Exercise Causing Thrombosis

Thrombophilia refers to the increased tendency to form blood clots (thrombosis), which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Thrombosis is associated with various chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, renal disorders, and cardiovascular disease. The incidence and associated complications of thrombosis are likely to increase significantly in the next few decades because of aging populations. Regular exercise has been proposed to decrease the risk of developing thrombosis, although there are inconsistent data from studies investigating its effects, with reports of both increased and decreased thrombotic risk across a variety of subject cohorts. Confounders such as age, gender, hormonal variations, physical activity, underlying disease and treatment, and body composition also contribute to the difficulty in assessing and defining the precise effects of exercise in preventing thrombotic events. However, there is evidence suggesting that physical activity is beneficial for reducing thrombotic risk in younger individuals and those with chronic conditions. This article aims to summarize the known risk factors for thrombosis and briefly review the benefits of exercise in the general population. Furthermore, this article highlights the additional factors in a cohort of individuals that would (at first) appear unlikely to be at risk of thrombosis—elite athletes.