The benefits of sport
Why practice sport?
Sport has many benefits for everybody, but particularly for people with haemophilia. Haemophilia bleeds can affect your joints and muscles. By getting fit and keeping your joints strong and your muscles flexible, you can lessen the risk of bleeds and reduce the need for clotting factor replacement. It could also reduce the risk of arthritis or the need for surgery when you get older. Some evidence even suggests that exercise can temporarily increase the levels of factor VIII in the blood.
It's important to start exercising from a young age because it is far better to prevent a bleed from happening in the first place than to try and rehabilitate joints and muscles after a bleed.
Your physiotherapist can give regular joint assessments and advice on sports and exercise - but always ensure that your haemophilia nurse is your first point of contact
Sport can help in the following ways:
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Healthy stronger muscles
Regular exercise strengthens muscles and joints so that they are better able to withstand stress and strain. This can help to reduce your risk of bleeds.
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Improved flexibility
Regular exercise helps to improve or maintain the full range of movement in your joints. This means they are less likely to be forced to their limit, which can cause bleeds.
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Improved endurance
Exercising regularly improves your cardiovascular endurance giving you more energy so you feel less tired. Your joints and muscles won't tire so quickly.
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Provides an outlet for tension and aggression
Participation in sporting activities can help to relieve tension and stress.
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Maintains a healthy body weight
Being overweight can place extra stress and strain on joints and muscles. Regular exercise along with a healthy diet can help keep your weight under control and take the strain off your joints.
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Increases self-confidence and provides a sense of achievement
Participation in sporting activities boosts self-confidence and can give you the confidence to try new things. You will also be able to enjoy the company of people of your own age and be part of a team.
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Improved co-ordination
Exercising regularly can improve your balance and co-ordination, helping your joints and muscles to work better together. This in turn will protect your joints and muscles from bleeds.
Even with prophylactic treatment, research has shown that people who are active, fit and strong have the fewest problems with their haemophilia. People who are not active, do not participate enthusiastically in sport and leisure activities and who are possibly overweight, all seem to have more trouble with their bleeds.
A physiotherapist's expertise is in knowing how the muscles and the joints of the body work and move together. They are trained to assess your joints, to advise you on sports that are suitable for you to take part in, and to treat any injuries to your muscles and joints.
Most haemophilia centres have access to physiotherapy services and most haemophilia patients have regular joint assessments throughout the year.
A physiotherapist will try and minimise the chances of any lasting damage to your muscles or joints through preventative physiotherapy. Preventative physiotherapy can include exercises to help you to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint and improve your balance and flexibility.
Physiotherapists can also help you with advice on sport. There are suitable sports for people with every level of haemophilia. A physiotherapist will be able to assess your joints and muscles, and take into account the severity of your haemophilia, to advise you on which sports are best for you.
Both sport and preventative physiotherapy can help to break the bleeding cycle and limit the chances of bleeds and damage to your joints and muscles.
If you sustain an injury to your joints or muscles, a physiotherapist will be able to help you during your recovery. Firstly, they can reduce the pain and swelling and then they can help you to restore the lost movement and strength by offering you a course of exercises, advice or treatment that is tailored to your individual needs.
When to contact your physiotherapist:
- Every few months for a regular joint assessment
- If you would like advice about suitable sports and activities
- Following a joint or muscle bleed, particularly if you experience pins and needles or numbness in the affected area. You may need to be referred to your haemophilia centre if your symptoms are severe
- If you experience increased pain, loss of movement or weakness in a joint
- If you are finding day-to-day activities more difficult
Please ensure that your haemophilia nurse is always your first point of contact
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