Bruised Legs After Exercising? Here's What Your Body's Trying to Tell You

Bruising on your legs is usually caused by something hitting them, but it can also be due to weakness in the blood vessels. Intense exercise can also bring about bruising in your legs.

Bruising from workouts without obvious trauma to the legs may be due to an underlying medical disorder or a medication you're taking. If you are experiencing post-workout bruising consistently without an obvious cause, talk to a doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if the bruises are severe and accompanied by rapid swelling in your leg, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Keep reading for a better understanding of the causes of leg bruises after exercise and how to heal. (And keep in mind, your arms can bruise after working out, too!)

Bruising is the result of blood vessels breaking, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which leads to blood leaking out under the skin and causing that telltale red, purple, black and blue discoloration.

Most bruises are subcutaneous bruises, which occur just under the skin. But bruises can also occur in the muscles or bones, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Bone bruises are the most painful and severe. In most cases, mild bruises disappear after a week or two, but severe bruises can take as long as six weeks to totally fade.

Intense exercise that puts a lot of stress on the legs can lead to bruising. Here's what those bruises are trying to tell you.

Long, intense workouts — like running an ultra marathon — can weaken your muscles and blood vessels, which can eventually lead to bruising, per the National Institute for Fitness and Sport.

It's possible you accidentally banged your leg on a barbell or walked into the side of the treadmill, leading to a bruise on your leg, even if you don't remember getting any injuries while exercising. And if your workout involves repetitive pressure on your legs, like sliding a barbell along your shins during a deadlift, you could develop a bruise over time.

Your blood vessels and skin thin out as you age, according to the Mayo Clinic. That means you might bruise more easily with age when your muscles are under the increased pressure of exercise.

Blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin or anticoagulants, make it easier for your skin to bruise and may contribute to bruising after exercising, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Certain vitamin deficiencies, such as lacking vitamins C or K, can also contribute to bruising during your fitness routine. In some cases, an underlying medical disorder that causes your blood to clot can be the culprit. The clot breaks when you are exercising, forming a bruise.

In rare cases, a more serious disease, such as cancer, kidney disease or hemophilia, could be to blame.

Learn more about why you bruise easily.

Most bruises will go away on their own without treatment. If your gym-related bruising is more severe, resting your legs and elevating them above your heart can help keep the blood from pooling in your lower body.

Wrapping the bruise with a bandage can help speed up the healing process, and over-the-counter pain medications may help soothe your discomfort, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Generally, though, if you get bruises on your legs from working out now and again, you don't need to worry.

To prevent bruises, try not to overdo it on your workouts and do your best to avoid hitting your legs on any gym equipment while exercising. Properly warming up and cooling down before and after a workout might help too, per the Cleveland Clinic.

However, bruising that occurs as the result of light exercise and no obvious trauma is worth talking to your doctor about.

Discuss any medications you're taking to ensure they're not contributing to the bruising, as well as any other symptoms you're experiencing to try to undercover any underlying medical conditions.

Seek immediate medical attention if you have excessive or rapid swelling in your legs along with the bruising. You may need a surgical intervention to drain the excess fluid from your leg.