Thigh bruises

[CarolinaCycler]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to cycling. I've noticed that after my rides 10 - 30 miles on my road bike, strange bruises appear on my thighs (and a few on my calfs too)...smallard small and others are large and menacing looking. I haven't fallen or bumped my legs. Most of the bruises aren't painful. I just had a regular check-up this week and thankfully i'm healthy. What do you think is going on and what can I do to prevent this? Thanks!

[Owlie]

Where, exactly, are your bruises?

[CarolinaCycler]

Front and side of quads and outer side of calfs.

[lovelygamer]

I have those too. NO idea what's going on. Mine are top and sides.

[zoom-zoom]

I get 'em, too. Last Summer I had one that looked like the Playboy logo! I bruise if someone breaths hard on me (I went through testing to see if something was up, like Von Willebrand's syndrome, but everything is normal, I just have really thin blood. I avoid aspirin and ibuprofen, as a result, since they thin the blood).

[Reesha]

I am a redhead who bruises easily... definitely get all kinds of mystery bruises from biking. Sometimes I worry people see my legs and think I'm a victim of physical abuse (only the physical abuse my bike deals out!). I have learned to live with them.