Does anyone get swelled hands and fingers near... - Couch to 5K

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Does anyone get swelled hands and fingers near the end of a run?

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate
32 Replies

Now and again I’ll complete a run and notice that my fingers and hands have swelled. It goes down after about an hour after my run and the Practice Nurse at my docs didn’t seem too worried about it when I told her. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75
Graduate
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32 Replies
IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor

This one comes up every now and then on the forum and there are various theories around it.

This runnersworld.com/health-inj... gives some ideas but if you Google you will find plenty of reading and various explanations.

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toIannodaTruffe

I’m glad it’s come up before, thank you I will read this now 👍🏻

j-runs profile image
j-runsGraduate

This happens to me after long walks. I've googled it and it seems nothing to worry about. It was given as one advantage of Nordic walking over hiking, as holding the sticks keeps your hands active. I haven't experienced it as yet when running - probably don't run long enough as yet! It's quite annoying but not painful. Hope others can shed some light on it :)

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toj-runs

I normally flex my fingers when I run but today as I was running for 35 mins I decided to take my water bottle - I’m wondering if that had any effect as I didn’t do my flexing. Yes not painful at all but feels a bit weird when they’re like sausages 🤭

IannodaTruffe profile image
IannodaTruffeMentor in reply toDendev75

Gripping anything in your hands while running will produce muscular tensions, which militate against the relaxed symmetry that you should ideally have.

If you really need to take water then a bottle holding belt is a much better bet.

We often get people complaining of shoulder aches and tensions and these are invariably caused by carrying either a bottle or phone in their hand.

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toIannodaTruffe

That’s why I love this forum, I didn’t know bottle holding belts were a thing - Googling now - thank you 😊

M0use profile image
M0useGraduate

I get it on walks and longer runs, I've found that not bending my arms quite so much so less of an angle at the elbow and giving my hands a shake every so often helps. It's a weird feeling though. ☺️

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toM0use

Oh this I good to know I’m not alone. I carry a water bottle sometimes as a safety blanket (I always have bits of drinks all over the house 🤪). They’re always back to normal about an hour later but it does feel strange.

Liono profile image
LionoGraduate

I haven't had it but have heard of it and think it's pretty common - I've seen posts on here or poss the Bridge to 10k forum before. I think it's thought to be down to a combination of reduced peripheral circulation and centrifugal forces.

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toLiono

Circulation is something I do suffer with (white finger) but that’s mainly in cold weather so maybe sausage fingers is my hot weather version 🤣😂

Liono profile image
LionoGraduate in reply toDendev75

😂 how lovely - fingers for every season 🤣

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toLiono

😂🤣 love it

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate

I sometimes get a numbness in one thumb about an hour after doing parkrun on Saturday then pushing a trolley round Lidl. It passes after a few minutes.

I do often get fat fingers after a winter run when wearing gloves. It's a common thing.

PS. You don't need to carry water for short runs. I have a backpack for long runs.

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply tonowster

That’s strange - I think it’s happened a few times and I’m okay afterwards so it can’t be anything too important. I took water as I was going to do a long walk after my run, but I’ve since learned there are running belts to carry it so it’s not in my hands 👍🏻

RainbowC profile image
RainbowCGraduate

I get hot & swollen fingers quite often when running - but it settles down again afterwards so I’ve never really thought about it until now! 😄

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toRainbowC

Is it only during summer do you notice? I’ve never ran in the winter yet as I only started this spring.

RainbowC profile image
RainbowCGraduate in reply toDendev75

Any time of year I think. Admittedly it’s at least 3 years since I last ran much, but my hands do weird things whenever they feel like it!

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toRainbowC

Yes mine too, I get stripy fingers in the winter time

Pinkpig20 profile image
Pinkpig20Graduate

I have read that it can be because of hydration, hot weather and circulation. Ensure you drink enough water the day before and the day you run. Everyday really! 😀

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toPinkpig20

Yes that could definitely be a factor - I know I need to drink more water every day 👍🏻

Newbierunner84 profile image
Newbierunner84Graduate

Yes I get sausage fingers! They’re swollen and very pale! I don’t tend to notice until I’m doing my cool down walk. They soon go back to normal. I don’t remember them being like that in the colder months but I’ll pay more attention this winter!

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toNewbierunner84

Yes I only notice on my cool down walk too, they feel strange. I’ll see if I get sausage fingers this winter - I usually get white finger in winter.

JetsNanna profile image
JetsNannaGraduate

It happens to me on occasion and it tends to be when it’s very warm and when I haven’t paid much attention to my hydration. That may be a coincidence but I don’t tend to stress over it as it passes as soon as I cool down anyway. Try staying better hydrated. 😊

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toJetsNanna

Yes I think I need to make sure I drink more water each day 👍🏻

slothington profile image
slothingtonGraduate

YES! I put if down to a centrifuge effect of blood pooling in hands on the end of swinging arms. Welcome to the sausage finger club... 🤣

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toslothington

Ha ha love it - the sausage finger club 👍🏻🤣

Sanwellies1 profile image
Sanwellies1

I get sausage fingers when I run, walk, hike and mainly in summer. Meant to be your body reserving fluid as it doesn't know how long you'll do the activity with no liquid. Like a back up hydration system incase your body becomes desperate. It mainly happens in summer as you loose more body heat and sweat more so you loose more fluid. It's an emergency reserve, so iv read and seems the only elogical explanation. Best to hydrate well every day not just on run days. I now drink a litre of water every day and it doesn't happen as often, only on the longer runs. And I drink a litre as I'm only 5ft 2, you may need to drink more. This theory worked a lot better for me, hope it does for you. Happy running :-)

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toSanwellies1

Yes that makes sense - I know I definitely need to up the water intake - I’ll see if that helps.

Dellie100 profile image
Dellie100Graduate

Me too. The swelling goes down after running, usually after warm down and shower. I’ve not really given it much thought 🤔

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toDellie100

Yes mine takes about an hour to go down - but when it first happened my fingers felt so strange that it scared me. I’m glad it’s not only me as quite a few people have said they get it too 😉

Rennur profile image
RennurGraduate

Also your feet swell a little. Hence the need for a size bigger (or at least a half size) running shoes and don't lace them up too tightly

Dendev75 profile image
Dendev75Graduate in reply toRennur

I’ve never thought about my feet but now you’ve mentioned it I do notice my laces feel tighter sometimes after a run 🏃🏽‍♀️

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