Legs Tingling After Exercise? Here’s What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You

As blood flow increases to your body during exercise, your muscles enlarge to accommodate it. Although this helps power you through the task at hand, those swollen muscles can impinge on nerves and veins, causing tingling in your legs after running or another form of exercise.

These common causes of tingling in the calves after exercise aren’t the only things that might cause the sensation, however.

“There are many causes of tingling in the leg, but the most important thing to do first is to make sure the description is accurate,” says Merije T. Chukumerije, MD, a cardiologist with Cedars-Sinai Medical Network in Beverly Hills, California. “Is it tingling, itching, pain, numbness, or something else? The description is key in determining the cause.”

Plus, it’s important to know when the feeling might be more serious and require a trip to the doctor.

So, what causes that tingly, uncomfortable feeling in your legs that’s sometimes referred to as “pins and needles”? Below, we dive into eight potential reasons.

1. A Histamine Response

If you feel tingling ‌and‌ itching in your feet after exercise, perhaps traveling to your butt and lower abdomen, it could be a histamine response.

Yes, it might sound like you’re “allergic” to exercise, but don’t retire your running shoes just yet.

“The body releases histamine as a means to improve circulation during exercise,” Dr. Chukumerije says. “This histamine release results in the same sensation one feels during an allergic reaction, causing an itching sensation in the locations of maximum histamine release during exercise, the muscles.”

Fix It

You generally don’t need to do anything about the natural histamine your body produces. But if the tingling really bothers you, talk to your doctor. In rare instances, an extreme allergic reaction could cause anaphylaxis, so it’s worth discussing your symptoms, especially if you experience chronic tingling in your legs after exercise.

2. Circulation Issues

During an intense workout, much of your blood is directed to your working muscles, and your blood vessels expand to accommodate the increased flow.

However, tight shoes or clothing can restrict your blood flow and lead to a tingling sensation, especially if they’re tied too tightly or possibly even if they’re too loose, says Steven E. Mayer, MD, a sports medicine physician at the Northwestern Medicine Running Medicine Clinic in Naperville, Illinois. The same goes for workout clothes if they fit too snugly and cramp your circulation.

“If the tingling or discomfort is due to peripheral artery disease, this is explained by plaque buildup, or atherosclerosis, in the arteries obstructing blood flow to the muscles, limiting the amount of nutrients and oxygen the muscles receive,” Chukumerije says.

Fix It

PAD requires medical treatment. If you experience the above symptoms, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

3. Low Electrolytes

Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium help regulate your nerve and muscle function, hydration level, and repair damaged tissue.

“Exercise causes changes in your body’s fluid balance to shift, and this can lead to electrolyte imbalances and/or dehydration, which can affect how the muscles contract and relax,” Chukumerije says.

Fix It

To keep your electrolyte levels balanced during and after a workout, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. During longer or heated workouts, sports drinks containing calcium and potassium can also help.

For a helpful benchmark, you can aim to follow these hydration guidelines from the American Council on Exercise:

• 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before exercise
• 8 ounces 20 to 30 minutes before exercise
• 7 to 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise
• 8 ounces of water or a sports drink within 30 minutes after exercise

4. A Pinched Nerve

“For some, poor functioning nerves can cause tingling after exercise,” Chukumerije says. “This is due to dysfunctional peripheral nerves, which may send erroneous messages to your brain.”

When the sensation of nerve pain in the legs after exercise runs down both sides, chances are the problem is in your lower back.

Tingling or numbness is often accompanied by pain traveling down both legs that’s worse when standing up and eases when you’re seated or bending forward. You might also have trouble with your balance or changes in bowel or bladder control.

“The most common thing we see after exercise from the nerve standpoint is called tarsal tunnel syndrome, where there is impingement at the ankle of a nerve that goes into the foot,” Dr. Mayer says.

Fix It

Take a break from your workout routine and get a thorough medical evaluation if your tingly legs give you cause for concern.

Speak to your doctor if you fall during a workout and then have chronic leg tingling. They can help determine what’s causing the sensation and whether it’s coming from a pinched nerve, and recommend the best treatment for the tingling feeling.

5. Back Issues

If tingling isn’t normally part of your exercise experience and you haven’t added any new constrictive clothing to your wardrobe, a sudden onset of leg tingling after walking or any other physical activity could indicate injury.

Some people are particularly susceptible to SI injury when they experience hormone changes due to menstrual periods or pregnancy that cause ligaments to soften, causing hypermobility of the joint.

Fix It

“If the pain is coming from the lumbar area — like a sciatic nerve problem — we would initiate physical therapy, which is almost always helpful and resolves the problem,” Mayer says.

But see your doctor for an evaluation instead of powering through the pain when it comes to back injuries. Failing to treat an injury appropriately can result in further problems, including being sidelined from your workouts for months.

6. A Neuroma

A neuroma occurs when a nerve bundle in your foot, usually between your third and fourth toes, becomes inflamed.

“The other most common thing we see that can give tingling in the foot during workouts is Morton’s neuroma, which is impingement of the nerve between the toes,” Mayer says.

Fix It

Symptoms may come and go. Ice therapy can reduce inflammation. Apply ice to the feet for 10 to 15 minutes every hour for five to six hours. You can also use athletic shoe inserts designed for neuroma relief, which help reduce irritation during exercise by stabilizing the feet.

You can also manage symptoms by applying padding directly to the affected area. To make sure you find the exact position, bend your toes back or press your sole until you find the most painful spot. If this doesn’t help, see a podiatrist.

7. Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

“Exertional compartment syndrome is where the fascia layering the muscles causes tightness and can cause pain in the muscles as well as numbness [in] the leg or foot,” Mayer says.

The tingling usually affects the lower legs. Other symptoms can include pain, tightness, and swelling in the affected limb.

Fix It

CECS is likely to arise soon after you start exercising and get progressively worse during your session. At first, symptoms disappear shortly after you stop exercising. However, if the condition gets worse, symptoms might linger for several days. If this is the case, stop exercising and see a doctor.

8. Entrapment Syndrome

The tingling sensation comes from trapped blood in the popliteal artery, which is situated behind your knee. If the artery becomes pinched, the amount of blood delivered to your lower leg is reduced. This results in a tingling sensation and sometimes feelings of heaviness or pain.

Fix It

Repetitive bending of your legs while running can cause the artery to become pinched in your calf muscle. Usually, stopping running relieves the artery compression, but in some cases, surgery is required to free the artery so it can deliver blood again.

When to See a Doctor About Chronic Tingling After Exercise

“Most of the time, tingling in the legs after exercise is benign and will resolve after a few minutes of rest,” Chukumerije says. “The most common cause of tingling in the legs are muscles that are depleted of nutrients due to dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalances.”

If the tingling is minor and doesn’t bother you, it’s fine to go about your day. As the blood is no longer needed for strenuous exercise, some of the blood flow will leave your muscles, and the tingly feeling may stop.

If your tingling doesn’t go away after a reasonable amount of time — say, an hour or so after you stop exercising — consider chronicling it in a workout journal. Note when you first noticed the tingling: Does it appear after you’ve been working out for several minutes or only after stopping?

Jot down exactly where you’re feeling the sensation. For example, new running shoes can rub nerves on the top of your foot that make your legs tingle after walking if they’re laced too tightly. Tingling in muscles after exercise that runs down the back of your thighs could indicate problems in your lower back.

Your notes will come in handy to determine the cause, particularly if your tingling appears only intermittently. Are you wearing a particular item of clothing that could be cutting off blood flow or pressing on a nerve? Do you feel any pain in your body at the same time, whether you think it’s related or not?

Careful note-taking can help you communicate with your doctor and get an accurate diagnosis should the sensation become a regular part of your exercise routine.

“Early identification and treatment can help save limbs and lives,” Chukumerije says.

The Takeaway

• Your muscles enlarge during exercise to accommodate increased blood flow. This can press on nerves and veins and cause tingling in the legs.
• Other causes include a histamine response, low electrolytes, and back issues.
• Leg tingling after exercise is not a cause for concern most of the time, but if it doesn’t go away after about an hour or becomes a constant in your workout routine, see a doctor.