Bruises on legs and knees

[Ebeth546]

I am a 21 yr old female, regular runner, just picked up cycling/spinning and do a lot of walking and cross country skiing.  I go to a school in the mountains and have to walk everywhere...etc.  I have been steadily working out for about 3+ years.  I have been keeping track of my workouts, etc and have not changed them drastically, I do not like to 'over do it', I like to change it up, bike, run, cycle, eliptical, yoga...etc.  I stick between running 1-3 miles a day at a fast pace, I used to do that 5 days a week, now maybe just 2-3 bc I have been doing cross training, sometimes I run slower on an off day. For the past year I have noticed that I bruise around the bottom of my calves, sometimes I bruise on my shins, and I get bruising above my knees. There is only a correlation between my running/heavy impact on my legs and the bruising (I may do a 2 mile run in 16 min and will bruise later that night, but if I do a slower 2 mile run (20min) I don't think I am as prone to bruising, but it has happened).  In fact, I have just gotten some new bruises this week after a quick 2 mile run and what puzzles me is I have done far more strenuous work outs and had nothing.  I see this trend continuing as the years continue, and I would like to know if anyone can give me an explanation....

I've heard "pooling"/vericose veins...but this is not spider veins, this is actual round bruises around the specific areas of my legs...

I do not think I am anemic.  I've been tested when I was younger...I am not tired in any way that would make me think I am anemic.  

I am a healthy eater and love to cook my own food and eat fresh fruits and vegatables....

The bruises do not stop me from working out/they are not painful, but sore if I touch them...

I've also tried different sneakers...still get bruises

Please help!  

[Pum]

They are little capilliaries the burst under strain. I also get them if I do some extra hard running or particularly if I run up stairs. They come and go for me and started showing up when I turned 30 (over 10 years ago so can't be anything too nasty).

Tiredness is a sign of severe aenemia and you could be mildly aenemic so wouldn't hurt to have that tested.

By the way, this question has been raised in this forum a few times so we're not the only ones who get it.

Take care.

[bekahlee]

i posted this elsewhere and thought id post it here too...like you said, they arent painful but they are really unsightly!!

I just turned 20. all throughout high school i was very active, played sports, and was extremely fit. i had a baby nearly a year ago and just started hitting the gym about 2 1/2 months ago. i hopped on the treadmill only having the endurance to last about 15 minutes; after a week or so of working out, i developed a fist-sized bruise at the bottom of my shin near my ankle. it took nearly a month and a half to clear up. ever since i started working out, i have had multiple bruises all over my legs. from very large to very small; they are in strange places that never would come into contact with any external force that might cause bruising. i currently have a very very dark purple (almost black) bruising on the back of my knee where i suffered a sports injury in high school- this injury occurred when i was about 15 and an mri revealed a blood clot between my muscles that eventually worked itself out with stretching...

Some facts about me:
1) i have no health insurance. this is why i have resorted to this forum- i am a bit concerned
2) i am 155 lbs., athletically built, and 5'7''
3) my mother suffers from terrible bruising on her legs and extreme vericose veins (she has insurance but refuses to see a doctor)
4) my bruises cause no pain
5) i also have neck pain. my neck feels very heavy, especially when relaxing or trying to sleep. i have no idea if this is in any way related to my bruising, but i noticed this around the same time.
6) during my prenatal visits i found out that i am slightly anemic but not enough to slow me down.
7) i have always bruised easily but it has always been due to direct force to the bruised area. when i was about 14 i developed some sort of poison ivy rash that bruised up very severely. they ran a bunch of tests that apparently were fine.
8) i have an IUD- Mirena
9) 6 months into my pregnancy i had a primary herpes breakout. my herpes is active once a month or so.
10) though the mirena is supposed to decrease menstrual cycles. mine have remained regular since i received the IUD around september of 2008.

i guess that's it. i know this forum is old, but if anybody has figured anything out, please let me know. if DrNoopurMD has anything to say, feel free!

thank you,
Bekah

[adrih]

Hi, I am experiencing bruises on my legs but unlike you I havent started a new exercise I have a toddler and a little baby but I dont play rough with them and I dont understand my bruises
I went to a family doctor a month ago because of the bruises and she ran some blood tests (CBC with differential and something else) and was told everything is normal.
One month after my bruises are back and all I can think of is the mirena I had put it almost 4 months ago. I think I ah having a period but its hard to tell with the mirena still adjusting but I just made an appointment to have the mirena removed since now I am getting headaches. Wish me luck I will let you know as well

[Dr Vinod]

It might or might not be due to the mirena. You can try to remove your mirena and try some other contraceptive method for sometime. In the meanwhile also see if you are allergic to any substance or any food which is causing this  and avoid that which you have to keep a track.