Strength training program for an athlete with hemophilia A and an inhibitor while taking a new prophylactic drug treatment: a case report

• Published in: Physiotherapy theory and practice Vol. 39; no. 11; pp. 1 - 2478
• Main Authors: Wilczyński, Bartosz, Juszczyk, Dawid, Zorena, Katarzyna, Mital, Andrzej
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Ltd 02.11.2023
• Subjects: Athletes; Bleeding; Case reports; Clinical research; Clinical trials; Drug abuse; Hemophilia; Intervention; Limbs; Lower limbs; Power; Quality of life; Sports training; Strength training; inhibitor; quality of life; joint bleeding; Hemophilia; exercise training
• ISSN: 0959-3985; 1532-5040
• DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2022.2070886

Currently, patients with hemophilia and inhibitor are being offered therapy, including a tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). The new prophylactic drug treatment may allow for new opportunities for other interventions and overall improvement in quality of life. This case report assessed the safety and effects of a strength training program in a patient with an inhibitor on a specific new study drug. A 20-year-old patient with severe hemophilia A with an inhibitor participated in a 6-week strength training program. The strengthening program consisted of 7 exercises involving limb and trunk muscles. A qualitative assessment of movement patterns was performed using the Functional Movement Test. Dynamic balance was measured by the Y-Balance Test, whereby the power of lower extremities was measured by Counter Movement Jump. The Quality of Life Index was done by survey to assess the perceived overall quality of the patient's life. The exercise fatigue after each training was measured with the Borg scale. After the intervention during treatment with the new drug, the patient's quality of life increased, especially in terms of health and function (from 15.6 to 29.1 points), also, the power of the lower limbs increased. There were no bleeding episodes during the intervention and after a 3-month follow-up. The proposed program during the application of the new prophylactic treatment seems to be effective in improving quality of life and increasing lower limb power in a hemophilic patient with an inhibitor. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the results.