Many women experience abnormal vaginal spotting or bleeding between periods sometime in their lives, and it can be a cause for concern. Although menstrual spotting is a relatively uncommon problem, it's not always abnormal or cause for worry, especially when the spotting between periods occurs after excessive exercise. If you have just started a really strenuous exercise routine your body might reflect this through spotting.

Why Does It Happen?

Spotting is just one of the ways your body is telling you that it is unaccustomed to the additional stress and physical activity of the exercise. The added stress from the exercise can dislodge blood from the endometrial lining of the cervix, and although spotting after exercise is not predictable, it shouldn't be something that you get accustomed to seeing.

Other factors to consider when you're spotting after workout include:

• Sex and Birth Control
  Sex the night before or a change in birth control pills could also result in spotting between periods, not necessarily after exercise the next day.
• Pregnancy
  Occasional spotting also occurs during early pregnancy. Implantation spotting occurs mainly during the implantation process or mid cycle ovulation.
• Hormonal Imbalance
  Another possible reason for spotting mid cycle could be a hormonal imbalance. When you are exercising, you're putting your body through vigorous activity that leads to the production of certain hormones that may cause a hormonal imbalance, which then causes spotting.
• Infection
  You may not be aware that you're suffering from infection in the vagina or cervix, and the exercise exacerbates the condition, causing you to experience light brown spotting after exercise.
• Near a New Cycle
  If you are engaged in some kind of strenuous and vigorous exercising when you're close to a new menstrual cycle, spotting can occur. However, there is nothing to worry about, because that is normal.
• Menopause
  If you are age 40 to 50, going through a menopause phase, and are working out in the gym regularly, or you're involved in strenuous physical activity, then light spotting is likely to happen after the exercise routine.

What Will the Spotting Be Like?

Whenever you change your routine, especially if you are exercising more vigorously, and if you have changed your diet, there is a good chance that you will see some occasional spotting. If you are spotting after exercise, and you are between your menstrual cycles, take note the color and quantity of the blood. The spotting should be brownish, as opposed to bright red, and it should be in a relatively small amount, unlike a regular flow. However, if you're spotting frequently, and the bleeding is consistently light and brownish, you should consider lightening up a little. It is very likely the more vigorous exercising is over stressing your body.

What to Do

The best thing to do is to ease up on the workouts. This will allow your body to adjust to the strain that you're putting it through. Cutting down on the intensity of the exercise may be all the solution you need to overcome the discomfort.

You might also want to discuss the issue with your gym professional, who is trained to guide you through the exercises that are beneficial, and help you avoid the exercises that may cause spotting. Another good idea is to schedule an appointment with your health care provider for a complete checkup to make sure there is no underlying issues you need to worry about.

When to Worry

Spotting after exercise is considered normal following changes to exercise routines or after a particularly vigorous workout; however, there may be times when it could be signs of something worse.

• If it is bright red or of a quantity similar to the flow of a regular day during your menstrual cycle, it needs to be checked out as soon as possible.
• If you are spotting while you are pregnant, always schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately.
• If you're spotting frequently, consult your physician. This is important even if you only see spotting after strenuous exercise. It might simply be that you need to reduce the amount of stress you are putting on your body.

Irregular bleeding between cycles can be considered normal after exercising, but you should always carefully monitor it. If you become concerned, always contact a health care provider. A little bleeding is normal on occasion, but you should never ignore it.