What causes the itching? Well the first problem is societal. We are the most sedentary generation in history. We sit for hours on end and this has damaging effects on our body. The second problem for us “itchy folks” are genes. You may have a history of stroke, heart disease, and/or diabetes in your family. All of these illnesses have a basic commonality, circulation. 

When you run and your legs begin to itch your body is crying out to you and saying, “Hey you! There is a traffic jam in your veins and your blood is not circulating as it should”. 

When you exercise, the millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside your muscles expand rapidly because of the demand for more blood. If you are a sedentary person your capillaries have most likely collapsed. The itching sensation you feel is the capillaries expanding which causes nerves to send impulses to the brain. The brain reads this sensation as an itch which results in a histamine reaction. 

If your body is not used to this kind of action, it will contain a lot more blockages or clots than you realize. Even in a very healthy person. When the blood tries to rush through the skin it gets held back by these little blockages and causes the blood to collect in the skin. The “backpressure” gives the same sensation as an itchy-bite and make your skin go bright red. Irritating but actually good, because every time you do this you are actually flushing out the skin and you will eventually get rid of those blockages, at which time your skin will stop itching during your workouts.