"""I am Steve Lehman, a 58-year-old, endurance athlete and I developed blood clots. As a World and National Champion and World Hour Record holding bicycle racer, I believed I was ""bomb-proof"". I’m not. In fact, I’m lucky to be alive. The same blood and vascular system that have helped me achieve these lofty goals are also prone to producing a deadly, silent killer, the blood clot.""
Blood Clots and the Endurance Athlete
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Particularly if you fly or drive long distances before and after events:
""About 85% of air travel thrombosis victims are athletic, usually endurance-type athletes like marathoners. People with slower resting blood flow are at greater risk of stasis, stagnant blood subject to clotting. Also, they are more likely to have bruises and sore muscles that can trigger clotting.
No other risk factor comes close to this. Age over 60 is supposed to be a risk factor, but these victims are younger, 82% of them under 60.
Athletes should flex their legs at fifteen minute intervals during air travel. If other risk factors are present, such as a personal or family history of clots, more frequent flexing would be advisable, and wearing compression stockings. Avoid sleeping. The English soccer team flying to the World Cup games in Japan broke the trip into two segments with a two-day rest stop and wore compression stockings during the flights.""
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Personal note: I've been on blood thinners from beginning of December, through till at least February, following discovery of a small clot under the left knee. Cause was ostensibly a post-surgical complication, but nonetheless a surprise because I was up and about within 48 hours. My cardio-fitness is not Mr. Lehman's but I have an otherwise excellent cardio/hematological profile and resting heart rate in the low 50's.
I know of at least one other rider who's off their bike till completion of a blood thinner regimen. Their cause is more directly attributable to competition and post-competition (driving/flying) activity.
The purpose of posting is make those at risk aware of the issue, watchful of the symptoms and to effect pre-emptive measures before, during and after events."