What causes hand swelling during exercise?
Hand swelling during exercise is a fairly common problem. The cause isn’t completely clear, but hand swelling appears to be a result of the way your body and blood vessels respond to the increased energy demands of your muscles during exercise. Exercise increases blood flow to your heart and lungs, as well as to the muscles you’re working. This reduces blood flow to your hands, making them cooler. In turn, the blood vessels in your hands may overreact by opening wider — which could lead to hand swelling. As you continue to exercise, your muscles generate heat that makes your system push blood to the vessels closest to the surface of your body, to dissipate heat. This response triggers perspiration and may also contribute to hand swelling. In rare instances, endurance athletes develop hyponatremia (hi-po-nuh-TRE-me-uh) — an abnormally low level of sodium in the body. Swollen fingers and hands may be a sign of hyponatremia, but other signs, such as confusion and vomiting, are more promin
