Keeping on top of haemophilia joint health
Read our helpful tips on how to look after your joints and what to do if you notice any changes.
Find a haemophilia treatment plan that fits your life
Managing haemophilia effectively means finding a treatment plan that supports your lifestyle. If you’re on prophylactic therapy, sticking to your haemophilia treatment schedule is key to preventing bleeds.1 However, if you’re still experiencing breakthrough bleeds, chat with your haematologist — there might be other haemophilia management options to explore.
Understanding your levels of protection
A person’s level of protection from bleeds depends on factor levels, which represent the amount of clotting factor in the blood. Factor levels also indicate the severity of haemophilia and impact the symptoms you may experience.
Normalised haemostasis is when levels of factor in the blood needed for blood clotting are the same or nearly the same as a person without haemophilia. Achieving normalised haemostasis happens when factor levels are above 40%. This level of factor may provide increased protection against joint bleeds, impacting joint health, pain
and overall well-being.
Physiotherapy is your friend
Physiotherapy can help you regain joint movement and function after a bleed and during recovery, and it can also help manage long-term pain.2,3
Ask your physiotherapist for some simple haemophilia-friendly exercises you can do at home. Strengthening the muscles around your joints can provide extra support and lower your risk of future bleeds.
If you think physiotherapy could help, talk to your haemophilia team about a referral.
Make exercise part of your routine
Staying active is essential for haemophilia joint health. While exercise may sometimes cause discomfort, regular physical activity strengthens muscles and improves joint stability, which helps prevent bleeds and reduces pain over time.4 Start with low-impact activities that are gentle on the joints, like swimming, yoga or cycling. Always check with your haemophilia care team to ensure you’re choosing the right exercises for you.
Keep track of any changes
Between appointments, jot down any changes in your joint movement, pain levels, swelling, stiffness or other symptoms. Smartphones and health-tracking apps are great for this! Share these notes with your doctor.
If you've had imaging tests or blood work and aren't sure what they mean, don't hesitate to ask your haemophilia care team. Understanding your joint health and how to protect is is key to long-term mobility.
Contact your haemophilia care team
Your hemophilia team is there for you. If you've got an injury, are experiencing more discomfort than usual, or just need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to get in touch.
You can do almost anything if you look after your joints
Protecting your joints now means you can keep doing what you love in the future. From physiotherapy and exercise, to regular check-ups, taking proactive steps now can help you maintain strong, healthy joints for years to come.
This short animation explains what joint bleeds are and why joint protection is important when living with haemophilia.
This is just one of four helpful explainer videos for people living with haemophilia.
NP-9942 & NP-10602
- The Haemophilia Society. Treating and Managing a bleed. Available at: https://haemophilia.org.uk/bleeding-disorders/haemophilia-a-and-b/treating-managing-a-bleed/. Accessed February 2025.
- Auerswald G, et al. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 2016;7(8):845–854.
- Lobet, S., Timmer, M., Königs, C., Stephensen, D., McLaughlin, P., Duport, G., Hermans, C., & Mancuso, M. E. Journal of clinical medicine 2021;10(13), 2822.
- Biasoli, C., Baldacci, E., Coppola, A., et al. Blood transfus 2022;20(1), 66–77.
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NP-40108 created January 2025