Blood Clots: What to look for and what to do

BLOOD CLOTS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT TO DO

The topic of this article is Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a deep vein. It can be caused by variety of reasons; one of them is a recent surgery, such as a knee replacement.  It can also be caused by prolonged immobility, especially during long flights or driving. Sometimes it’s symptomless. More often there is redness, swelling, and pain. Frequently, it occurs in the lower leg. DVT can go away naturally, but the most serious complication is when a thrombosis dislodges (embolizes) and travels to the lungs to become a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

During my career as a physical therapist I have seen quite a few cases of DVT. Most frequently it happened to patients after an orthopedic surgery, such as knee replacement or hip replacement.  First time I saw it was when I just started to work at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. I went to a room to see a patient who had had total knee replacement several days before. The patient complained that her calf was hurting. The calf muscle was hard and the lower leg appeared swollen and was much warmer and darker in color than the other leg. 

I performed a special test, which came out positive and confirmed my initial impression.  I immediately notified the patient’s doctor who ordered the ultrasound test. The test confirmed the diagnosis and the patient was saved.

Since then I don’t hesitate when I see symptoms that could indicate DVT. At Free Motion we have sent about 10 patients to the emergency room or to their doctor with symptoms that we found suspicious. Out of 10, five were found positive for DVT and thanked us for saving their lives. Five were negative and that was fine by us! We would rather be safe then sorry.

How can DVT be prevented? One way is to take blood-thinning medications and that’s what being done after surgeries. Another important measure is to make sure that there is good circulation in the legs. Exercises like “ankle pumps” (moving the ankles up and down) and starting walking soon after the surgery will help to minimize the risk of blood clots. 

Being checked regularly by your doctor and physical therapist and being alert to the symptoms will go a long way to ensure fast recovery and greatly reduce the risk of life-threatening complications.

When traveling on a plane or sitting for a long time it’s very important to take frequent walks and move your feet and ankles while sitting.

Have you had an experience with DVT? Do you know someone who has? Share your thoughts with me and let me know what other topics you’d like to see me write about.

Stay healthy!

Michael Sheynin, P.T., Co-owner of Free Motion Rehabilitation Center