Spotting -- light vaginal bleeding between periods -- can occur during or after exercise, and can be caused by a variety of conditions. Although some are minor, others can be serious. Any unexplained bleeding is cause for a visit to your gynecologist to rule out dangerous diagnoses. MayoClinic.com advises that women who have gone through menopause -- defined as the passage of a year without a menstrual period -- should be particularly vigilant about seeing their doctor to evaluate abnormal bleeding.
Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills can commonly cause breakthrough bleeding -- evidenced by spotting -- and this can occur after strenuous exercise, as well as at other times of day. According to American Family Physician, many women have light bleeding during the first three to four months after starting birth control pills. Missing a pill can make spotting more likely, as can smoking. Continue to take your pills as prescribed; if you smoke, stop. If you notice spotting for three cycles in a row after starting oral contraceptives, visit your gynecologist. A different brand or dosage may alleviate the problem.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids -- also called fibromyomas -- are benign growths in your uterus. MayoClinic.com notes that up to 75 percent of women can develop uterine fibroids at some time in their lives. You are more likely to develop fibroids if other women in your family have them. In addition to spotting, fibroids can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, discomfort or pressure in your pelvis, frequent urination, difficulty emptying your bladder completely, and pains in your back and legs. Rarely, fibroids can cause sudden, severe pelvic pain by twisting on their stalks and cutting off the blood supply. See your doctor if you have symptoms of uterine fibroids. Sometimes no treatment is needed but if fibroids cause you discomfort, your doctor may advise surgical removal -- also called myomectomy -- or treatment with medications such as androgens.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Another cause of spotting during exercise or at other times is pelvic inflammatory disease, a bacterial infection in your uterus lining, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. PID is most commonly caused by chlamydia and gonorrhea, and occurs as a result of unprotected sexual contact. Medline Plus reports that nearly 1 million women develop PID every year. Other symptoms are fever, which can come and go, pain and tenderness in the pelvis, lower abdomen and lower back, and abnormal vaginal discharge. In addition, you may experience pain during sexual intercourse, as well as bleeding afterward. PID is diagnosed with blood tests; your doctor may also perform an ultrasound. It is treated with antibiotics. See your doctor if you have symptoms of PID. If you experience high fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting and fainting, seek emergency medical care.
Endometrial Cancer
Spotting can also indicate endometrial cancer, also called uterine cancer. The disease affects cells in the endometrium, or the lining of the uterus. Because abnormal bleeding can spur a visit to the doctor, endometrial cancer is often detected at an early stage. In addition to spotting between periods, symptoms include bleeding after menopause, abnormal discharge, pelvic pain and painful intercourse. Conditions that increase your body's exposure to estrogen, such as beginning menstruation at an early age, experiencing menopause later than normal, or undergoing hormone therapy, can increase your risk of endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer can metastasize, or spread throughout the body; often, it goes to the lungs. Doctors use pelvic exams and biopsies to diagnose endometrial cancer. It can be treated with removal of the uterus -- also called a hysterectomy -- chemotherapy, and radiation.
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