Feeling your hands tremble after exercising can be a disturbing experience, but in some cases, it is caused by simple muscle fatigue or not eating enough. Exercise-related hand trembling is often temporary and goes away with little or no treatment; however, if your hands tremble consistently after exercise or for long periods of time, consult a doctor.
Hypoglycemia
If you have not eaten enough before exercising or have skipped a meal, your body will have an insufficient concentration of glucose, or blood sugar, to function properly, a condition known as hypoglycemia. Trembling hands can be one result, particularly if hand tremors run in your family. In addition to trembling hands, other symptoms associated with hypoglycemia include irritability, dizziness, hunger, nervousness, headache and fatigue. Eating a snack that contains sugar or carbohydrates, such as a glass of orange juice or crackers and peanut butter, can help reduce the trembling caused by hypoglycemia.
Muscle Fatigue
If you have overexerted yourself during exercise, your muscles can become easily fatigued. When the muscles get fatigued, the normally smooth contracting can become jerky and uneven, leading to shaking or trembling in the hands. If you have been holding your hands in one position for a long period of time, it can produce a postural tremor, with similar results. One you have rested your hands, the hand trembling caused by muscle fatigue should stop.
Other Causes
Stress, anger and fear can contribute to hand trembling, as can consuming excess amounts of caffeine or nicotine. Some prescription medications have trembling as a side effect. In some cases, exercise can exacerbate an underlying condition that has hand trembling as a symptom, including Parkinson's disease, alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, brain damage and various nerve disorders. In some cases, hand trembling might be an inherited trait which exercise and other conditions make more noticeable.
Prevention
To prevent exercise-related hand trembling, eat a full meal at least two to four hours before exercising or a smaller snack at last 30 minutes beforehand. Stay hydrated before, during and after exercise and avoid working your muscles to the point of fatigue. Complete a warmup before exercising, then gently stretch your muscles. Perform a cooldown after exercise by gradually decreasing your intensity. Stretching your muscles afterward can also help. If you are involved in activity that requires holding your hands in one position, make sure you take time to rest and relax your hands as much as possible. If your hands tremble consistently after exercise, consult a doctor to rule out an underlying medical problem.
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