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In article said:Hey folks;
On Saturday I ran my last long run (24 miles) before my first Marathon (Twin Cities, MN,
USA, October 5). The last few long runs went pretty well, though slower than my hoped-for
marathon pace.
I noticed that on the 2nd half of my Saturday run, my hands swelled up. My fingers were tight and
my wedding ring was really stuck. This condition remained for a few hours after the run. Today I
went out on the bike for 30 minutes and the same thing happened.
Any ideas about what is going on?
Brian Jones
Brian,
Here's a post from about 3 years ago.
Ozzie
+++++++++++++++Original Post++++++++++++++++++ Neuro,
As usual, rec.running pieces together "what's so"...better know as reality. It all adds up to a
great collection of folklore: "This is what works for me, or this is my understanding of.... If it
works for you, use it. If not don't give it the time of day, but find someone who makes better sense
and use their folklore. Or find what works for you and create your own folklore." No matter how you
look at it, it's just a story.
Ozzie
From: [email hidden] (Neuro) Newsgroups: rec.running Subject: Swollen fingers on long run! Date:
Tue, 08 Aug 2000 17:53:28 GMT
Yesterday I completed a gruelling long run up a local mountain that included a 4000 ft elevation
gain over the first 5 miles. I noticed at one point that my fingers were really swollen... something
I have not experienced before.
Is this a symptom of fluid retention or dehydration? Or is it nothing worth worrying about? Any info
appreciated!
From: rick++ <[email hidden]>
Its called "peripheral edema" in mountain hiking. I asked a high altitude doctor about that last
year because I now get that somtimes during high hikes, and he said it was common. Since I'm started
getting it after 20-some years of running and high altitude hiking, I assume it is just another
symptom of aging.
From: The Trailrunner <[email hidden]>
It is certainly not "normal", in that the vast majority of ultra runners (or other's that I'm aware
of) do not "normally" have swelling of the extremities. In most cases of those that do, it is the
result of water retention caused by drinking without salt replacement and can usually be remedied by
talking salt or specialized sodium capsules every hour or so. If this does not help and the problem
persists, I would recommend you get checked for circulation problems by your MD as it could be an
indication of a more serious problem such as diabetes.
From: [email hidden] (Mike Conway)
I have noticed the "swollen fingers" thing while on hikes, but not while running. My own admittedly
non-medical opinion is that it has to do with blood pooling in the hands, as opposed to what happens
while running...While hiking, my hands typically rest at my sides, while running they have a bit
more motion to them, hence no swelling. Make sense? Mike C
Swollen Hands: A Handful of Folklore and a Bit of Science
c. 2000 Austin "Ozzie" Gontang, Ph.D.
Folklore, i.e.-A different way of explaining an issue based on one's perception and description of
that perception.
Premise: Something during or prior(short term/long term) to your running is causing your
hand to swell.
Assumptions: Some kind of situational stress. (Short term: something during the actual run; Long
term: anything prior to the run) e.g.Life situation which is bothering you; you have started an
upper body lifting regimen; efforting with clenched fists; you were dehydrated before starting your
run; you were running with discomfort (May read "I had this pain, but I ran through it."😉. Something
caused the swelling.
General Question: If your hands are swelling, from where does the fluid build up come?
If my hands swelled I would have edema. Edema, which means "swelling" in Greek, is defined as "an
abnormal excess accumulation of serous fluid in connective tissue or a serous cavity." Serous means
"resembling serum." Serum, which comes the Greek meaning 'whey,' is the watery portions of an animal
fluid remaining after coagulation. (Serum albumin: a crystallizable albumin or mixture of albumins
that normally constitutes more than half of the protein in blood serum and serves to maintain the
osmotic pressure of the blood).
The osmotic pressure of the blood against the vein wall must be equal so the fluid does not leak.
The pressure depends on the molar concentration and absolute temperature of the fluid. The vein
walls can leak. This leakage is caused by the particles of liquids, gasses or solids mixing together
as a result of their spontaneous movement caused by thermal agitation (violent moving) and then
flowing from place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration. If my hands swelled,
this may be what happened.
Finally the word "whey" for the Greeks meant "the watery part(serum) of milk that is separated from
the coagulable part or curd, especially in the process of making cheese and that (the whey) is rich
in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat.
Now what is happening to the swelling hands? Could be some kind of imbalance in the blood. Could be
that glasping the fists a little tighter than usual (for whatever reason) is restricting the venous
return, [i.e. the tighter muscles up the forearm restrict the blood, which is now O2 poor and CO2
rich, from its normal smooth flow]. So the blood is having trouble and is backing up causing some
pressure since it cannot freely flow back to the heart/lung machine.
If there is an unbalance in the serous fluid, or a stricture so that the blood containing serous
fluid starts to leak through the venous wall or some other explanation, then one's hands will swell.
There are several runners out there who are anxious to hear what you found out about what it is/was
that was causing the swelling. Keep us "Posted."
