Having a blood or bleeding disorder does not mean you can’t be physically active. It just means you should think carefully about the types of activities you choose and consider some precautions. This section of Steps for Living focuses on physical activity options, types of activities, and what you need to know about physical activity for people with bleeding disorders.
This section of Physical Health covers:
Physical Activity and Bleeding Disorders
Physical Activity Options
A regular exercise routine is an important part of healthy living. An effective routine should include aerobic exercise (the kind of exercise that makes your heart beat faster), strength training, and balance and flexibility. This combination helps to improve mobility and strengthens the body to reduce the risk of falls.
To gain maximum benefits exercise regularly. Exercising moderately for 30 minutes every day will keep your body healthy and lowers the likelihood of strain or injury from pushing your body too hard during infrequent workouts. A varied, regular exercise routine can have a positive impact not only on your health but also on how your body feels each day. Regular physical activity can also help increase strength and improve joint stability.
Here are some types of exercises and how they may help you:
- Aerobic exercise: Supports reducing the load on weight-bearing joints.
- Strength training: Increases muscle mass and strengthens the tendons that support your joints.
- Balance and flexibility: Improves your posture and range of motion.
Types of Physical Activity
As time passes, you may need to switch from one activity to another to better accommodate your body and its needs. When choosing an activity, it is important for you to consider your general body build, past bleeding history, and present condition of your joints. You’ll also want to think about how your joints respond to treatment. A physical therapist or exercise professional can help develop a safe exercise routine for you. Remember to talk with your Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC) team or health care provider before beginning any exercise routine. Here are a few low-impact options to consider:
Walking is the simplest way to get moderate, low-impact aerobic exercise. You can choose your intensity and speed and do it pretty much anywhere.
Biking either outdoors or on a stationary bike, depending on your ability, is a great way to get aerobic exercise. If you have joint problems, you may want to consider looking into exercising on a stationary bike placed in a swimming pool. Buoyancy takes some pressure off the exercise motion, and the resistance provided by moving your body through the water is gentle on your joints. Always wear a helmet and other safety gear when biking.
Swimming provides excellent aerobic exercise that is also low impact. Swimming, or other water-based workouts, such as water aerobics, offer resistance and buoyancy that is gentler on your body and joints.
This ancient Chinese tradition is great for improving balance and sharpening mental awareness. The emphasis on swaying and slow, gentle movements can ease the pain of arthritis.
Yoga improves both balance and flexibility. It’s a great exercise option, because most yoga poses can be modified to adjust for limited strength and mobility. Stretching in poses improves flexibility, which helps prevent injuries. While most forms of yoga are low impact, research the style of yoga that’s best for you.
Pilates is like yoga but focuses more on muscle control. It’s a great exercise option for anyone looking for a low-impact workout that can enhance core strength.
Physical Activity and Bleeding Disorders
With careful thought and planning you can maximize the benefits of physical activity and minimize the risks. If you do have a bleed from physical activity, report your bleed to your HTC team or health care provider. A health care provider can give guidance on when it is safe to return to being physically active.
Below are some things to think about when considering being physically active:
- Don’t compare yourself to others. This is about you and not your peers.
- How comfortable are you with physical activity? An honest assessment of your comfort level will help you reach your goals quicker.
- What do you want to accomplish by being active? Setting goals gives you something to work toward. By creating a plan and tracking your progress, you can know when you’ve met your goals.
- Your health records can help you find a starting point to track your progress.
- Your HTC team can:
- Discuss activities that will help and not hurt your body.
- Suggest ways to modify the activities you want to do to minimize the risk of injury and bleeding.
- Review your infusion, prophylaxis, or treatment plan and help you adjust it, if necessary, to fit your increased level of activity.
- Help you adjust if you do get injured or have a bleed.
- Advocate for you. They can talk with your other providers to help promote your being physically active and help you avoid risks.
- All injuries need adequate time to heal. If you don’t take the time needed to recover, you could end up with long-term or permanent joint and tissue damage.
- Use the P.R.I.C.E. protocol (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate).
- Talk with your health care provider about your treatment options and to determine when you can continue physical activities.
- Stretching. This is the part of conditioning that makes your muscles more flexible and allows your joints to move more freely.
- Strengthening. This is the part of conditioning that increases your muscle strength for greater joint support.
If you want more information about sports and bleeding disorders, please go to Playing It Safe.