Athletes look like the picture of health, yet a body of medical literature shows they are not immune to blood clots — and may even face some risks the general population does not. A 2020 review in Blood Reviews examined venous thromboembolism (VTE), the medical term for a clot that forms in a deep vein and can travel to the lungs.
How common, and how serious
In the general population, VTE affects roughly 1 to 2 people per 1,000 each year. It is not minor: across all patients, up to 30% die within a month of diagnosis and up to half are left with long-term complications. Most of that burden falls on older people with other illnesses, but the lesson for athletes is that a clot is never something to brush off.
Why athletes are not immune
Highly active people actually have fewer of the classic risk factors. Yet the review highlights several they are unusually exposed to: dehydration during long sessions, frequent long-haul travel to competitions, injuries and the immobilization that follows, and in some cases performance-enhancing substances. Intense exertion itself temporarily shifts the body’s clotting balance.
Warning signs worth knowing
The signs are easy to mistake for training strain. A clot in the leg can cause swelling, pain, warmth or redness in one calf or thigh. If part of it travels to the lungs, it can cause sudden breathlessness, chest pain, or a racing heart. An athlete who assumes it is just soreness can lose critical time.
What to do
The most useful response to suspected blood clots is to seek medical care promptly rather than train through it. Treatment is effective but medically supervised, and it typically means a pause from sport while the clot is managed. See also: more reads.
Sources
The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice.
