Drugs containing acetaminophen can be used for fever, headaches and minor aches and pains.
Yes. It is important that all people with hemophilia engage in regular exercise to keep their muscles and joints strong and their health good. Being in good physical condition can actually reduce the number of bleeding episodes a person has.
A person with hemophilia will have to find out for himself / herself what physical activities he / she can or cannot do. Many people with mild forms of hemophilia participate in all kinds of sports including active sports like soccer and high-risk sports like skiing. People with more severe forms of hemophilia may find these activities lead to serious bleeding.
Specialists at the hemophilia / bleeding disorder clinic can advise people of the risks based on an evaluation of each person's condition.
People with severe hemophilia should take prophylactic concentrate treatment just before taking part in sports and some with mild hemophilia should do so as well.
Table 2 below gives information on sporting activities for the person with hemophilia.
| Scale | * | Low degree of stress |
| | ** | Moderate degree of stress |
| *** | High degree of stress |
| Sport | Risk of Sport | Joints Involved (ranked in descending order of involvement) | Degree of Stress to Joints | Recommended Equipment | Additional Comments |
| Swimming | Very Low | Shoulders | * | None | Swimming is a low risk sport assuming no diving is involved. Stress to joints is directly related to intensity and duration of swimming. Whipkick may irritate knees. |
| Waterskiing | High | Knees Shoulders Elbows | *** ** ** | Lifejacket | Very stressful on muscles. The overall risk is high due to outside forces over which skier has no control (examples: speed at which he hits the water, being hit by a ski). |
| Windsurfing | Medium | Spine Shoulders Elbows | ** ** * | Lifejacket | Lessons useful initially to learn proper technique. High winds increase risk especially if inexperienced. |
| Golf | Low | Shoulders Elbows Knees | * * * | Appropriate footwear | |
| Tennis | Low | Knees Ankles Elbows | ** ** * | Tennis shoes | |
| Squash / Raquetball | Medium | Knees Ankles Elbows Shoulders | *** *** ** ** | Appropriate footwear, protective eyeglasses | Contact with ball/ raquet could be harmful. |
| Volleyball | Low/ Medium | Knees Hands (fingers/ wrists) Ankles | ** ** * | Kneepads, high-top running shoes | Increased risks with higher level of competition. |
| Basketball | Low/ Medium | Knees Ankles Fingers | *** *** ** | High-top running shoes, knee pads | High-top running shoes may prevent ankle sprains. Knee pads provide some form of cushioning when falling on knees. |
| Baseball | Medium | Shoulders Knees Elbows Ankles | ** ** ** ** | Kneepads, appropriate footwear helmet (batting) | Higher risk of soft tissue injuries |
| Soccer | Medium | Ankles Knees Hips | *** ** ** | Appropriate footwear, shin pads | Higher risk of soft tissue injuries. |
| Football (tackle) | High | Knees Ankles Shoulders | *** *** *** | Helmet, protective pads | High risk of head injuries and traumatic bleeds due to repeated heavy physical contact in tackle football. |
| Rugby | High | Knees Ankles Shoulders | *** *** *** | Generally not used in this sport | Harmful due to high risk of physical contact. Increased risk of head injury and jarring injury to the spine. |
| Weight lifting | Medium | Elbows Shoulders Back | *** *** *** | Proper lifting techniques can lessen risk of injury. Recommended lifting through mid-range only. Increase number of repetitions rather than weight. Train regularly. Not recommended for young children. | |
| Skating | Low | Knees Ankles | ** ** | Proper fitting skates with good ankle support. | Helmet is advisable during initial learning period. Knee pads or snow pants. |
| Skateboarding | High | Knees Ankles | *** *** | Helmet, knee and elbow pads | Risk of fracture and of head injury due to falling. |
| Rollerskating/ Rollerblading | High | Spine | Stress on joints related to falling. | Helmet, knee, elbow & shin pads. | Risk of injury is high due to risk of falling on hard surfaces. Rough surfaces, hills and ramps increase risk. |
| Road hockey | Medium | Knees Ankles | ** ** | Helmet and knee pads may be beneficial. | Contact with stick and other players could be harmful. |
| Ice hockey | High | Knees Shoulders Ankles | *** *** ** | Proper fitting skates with good ankle support. Protective padding (shoulder, elbows, knees). Helmet. | Contact with puck, stick, boards, other players, could be harmful. |
| Nordic skiing (cross-country) | Low/ Medium | Knees Ankles Shoulders | ** ** * | Skis and poles of appropriate length. Boots with good support. | The difficulty of the course will directly affect the degree of stress on joints and overall risk such as risk of falling. |
| Alpine skiing (downhill) | High | Knees | *** | Helmet, ski boots | Appropriate length of skis and poles The risk of head injury and traumatic bleed is high due to the inherent risk of falling at high speeds |
| Horseback riding | High | Spine | ** | Helmet | The risk of head injury and serious muscle or joint injury is high due to the possibility of falling off or being thrown from the horse. Jumping should be avoided. |
| Bicycling | Low | Knees | * | Properly adjusted bike with seat at proper
height. Bicycle helmet. Toe straps. | To minimize stress on knees: 1. Keep seat high 2. Avoid hills 3. Stay in lower gears 4. Pedal at high revolution (80-100 per minute.) |
| Running | Low/ Medium | Ankles Knees | ** | Appropriate footwear (need good shock absorption, firm heel-counter, arch support). | Running surface (example: concrete or uneven ground) will affect risk. Intensity of running (such as distance, speed, frequency) will also affect risk. |
| Karate/Judo | Medium/ High | Knees Elbow Ankles | ** ** * | None | If there is contact, the risk of injury is high. Without contact, the training can be good for improving muscle flexibility, coordination and balance. |
Yes, there are. Hepatitis B can still be transmitted by certain blood products. The vaccine against hepatitis B is recommended for all people who routinely receive blood or blood products.
In very rare cases, hepatitis A has been transmitted by blood products. Therefore, doctors recommend vaccination against hepatitis A for people who receive blood or blood products. This is especially important for people who are infected with hepatitis C. This is because hepatitis A can be a serious, even fatal, disease for people who have hepatitis C.
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
Every person with hemophilia should wear a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace. Hemophilia is not well known and not easily diagnosed. In the case of an accident, the Medic Alert bracelet will be very helpful to medical personnel.
People with hemophilia should carry a FactorFirst wallet card. These are distributed by Hemophilia Treatment Centres. Treatment information contained in this card is detailed and up to date.
PDF OF FACTOR FIRST CARD
Every person should be knowledgeable about his bleeding disorder, know what treatment he should receive in an emergency, and carry the information with him.
Before traveling, he should obtain a sufficient supply of treatment products and the addresses of hemophilia clinics in the areas which he will be visiting. The World Federation of Hemophilia provides information with addresses of clinics in most countries around the world.
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