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Ever since I was born, I have basically been a human pinball. I was always kind of big for my age and, as a fairly large adult (I am 6’1″ and most of that is long spindly legs), the world always feels like it is slightly mis-sized for me. I am always mistaking how much room I have to move around, which results in me smashing my head or my legs on things like lamps, shelves and tables. Sometimes this leaves me with a bump on the forehead, but more often than not, my shins are the victims, covered in large, dark, purply brown bruises. During the height of my bruising phase, when I was a very little tree-climbing girl, my mother often thought I was just dirty and would make me sit in the bathtub for hours, trying to scrub them off. 
As an adult, things have gotten slightly better, but I still somehow manage to injure myself. Poor Mr. Hummingbird tries to move things out of my way in our apartment to give me enough room to navigate, but like a compass finds North, so do I find the sharp edge of a coffee table. Smack. Bang. Boom.
Normally, my klutziness doesn’t bother me as it is just a way of life and I accept that I bruise like a peach. However, with a little under nine months to the wedding, and as a bride considering a tea length dress, the idea of marching up that aisle with busted-up looking legs does not appeal to me. (I am currently sporting one of the ugliest marks I’ve ever had after I smacked my leg off a box full of reference books during our move.)
So with a hive full of ladies at my disposal, I’ve got to ask - has anyone else had this problem? How did you combat it? Is there any way to make yourself less bruisable?
This isn’t helpful, but the day before my wedding, I was out dragging brush (like 20 foot long trees, etc) to help prep the reception area, so I had quite a few scrapes and bruises. Luckily my dress was long though, and the ones on my arms weren’t very noticeable.
But I’m not sure what to do in your situation…I guess I would just suggest maybe getting makeup to put on your legs if they were really bad? Or just trying to be EXTRA careful in the weeks leading up to the wedding…sorry I don’t have any real advice though, but I can certainly empathize!!
I am no doctor but…Have you looked into vitamins. I know vitamin C is really good for this.
i’m all of 5′3.5″ and am constantly misjudging my space and bumping into every corner, door, counter, chair whatever. and the sharper the corner the better apparently. luckily i don’t bruise too easily [so when i do manage a nice one, i know i ran into whateevr it was nice and hard] which is no help to you unfortunately.
i find that as soon as i’m comfortable in a space, i tend to pay less attention which ups the chances that i’ll run into something so i try to stay cognizant of where i’m at, walk a little slower around corners and even put my hand up to mean the wall before me.
i also need to remember that it is not wise to read and walk.
I’m a HUGE bruiser. I hear vitamin D and iron maybe will help you bruise less.
I have scars from some gashes I just suffered from a few weeks ago!! Honestly, I feel your pain.
Arnica helps bruises heal quickly. It is a flower and you can find it at health food stores and apothecaries. However, like all herbal remedies make sure there are no complications with anything you may be taking already like birth control or medicine.
I <3 that we’re the same height… yay tall bees! 
I’m sad to report that I have a very similar disorder, but I usually misjudge corners and run straight into them with my shoulders or feet. Mr. Lemon doesn’t understand it, nor do i, but it happens all the time. I also bump my head a lot.
Whenever I’m taking multi-vitamins, the problem with bruising seems to be less apparent. But… other than not moving around much before the wedding, I don’t have many tips 
There’s always skin makeup!
You could pad the edges of the tables or shelves that tend to jump into your path the most - just search for padded table shields/guards. They are normally for protecting toddlers’ heads but they should work for you too :-).
Other than that, all I can suggest is remaining absolutely still for the last week or so :-). If the worst comes to pass after all your care, you could always get the bridesmaids to wear fake bruises in solidarity and make a quiet joke of it!
i work in a model agency and the girls use dermablend to cover tattoos and the oops i hit my leg on the coffee table before shoots and shows…..
buy some now- so you have it handy for last minute bumps and boo boos
Okay, I just did a little bit of research into this, and this is what the internet has to recommend (I am not a medical professional):
When you do something to get a bruise, stop and put a cold compress on it. Bruises are caused when blood vessels break and the blood gets into the surrounding tissue. So if you stop, put pressure on it, and put a cold compress on it, the bruise will be greatly minimized. Also, if you can get the bruise above the level of your heart (lay down and put your feet up), that’ll slow down the blood flow to that area, too. Bruises on legs are bigger because blood gets to them easier. The key is to get the blood to not get around as much as possible. And if you repeat this (pressure, cold compress, feet up), the bruise should heal more quickly.
(Don’t put cold on your skin for longer than 20 minutes at a time and leave it off for 20 minutes in between. If your tissues get too cold, they don’t heal as well. But you can do it for 20, let it warm up for 20, and then put it on for 20 again.)
Also, if you eat foods with vitamins C, K, B12, and folic acids, that should help because apparently they’re important to blood clotting.
I’ve heard an old wives tail that pineapple is good for this, but I’m not really sure if that’s true. It’s probably only because it has a lot of vitamin C.
I hope this helps!
http://www.medicinenet.com/bruises/page3.htm
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/Bruises-and-Blood-Spots-Under-the-Skin-Prevention
I am in the same boat! Iron supplements have worked WONDERS for me and my black and blue friends!
I’m a lifelong mega-bruiser and never knew there was anything that could be done about it, other than be more careful, ha. Will try Iron. Thanks, Allison.
I’ve never tried this because frankly I find it gross, but my grandmother swears by egg whites. As soon as she bangs herself on something, she rushes to the kitchen and rubs some egg whites on the area. Supposedly it keeps the area from bruising to badly.
Low potassium levels can also make it easier to get bruising - eat lots of bananas!
Definitely second the arnica suggestion. Used to play rugby and was permanently covered in bruises spanning the colour of the rainbow.
I have the same problem. My friend told me that iron and potassium can help with this. She was actually vistiting this weekend and forced me to go get vitamins & iron because I am so bad.
The iron suggestion is interesting because at one point in my life I was bruising like a peach (cute Miss Hummingbird) and I was told I was taking too much iron. I cut it out as a supplement and I was fine.
I do recommend NOT rearranging your bedroom prior to the wedding. I just moved my bed side table which has resulted in 4 nights of stubbed toes, many many bruises on the shin and one unfortunate episode in which I actually fell into the table. Klutzes Unite!
I went through a stage of brusing terribly and a friend who was a fitness instructor said to take extra Vitamin E. I did and definitely bruised less and I always take a little extra if I seem to be suffering from alot of those lovely purple-to-green-to-yellow spots.
Oh, and I do the immediate icing/pressure thing too which also seems to help.
I’m a bruise-magnet with a tea-length dress, as well. Sigh. I might try some makeup, but we’re getting married on the beach and I’m afraid I’ll have tanned past whatever shade of makeup that I pick now!
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Mrs. Hummingbird, Toronto Age and Occupation: 25, Publishing Coordinator Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Videogame Designer/Cartoonist Engagement Date: May 4, 2007 Wedding Date: June 28, 2008 Blogging Since: September 18, 2007 Venue: A garden wedding followed by a tented reception on Mr. Hummingbird's father's property. About Me: I’m a pop culture loving, vintage obsessed foodie living in Canada’s biggest city with my fantastic fiancé and our lovable fluffy cat Bettie. I’m stoked to marry my best friend and to throw what I hope will be the most fun and colourful party of our lives.
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