Activities for children with bleeding disorders (1465)
Key points below
Staying active is important, but you need to think about the risk of injury if you:
- Have a bleeding disorder.
- Take drugs such as aspirin, Coumadin®, or Lovenox® to keep blood from clotting.
Here are 3 levels of activities. They are grouped by how much risk there is for injury. No matter which ones you choose, safety comes first! Always wear a helmet, wrist pads, elbow pads, kneepads, etc. Talk with your health care team before starting new activities.
Level 1
Most people with a bleeding or clotting disorder can take part in these activities safely.
- Bicycling
- Fishing
- Frisbee golf
- Swimming
- Tai chi
- Walking or hiking
Level 2
The physical, social, and mental benefits of these activities often outweigh the risks. Most activities fit in this group. If you have moderate to severe hemophilia or moderate to severe von Willebrand disease, ask if you need treatment ahead of time.
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Diving (recreational)
- Gymnastics
- Horseback riding
- Ice skating
- Karate/Kung fu
- Mountain biking
- River rafting
- Roller blading
- Roller skating
- Rowing
- Running/Jogging
- Skateboarding
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Tae kwon do
- Track and field
- Water skiing
- Weight lifting
- Volleyball
Level 3
There are greater risks than benefits. These are very dangerous if you have a bleeding disorder. Talk to your health care team about these.
- Boxing or wrestling
- Diving (competitive)
- Tackle football
- Hockey (field, ice, street)
- Lacrosse
- Motorcycling/Dirt biking
- Racquetball
- Rock climbing
- Rugby