Summer 2007 | Enjoy a Sport / Ed Sotherden

Having grown up with severe hemophilia and the complications of an inhibitor, I came to the conclusion that sports were more trouble than they were fun. This was a personal decision I made at an early age. The sports I found attractive, lacrosse and football; were definitely off limits. Even shooting hoops or tossing a ball around led to an inevitable bleed. By my early teen years, I avoided most of those activities.

When I was around sixteen, my inhibitors spontaneously went away and I was able to treat with recombinant factor eight. This led to a drastic improvement in my health. I became a little more active and began hiking and swimming. I was no longer as hesitant to toss a Frisbee with my pals. However for the rest of high school, college, and my early adult life, I avoided any kind of organized sports.

This has recently begun to change. As you can see from our Matrix on the Move section of Matrix Health News, we support many charity golf tournaments throughout the summer and fall. I played in three tournaments last summer and suffered no ill effects from my time on the golf course. I have taken up a strong interest in golf and have been out on my own quite a few times since the tournaments.

Unfortunately, living in the Philadelphia area means that golf is not a year round sport. However, I am excited for this season and I am taking advantage of the beautiful days here. It is my goal to play one round a week during this golf season. I also look forward to taking a couple lessons as well as spending some time hitting at the driving range.

As I approach my thirties and realize that the super metabolism of my youth is slowing down, I want to do my best to stay in shape. Although I don’t bleed as frequently as I used to, my ankles and knees are not in the best shape from years of being target joints. In a nation where we super-size everything and the majority of people carry a few extra pounds, I realize that I need to stay as slim as possible to avoid more wear and tear on my weight bearing joints. Golf is an excellent way to get out and get some exercise without stressing my joints. By always using a ride-on cart, I can control the amount of walking I do during any given round. I also make sure my prophylaxis infusions are always on the days I go golfing.

Hemophilia creates a challenge in how active a person can be, but in most circumstances you can find an activity that is both enjoyable and safe. Discussing this topic and getting suggestions from your physical therapist is a great idea. Not only do they know which activities are generally safe for people with bleeding disorders, but they also know your body pretty well and can help you decide which activities will work based on your current health and mobility.

Not only am I happy to have found an activity that I enjoy and that gets me to exercise; I also look forward to the social aspect of the game. I certainly hope that by next year’s charity tournaments I will be able to contribute more to my foursome. Or maybe I should say contribute less - in terms of strokes!