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For people with bleeding disorders sports is both a blessing and a curse. Sports can help prevent bleedings but can also provoke them. In this article series we examine what sports people with bleeding disorders engage in, and review what the doctors have to say about exercise.
Your often hear about a person, who has not been physically active for a long time and then starts exercising to get in shape. At first it is an uphill struggle with many temptations to quit. Once they get past that stage, they begin to feel better about themselves, they have more energy for their daily activities and they get a brighter outlook on the world around them.
Photo: Joanna Veerbeek
Physical exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy body with strong muscles and joints. Regular exercise not only strengthens muscles and improves stamina, it also hones the coordination and concentration skills. Team sports additionally promote cameraderie and exercises the ability to interact with others. Furthermore, exercise is known to control blood pressure and relieve stress. The list of benefits goes on and on.
The human body is remarkably good at adapting to new situations and challenges. This adaptability certainly applies to the physique. However, changes do not happen overnight, so anyone starting a new sport should be prepared for a long haul of sustained effort. Only in the long run will you see major advancement, whether your focus is weight loss, building muscle strength or improving stamina. Since the beginning of any new form of exercise can be tough, consider entering a club or persuading some of your friends to join you. The more you are to back each other up, the greater the chance of success. Plus it will probably be a lot more fun!
For people with bleeding disorders, starting a new sport gently is critically important. Overdoing it in the beginning may cause a bleeding that puts you out of action for several days or weeks. The best way to avoid overloading your muscles and joints is to listen to your body and not ignore the signals it sends you. If prophylactic treatment is an option to you, consider taking medication before going to training, at least to start with. Remember that you should consult your local haemophilia treatment centre before starting a new sport. They can help you decide what sport is suitable for you and give advice about how best to avoid bleedings.
In addition to all the benefits of exercise listed above, practical experience shows that haemophiliacs can expect a reduction in the frequency and severity of bleeds when exercising regularly and carefully.
We have asked a number of people with bleeding disorders if and how they exercise. Click below to read their answers and a quick guide to one of the sports they talk about.
Below you will find some links and book references, if you want to know more about the subject of exercise. We hope you find inspiration to live a healthy life, and would love to hear about your experience with sports. Click here to go the discussion forum where you can write your story. Go for it!
Links
http://factorfitness.co.uk - Factor Fitness: A comprehensive and highly recommended website about sports for people with bleeding disorders. Topics include a review of seven popular sports, a guide to getting started with sport, how to choose an appropriate sport and the precautions to take, nutricion and an online experts forum. The website is sponsored by Bayer HealthCare.
http://www.hemophiliagalaxy.com - Hemophilia Galaxy: This large website about haemophilia also has a section about choosing the right sports, including a rating of the risks for each of a long list of sports. Go to "Living well" > "Sports & Exercise".
Books
"Fit for life - a guide to fitness, games, sports and dance for people with haemophilia", Anatol Kurme and Axel Seuser, Omnimed Verlagsgesellschaft, Hamburg 2002 (second ed. 2006). This booklet was handed out at the Baxter booth at the WFH world congress 2006 and may be available from the authors, though this has not been confirmed.
"Go for it", Published by WFH (also available in Spanish). Order from WFH.
"Boys will be boys", The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Note: available via the Factor Fitness website linked above, but possibly only to UK residents.
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