Treatment Options For Polycythemia Vera

Get More Exercise

Exercise like walking can stimulate blood flow and thus decrease the risk of blood clots. It can also help increase the patient’s energy. The patient can also get more exercise by performing exercises while sitting or even lying down. Most of these involve the legs, ankles, and feet, as blood clots are most likely to develop in the lower part of the body. Patients sitting for long periods should generally do five repetitions of each exercise every half an hour, but individuals in high-risk groups should work towards doing ten repetitions of a given exercise.

The leg raise is an example of an exercise that can be done while seated. The patient raises one leg and slowly straightens it. They then slowly return their foot to the floor and repeat the exercise with the other leg. In a variation, they can bring their knee up to their chest, hold it there, and then return their foot to the floor.

The thigh stretch is similar to the leg raise, but the patient does it while lying down. In this exercise, the patient lies with their legs straight out. They raise one leg so it is at a right angle to their body. They then gently pull the leg towards their body and hold it for thirty seconds. As with the leg raise, the patient may perform a variation in which they bring their knee to their chest.