomes trapped in the hands and cannot find it’s way back out. This will occur less in the legs and feet because of the ability of the larger muscles to get the excess blood and fluids out of the legs and continuing to circulate throughout the body.
If you are having concerns about your swelling, go see your doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Topics: Exercise, General, que-ans |