How to Exercise Outside With Raynaud’s Syndrome Without Freezing Your Fingers Off

Cindy Kuzma
·9 min read

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When Amanda Katz started running outdoors in the winter in her early 30s, she noticed something strange. Gloves that other runners swore by just didn’t seem to prevent her hands from freezing. A few of her fingers and toes would turn pale; when they warmed up again, they’d throb and tingle. “I would come home almost in tears,” she tells SELF.

It wasn’t until she visited a podiatrist for an unrelated issue that Katz, now an NYC-based strength and running coach, found out why. Noting the white and bluish hues on her hands and feet, he told her she likely had a condition called Raynaud’s syndrome.

What is Raynaud’s syndrome, and who gets it?

In people with Raynaud’s syndrome, sometimes called Raynaud’s disease or Raynaud’s phenomenon, exposure to cold temperatures, stress, or other triggers causes tiny blood vessels in the fingers and toes (or, sometimes, the nipples, nose, earlobes, or kneecaps) to spasm and constrict, blocking blood flow. The affected areas turn white and then blue and may stiffen as they’re deprived of oxygen, Amanda Sammut, MD, the chief of rheumatology at Harlem Hospital and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University, who has Raynaud’s herself, tells SELF.

Afterward, the affected areas are often red and painful: “When the blood begins to flow back into my fingers, it feels like they’re being smashed in a door,” Sarah Wassner Flynn, a runner and coach with Raynaud’s in Rockville, Maryland, tells SELF.

It looks pretty scary (and can hurt like hell), but is it serious? Usually not: The vast majority of cases are what’s called primary Raynaud’s which isn’t linked to other illnesses. Experts aren’t sure why it occurs, but it’s more common in women than men, and family history may play a role.

In some cases, though, Raynaud’s occurs secondarily to other health conditions, often autoimmune ones like scleroderma or lupus, Swosty Tuladhar, MD, a rheumatologist at Summit Health, tells SELF. Often, it’s the first symptom of these underlying issues, Dr. Sammut says. This type of Raynaud’s is more likely to lead to serious complications like frostbite or gangrene. So if you notice these signs, it’s a good idea to talk with your primary care physician or a rheumatologist, who can do tests that assess the severity of your Raynaud’s and diagnose or rule out other conditions.

In total, Raynaud’s affects about 5% of the population, and symptoms often strike first in your 30s or earlier, Bashar Kahaleh, MD, chief of the division of rheumatology and immunology at The University of Toledo Medical Center, tells SELF. Regardless of which type you have, its effects can range from annoying to downright debilitating, especially for people who enjoy running, skiing, or other outdoor activities in the winter. Some athletes go to considerable lengths to cope: Runner and sports dietitian Holley Samuel, RD, CSSD, even moved to a warmer climate for a while, in part, to ease symptoms.

But if relocation isn’t an option, we’ve got you covered with 12 other ways to manage Raynaud’s syndrome when you’re exercising outside. It’s a win-win: Not only do these tips help you keep doing the activities you love, but staying active actually can be good for your Raynaud’s—it helps promote blood flow, which can reduce your symptoms, Dr. Sammut says. Here’s how to do it without turning your fingers and toes into ice blocks.

1. Keep an eye on the forecast—and your patterns.

Monitor the weather conditions so you know what you’re stepping into when you get out there, Dr. Tuladhar says. If you have flexibility in your schedule, you might choose to move your workout to the warmest part of the day.

Pair that with tracking your symptoms and knowing the gear that’s required, since everyone with Raynaud’s has a different temperature tolerance, and factors like dampness can also make the symptoms worse. For example, Dr. Sammut knows she needs gloves when the temperature drops to 50 degrees; Katz has created an entire guide to what to wear, based on the real-feel temperature (which accounts for factors like humidity, cloud cover, and wind).

You can also simply move inside if you don’t want to deal with bundling up, Katz says. There’s no shame in swapping an outdoor ride for a spin class or taking a trail run to the treadmill when conditions warrant. Another option: Run loops, or otherwise stay close enough to a heated space to drop back in for breaks throughout your workout, Dr. Sammut suggests.

2. Stay warm all over.

Keeping your extremities toasty starts with your core. “If your whole body temperature gets colder, what happens is our body shuts off the circulation to the periphery,” including your hands and feet, Dr. Sammut says. This can exaggerate the spasms in your blood vessels.

So layer up all over, including vests and jackets to protect your midsection and a hat to stop heat from escaping through your head. Consider putting it all on a few minutes before you head out to build up a little extra heat, Dr. Sammut says. Diana Zotos Florio, a physical therapist and yoga instructor in New York City who has Raynaud’s, even sits by a fire or heater for a bit before she hits the ski slopes.

3. Master the art of glove layering.

Layers are key on your hands, too. Double (or even triple) up on gloves—say, an inner layer made of wool and an outer layer that’s puffy or windproof. Many people find lobster gloves (which separate only the thumb), mittens, or even wool socks work better than gloves: “You need your fingers to huddle together,” NYC-based runner and coach Melissa Dahl Devine tells SELF. (Oiselle Super Puff Mittens are a particular fave of runners with Raynaud’s.)

Brooks Shield Lobster Glove 2.0

$55.00, Brooks

4. Then add some extra heat.

In between the layers, tuck hand warmers—the disposable kind, such as HotHands, or reusable ones that are rechargeable, battery-powered, or made of gels that reactivate with the click of a metal disc. Or you can also buy gloves or mittens with heating components built in.

HotHands Hand Warmers

$20.00, Amazon

Weston Heated Glove Liners

$150.00, Weston

ActionHeat 5V Battery Heated Mittens

$130.00, ActionHeat

5. Keep your hands moving too.

Wassner Flynn starts her runs by opening and closing her fists (which are encased in gloves inside mittens) to keep blood flowing when she first encounters the cooler temps. Then, as she gets moving, she curls her fingers into a ball to trap heat.

If you start to feel symptoms coming on mid-run, windmilling your arms to boost blood flow might ward them off, Dr. Tuladhar says. Or you can stuff them under your armpits for warmth.

6. Don’t forget about your feet.

If your Raynaud’s also affects your toes, thick wool or other types of thermal socks can help protect them; double up if necessary. The same companies that made hand warmers also sell toe warmers and heated insoles, and some skiers use heated socks or ski boots. Thick or insulated shoes and boots help too, if they’re possible for your activity, Dr. Tuladhar says.

HotHands Toe Warmers

$13.00, Amazon

Weston Rechargeable Heated Socks

$80.00, Weston

7. Take a few deep breaths.

In addition to cold temperatures, stress can trigger a Raynaud’s attack. Relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing can help, Dr. Kahaleh says. That’s another reason to keep up your routine as best you can, since exercise is also a proven stress-buster, Dr. Sammut says.

8. Fuel appropriately.

While moving to a warmer climate did reduce Samuel’s symptoms, what made an even bigger difference was ensuring she got enough fuel—and especially enough carbohydrates—to provide energy for all the training she was doing. Fueling up keeps your immune system working properly, and carbs specifically both power your workouts and ensure you’re absorbing enough iron, which is important for good blood health, she says.

9. Sip smarter.

While staying hydrated is important even in cold weather, try not to drink icy beverages before or during your outdoor workout (say, that bottle of water you left in your car). “That just cools your core, and that can trigger Raynaud’s,” Dr. Tuladhar says. Instead, keep your water at room temperature or even warmer. In addition, limit caffeine and alcohol, both of which may constrict blood vessels and worsen Raynaud’s, Dr. Kahaleh says.

10. Give your body time to thaw.

Even if you’ve kept the blood flowing throughout your run or other activity, you may be prone to a Raynaud’s attack immediately afterward. To prevent this, cool down gradually, Dr. Tuladhar recommends. For instance, instead of suddenly stopping your run, do some brisk walking before kicking off your sneakers.

Then, when you get back inside, hop in a warm shower as soon as possible, keeping a robe nearby to prevent a temperature drop when you get out, Dr. Tuladhar says. If you can’t clean up right away—or if a hot shower after a cold workout makes you dizzy—at least change out of your sweaty clothes into warm dry ones. Keep your hand warmers on for a bit or run your hands under warm water for a few minutes, she suggests.

11. Maybe hold off on this post-workout tool.

Power tools like chainsaws and power drills can also trigger Raynaud’s, possibly due to the effects of vibration on blood vessels—so massage guns could have a similar effect. To minimize risk, avoid them during a Raynaud’s attack or soon after coming in from the cold. Keep your hands warm and dry when you use them, and don’t hold them too tightly. “Or, if you have the privilege, have someone else do the massage for you,” Dr. Tuladhar recommends.

12. Still suffering? Consider meds.

If Raynaud’s is making your life miserable despite all your efforts, ask your doctor about medication. Calcium channel blockers, typically used to lower blood pressure, relax the blood vessels in your hands and feet. If those don’t work for you or have troublesome side effects—in some people, they cause dizziness and uncomfortable swelling—vasodilators like sildenafil (yep, that’s Viagra) work similarly, Dr. Tuladhar says.

These drugs aren’t quick fixes; you have to take them regularly, versus popping a pill before you head outside. But you can take them seasonally, coming off in the spring and summer and getting back on them when temps start to drop again, she notes.

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