For the love of
SPORTS Playing and competing beneďŹ t the body in more ways than one By Phyllis McIntosh
26
H E M A W A R E M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 0 6
When his wife urged him to join her at the tae kwon do class, Jeff Kallberg of Minneapolis feared it was too dangerous for a man in his 30s with severe hemophilia, but he reluctantly agreed to give it a try. Now four years later, at age 37, he proudly boasts a black belt. M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 0 6 H E M A W A R E
27
in the general population. Exercise can help shed excess pounds that put added strain on joints and limit range of motion. And while physical fitness is key, it should go hand in hand with a healthy, balanced diet—which is an equally important part of maintaining a normal weight and overall good health. But before starting any new sport or exercise regimen, as NHF stresses in “Playing It Safe,” it is crucial to properly prepare to lower the risk of injury:
JEFF KALLBERG EXCELS AT TAE KWON DO AND SAYS THE SPORT HAS IMPROVED HIS COORDINATION AND BALANCE.
Kallberg is not alone. People with bleeding disorders of all ages are participating and competing in a wide variety of sports, including ones once thought off-limits. Many say that as a result of their active lifestyle and regular conditioning, they feel better and can do more than ever. Understandably, they are eager to spread the word that with modern treatments for bleeding disorders, sports can be safe and fun when practiced responsibly. The benefits are significant—for both body and soul. That is the theme sounded in such popular guides to sports and fitness as the new National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) pamphlet, “Playing It Safe: Bleeding Disorders, Sports and Exercise” and the Hemophilia of Indiana chapter’s video, “Living Healthy with Hemophilia” (see sidebars).
t t t t t
Talk with your doctor or hemophilia treatment center staff about the activity Know the early signs of a bleed and how to treat it promptly Make sure you wear adequate protective equipment, such as a helmet and elbow and knee pads Build up your activity slowly—do it for short time periods at first to see how your body responds Do conditioning exercises such as stretching and weight training to improve flexibility and endurance
Finally, it’s always a good idea to keep gym teachers, coaches and trainers informed about your bleeding disorder or your child’s bleeding disorder and work with them to tailor movements to your abilities. “If I have an injury, my tae kwon do instructors know to take it seriously,” says Kallberg. “If there’s something I really don’t want to do they’re not going to give me a hard time, and they help me modify the activities to what I can do.” The most recommended sports for people with bleeding disorders are those that put less impact on joints but still do a lot for muscle strength and flexibility. Swimming, walking, golf and bike riding are good suggestions. However, with proper
IT’S GOOD FOR THE BODY
Exercise is, of course, beneficial for everyone. It increases your energy, helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of other weight-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Exercise also has an added bonus for people with bleeding disorders—it builds strong muscles and lowers the risk of joint bleeds. NHF’s “Do the 5” campaign, which gives five key steps to a longer and healthier life, includes, “exercise and maintain a healthy weight to protect your joints.” The weight control benefits of exercise are especially critical for young people with hemophilia and von Willebrand disease (VWD) between the ages of 13 and 19 who, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are almost twice as likely to be overweight than children their age
28
H E M A W A R E M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 0 6
MOLLY SELFRIDGE (RIGHT) AND HER TEAM MEMBER SHARE A PASSION FOR SWIMMING. MOLLY HAS ATTAINED A NATIONAL RANKING AND COMPETES OFTEN.
ZACHARY SELFRIDGE HOPES TO COMPETE IN THE 2012 OR 2016 OLYMPICS.
safeguards, it’s possible for people with bleeding disorders to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities. For example, organizations such as Disabled Adventure Outfitters (www.specialadventures.org), based in California, take people with bleeding disorders on carefully supervised weeklong white-water rafting and rock climbing excursions. A nurse accompanies the group, and participants are required to infuse beforehand, regardless of whether they are on prophylaxis, says Richard Pezzillo. Pezzillo, 22, has hemophilia and often helps guide the adventure trips. Pezzillo says the excursions are all about showing people “what they can do in life, not what they can’t do.” He adds: “The growth I saw from these kids [on the trips] was phenomenal and for myself, too, being able to challenge myself in a responsible setting.” Pezzillo’s sentiment is practiced every summer in camps for children with bleeding disorders nationwide, where campers are encouraged to try activities and sports they might never do otherwise. The most popular include horseback riding, hiking, water skiing, rock climbing and archery. The key is that at camp, kids learn how to do these sports safely and correctly. Because team sports are an important part of growing up and also help to contribute to a child’s social and emotional development, NHF encourages parents to give their children a chance to participate. And while some sports like soccer and basketball may become more competitive and dangerous for older children and teens, there are many other sports that may prove the perfect alternative.
ATHLETES BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS
Finding the perfect alternative was the case with Mollie Selfridge, 13, and her brother Zachary, 11, of San Jose, California, who both have hemophilia and VWD. After trying soccer, basketball and baseball, which all caused frequent ankle bleeds, the siblings discovered a passion for swimming and now regularly compete in national swim meets. “Swimming is a really fun time just to work hard and hang out with friends, and it helps me a lot with my hemophilia,” says Mollie. “It also lets me move my joints without hurting them, and I don’t get as many muscle bleeds as I did with soccer.” Zachary agrees, adding “swimming helps the joint pain because I get to stretch out my arms and legs.” Both Mollie and Zachary have attained national rankings in swimming. Zachary is currently eighth in the nation in his age group and is setting his sights even higher. “My goal is to get national times and go to senior nationals and maybe to the Olympics in 2012 or 2016,” he says. Like Molly and Zachary, Luis Aguayo, 17, of Arnold, Missouri, also tried team sports first, but when his grandfather showed him how to play golf, he not only found his niche, he excelled. Aguayo recently won the 2005 NHF–ZLB Behring Junior National Golf Championship and two years ago won a Junior Professional Golfers Association (PGA) championship. His goals: Make it to the state high school championship, win a
college scholarship and eventually become a pro golfer. “I’m not going to let hemophilia hold me back,” says Aguayo. “No matter what kind of disorder or handicap you have, if you want to accomplish something bad enough, you can almost always overcome it with hard work and determination.” Kyle Widdison, 14, of Jacksonville, Missouri, is a pitcher and third baseman on his high school baseball team, and also the NHF–ZLB Behring Junior National Baseball Champion. Widdison is equally proud of his achievement in junior high when he pitched a no-hitter and hit three home runs in one game.
Playing it
(Safe)
The National Hemophilia Foundation’s new “Playing It Safe: Bleeding Disorders, Sports and Exercise” is a helpful guide for deciding what sports are right for anyone living with a bleeding disorder. Topics covered in the 44-page booklet include conditioning, stretching and flexibility, weight training and cardiovascular exercise. An added bonus is a color-coded chart ranking some 60 sports activities according to the level of risk involved on a scale of 1 to 3. Some popular activities are ranked as follows: • Safe (ranked 1)—archery, bicycling, golf, hiking, swimming, Tai Chi and walking • Moderate Risk (ranked 2)—aerobics, bowling, jogging, rollerskating, tennis and yoga • Dangerous (ranked 3)—boxing, football, hockey, trampoline and wrestling For a free copy of “Playing It Safe” or other information on exercise and bleeding disorders, call the NHF Information Resource Center at (800) 42-HANDI or e-mail handi@hemophilia.org.
M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 0 6 H E M A W A R E
31
XXXMINIAM, VOLESTIO EUGIAM DELISMOD ERCIP EX EXERO DIAM
LUIS AGUAYO FOUND HIS NICHE IN GOLF.
“When I was 9 or 10, I got hit in the eye with a ball,” says Widdison. “I thought it would heal, but it kept bleeding. So, they performed surgery, and that’s when my von Willebrand was diagnosed. I haven’t had any serious incidents since. If I get hit by a pitch or a batted ball, I just take medicine, and it usually heals up after that.” Youngsters with high aspirations have role models in brothers Corey and Perry Parker of Southern California, who became professional athletes despite their hemophilia. Corey played baseball for six years, including three with the Detroit Tigers. Perry, a professional golfer for 18 years, has competed on the PGA tour and has won five Canadian tour events. Actively involved in the bleeding disorders community and in mentoring young athletes, the brothers helped coordinate the golf and baseball competitions at the NHF Junior National Championships. Corey is past president of the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California and presents a program
Watch More… Hemophilia of Indiana, a chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), has produced a welcomed addition to the available resources on fitness and bleeding disorders with its new “Living “ Healthy with Hemophilia,” a DVD made possible by a National Prevention Program grant from NHF. The 28-minute video—made in conjunction with “Healthy Living with Teresa Tanoos” (a nationally syndicated Indianapolis TV program) and the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center—highlights the importance of individual fitness, exercise and eating right through several interviews with ex-
32
H E M A W A R E M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 0 6
called Gettin’ in the Game that teaches kids the importance of physical fitness and exercise for maintaining healthy joints. Perry directs a golf tournament that raised $90,000 last year for the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California. The Parkers are eager to share their experiences and make sure youngsters appreciate how things have changed for people with hemophilia. “I never finished a [baseball] season without being hurt or out for at least a month,” Corey says. “When I was growing up, nobody self-infused, so I never learned. I relied on other people. My bleeds were a lot worse than they might have been because I’d wait to see if it got really bad, and I’d try to hide it from the other players. So, it wasn’t my hemophilia that held me back. It was how I dealt with my treatment that held me back.” Perry says that although his parents were supportive, he was discouraged by doctors and coaches from playing sports. Nevertheless, he stuck with basketball throughout high school and has been golfing since age 10. “For some reason I had the inner strength to say I was going to do it, but I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I’d be playing pro golf,” Perry says. “Kids today have a huge advantage because they can infuse before they participate or if they get hurt. That will keep them in the game, whereas when I was a kid if I got hurt I’d be out a month or two.” Most athletes today take their bleeding disorder in stride— but they do take it seriously. They are careful to infuse before or after a practice or event if their bodies dictate or their doctors advise. These athletes work out regularly to keep muscles and joints in peak condition and they agree that the benefits they reap from their sport far outweigh the risks. “Both of my ankles and my right elbow are arthritic, and when I’m real active I get achy,” says Kallberg. “But, I also get achy if I just walk around the mall or grocery store. I get so much more out of tae kwon do because of what it does for the rest of my body.” He adds that the martial art has improved his coordination and balance so much that he has resumed water skiing. “You’ve got to take care of your body and be proactive and fit, and the extra benefits are some of the fun things that come with it,” Kallberg says. ●
perts in the field as well as with stories from several children and adults about their sports of choice. “We took a proactive approach to preventing complications from hemophilia through exercise and fitness,” says John Spickelmier, director marketing and communications for Hemophilia of Indiana. “It also emphasizes there is much that people with hemophilia can do. The message is get out there, grab it and go for it.” Copies of the DVD are available by calling the NHF Information Resource Center at (800) 42-HANDI or by e-mail at handi@hemophilia.org.