Could it be a physical urticaria? There is cholinergic urticaria that's a reaction to sweat. I know that I've had exactly what you describe before in my life. I didn't really break out into hives - just itchy legs and arms. I've been researching this type of thing over the last 2 weeks because it seems that my 2 oldest kids (both teens) have been reacting to sunlight. It's led me into studying solar urticaria and polymorphous light eruption.
Weird stuff. Being that it's a histamine reaction, I guess it's an adrenal thing.
Don't know if that helps - something to think about anyway!
Hmmmnn. That's very interesting Diana, thank you for your response.
I hadn't heard of that before so I looked it up.
The itching I get is not brought on by sweat, but it seems to be something to do with my circulation. The faster I move the more it itches. Yet there have seemed to be periods when I don't get it. Like I somehow get my supplements just right and I can walk with short sprints inbetween (I'm out of shape so that's about as much as I can exercise doing a walk/run thing) and I won't experience the itching for a couple of weeks. I don't know why. Most of my life I have had it though.
There isn't any redness or hives and the itching is primarily in the backs of my legs on my calves, but sometimes my thighs will itch too.
My fingers will sometimes swell with the exercise, but they don't itch.
If I give in and scratch my legs, it gets worse. So I pretty much never give in and scratch. It is possible that if I did scratch the skin would get red.
Other than that it does not sound like the physical urticaria that is described here: http://www.dermnetnz.org/reactions/urticaria.html
I have wondered if it's tied to the adrenals.
In a way it seems like I'm "allergic to exercise". I hate saying that because I think exercise is probably what I need the most.
I've been thinking about trying Yucca for several things I have - plantar fasciitis (pretty sure it's plantar fasciitis anyway) and it MAY help with this reaction if it does all I've read about. I've also got thin nails and thinning hair which it might help with.
At this point I am a little worried about the effect of taking too many supplements on the kidneys. This last month I seem to have a lot of water retention and swelling with taking supplements. I went about a month without taking any and did all right. Then I went back to Schisandra and my feet began to swell. I also noticed some gallbladder pains and so I tried some lecithin granules. The lecithin seemed awesome at first, my digestion got better, it boosted my libido, but then I began retaining water and had A LOT of swelling in my hands and feet. Next I tried Digestion Essentials that had some ox bile in it along with other enzymes. It gave me a lot of energy, but for some reason I retained a lot of water with it also.
I wish I knew why. But I haven't been taking anything for the last few days and I've still had this reaction to exercise.
So I'd like to be able to exercise without these unpleasant symptoms and I'd also like to know what's going on with my body. Ultimately it seems if I am able to increase my exercise and ability to be active I will increase my health.
Any ideas what might cause my legs to itch and my fingers to swell when I run or go for brisk walks?
It is so annoying. I have had this problem off and on for a good part of my life. It deters me from getting good exercise.
A few possibilities come to mind. As for the itching a neuropathy is possible, which is often from a breakdown of the myelin. If your skin is dry this could also lead to this. A contact dermatitis, a form of allergy, could also cause this and would be most affected where clothes are rubbing the skin.
As far as the swelling of the fingers this is odd since gravity will generally cause swelling in the feet first. One of the few things that will cause swelling in a specific area are hormones known as prostaglandins. But these are released in response to injuries. So the first thing I would ask is there any joint pain that could indicate arthritis?
I do have dry skin, but this itching that occurs with exercise is deep into the tissue. It feels more like its from the blood flow somehow. I don't know how to explain it very well, but it doesn't feel like the skin itches so much as the deeper tissue.
I do not have joint pain. I do seem to have plantar fasciitis, mostly in my left foot. I've also noticed that vitamin E when taken daily for a while seems to help my feet not hurt so much.
A long time ago I did have legs that ached when the storms would roll in, but that was many years ago and it pretty much went away with all my supplement use.
I do have dry skin, but this itching that occurs with exercise is deep into the tissue. It feels more like its from the blood flow somehow. I don't know how to explain it very well, but it doesn't feel like the skin itches so much as the deeper tissue.
The herb butcher's broom does a great job of increasing circulation to the legs. I prefer it over cayenne, which is often recommended for circulation, since it dilates the primary deeper blood vessels while constricting superficial veins making it good for varicose veins as well. Cayenne does very little for the deeper primary blood vessels, and primarily dilates minor surface vessels. Cayenne is also shorter in duration. Other advantages of butcher's broom is that is it a good source of silica and anti-inflammatory, so it can also help with the plantar fasciitis.
If this does not help then the next possibility to look at would be possible neuropathy from myelin breakdown.
I do not have joint pain. I do seem to have plantar fasciitis, mostly in my left foot. I've also noticed that vitamin E when taken daily for a while seems to help my feet not hurt so much.
Your arch may have fallen or your foot may be striking the ground wrong both of which could lead to the plantar fasciitis. Have someone check your hips both back and front to make sure they are level. If not then they will need to be adjusted. I have a post on here somewhere about doing that. If the arch has fallen then an orthotic is advised while you build up the connective tissue primarily with silica and vitamin C sources.
Thanks James. I will have to look into the Butcher's Broom, and do some thinking about the rest of the stuff you mentioned and do some research as well.
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Legs That Itch and Swelling In Fingers During Exercise. 
