“We hope that this booklet has provided insights, information and advice to help people with haemophilia realise the many benefits of a more physically active and healthy lifestyle.”
People with haemophilia are living longer lives thanks to the evolution of haemophilia care and the development of effective treatments.
However, living longer does not necessarily mean living healthily and– just like the general population – people with haemophilia also suffer from age-related comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Leading a physically active and healthy lifestyle can help to prevent these comorbidities, but what does ‘physical activity’ really mean? For Sébastien it can be playing tennis with his friends; for Pål, it is skiing in the mountains; and for Thomas, simply mowing the lawn.
Selecting a physical activity that we are enthusiastic about is important in order to optimise ongoing participation. The choice of activity will be different for every person with haemophilia and is influenced by a number of factors: a person’s preferences, where they live, their personal goals, the risks involved, their joint status, their treatment regimen, and a multitude of other individual characteristics.
However, even after starting an activity, the fear of bleeding and the consequences of bleeding episodes can weaken the motivation to keep going. Strategies to minimise activity-related risks and keep people with haemophilia focused on their personal goals are key to achieving successful outcomes.
This booklet aims to provide the information to support conversations between healthcare professionals and adults with haemophilia to help encourage, maintain and inspire physical activity. It also highlights the considerations that should inform the design of a personalised physical activity / sports programme. The booklet will also be useful to physiotherapists, sports specialists, specialist nurses, sports instructors and others who want to know more about the benefits of physical activity for people with haemophilia and support a multidisciplinary team approach to the care of people with haemophilia.
Disclaimer: This booklet was produced by Dr S. Lobet (a Physical Therapist at the Saint-Luc University Clinics of Brussels), Professor P.A.
Holme (Physician at the Department of Haematology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo) and Professor T. Hilberg (Physician at
the University Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany). This booklet was designed for use by healthcare professionals only, to support discussions
with patients around physical activity. Neither the authors, the publishers, nor the sponsor are liable for the information given in this
brochure, and they disclaim all liability in case of injury. Recommendations about physical activity should be assessed and tailored to each
individual patient. Funding for the development of this booklet was provided by Pfizer. Pfizer did not influence the content development of
this document. Editorial support to prepare this document was provided by SYNERGY (London, UK), a Medical Education provider.
