Can exercise dissipate blood clots? Medical experts explain the truth for you
Recently, the saying that "blood clots can be dissipated through exercise" has caused heated discussions on social platforms. Many netizens believe that insisting on running, swimming and other exercises can dissolve blood clots in blood vessels without drug treatment. In this regard, medical experts pointed out that this view is seriously wrong. Blind exercise may cause blood clots to fall off, causing fatal risks such as pulmonary embolism and cerebral infarction.

The mechanism of thrombosis is complex, and exercise cannot directly dissipate it
Professor Li, chief physician of the Department of Cardiology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, explained that blood clots are lumps formed by blood coagulation in blood vessels. Their formation is closely related to three factors: vascular endothelial damage, blood hypercoagulability, and slow blood flow. "Just like the inner wall of a water pipe accumulates dirt after rusting, the formation of blood clots is a pathological process involving multiple links. Exercise can neither repair the damaged vascular endothelium nor change the hypercoagulability of blood."
Clinical studies have shown that for existing blood clots, especially old blood clots, exercise can only reduce the risk of new blood clot formation by speeding up blood flow, but cannot dissolve existing blood clots. On the contrary, strenuous exercise may cause blood clots to loosen and fall off, flowing with the blood circulation to key organs such as the lungs and brain, causing acute embolism.
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Scientific response to blood clots: layered treatment is the key
Director Zhang of the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Department of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital emphasized that the treatment of blood clots must follow the principle of "layered treatment". For patients with acute deep vein thrombosis, absolute bed rest is the primary requirement, and anticoagulant therapy or thrombolytic therapy is required at the same time; after the blood clot is stable, low-intensity exercise, such as walking and ankle pump exercise, can be gradually carried out under the guidance of a doctor to promote blood circulation. ​
"Exercise is an important means of preventing blood clots, but it is by no means a treatment." Director Zhang reminded that people who have been bedridden or sitting for a long time should get up and move regularly to promote venous return through muscle contraction and reduce the risk of thrombosis. Healthy people maintain 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, which can effectively improve vascular function and reduce the risk of thrombosis. ​

If these symptoms occur, you need to seek medical attention immediately
Medical experts call on the public to be more vigilant about blood clots. If you experience unilateral lower limb swelling, pain, increased skin temperature, or sudden chest pain, dyspnea, hemoptysis, limb numbness and other symptoms, it may be a sign of thromboembolism and you need to go to the hospital emergency department immediately. ​
Currently, the incidence of thrombotic diseases in my country has increased year by year and has become one of the leading causes of death among residents. Correctly understanding the knowledge of thrombosis prevention and treatment, avoiding believing in folk rumors, and seeking professional medical help in a timely manner are the scientific ways to deal with thrombosis.