A new study published this week found that even the smallest leg injuries put patients at risk for developing life threatening blood clots. Even the slightest sprained ankle or pulled muscle can be responsible for causing blood clots in leg veins. This came as a surprise for many researchers, who believe that this may be the number one unrecognized cause of blood clots.

The amount of time that the patient is at risk for developing a blood clot was quite long. The study found that the risk remains for at least ten weeks after the injury occurs. It is believed that this may be attributed to damage that is done to blood vessels in a sprain or pull that may go undetected. Another contributing risk factor is that patients with these injuries generally are less mobile while they recover, increasing the chances of developing a life threatening clot.

This massive study was conducted by Karlijn Van Stralen at the Leiden University Medical Center which is located in the Netherlands. Overall, more than 6000 people were studied. The first group was comprised of 2,471 patients who developed blood clots and 3,534 people who did not between the years of 1999 and 2004. It was found that of the people who did suffer from a blood clot during this time, 289 had indeed suffered a minor leg injury. This adds up to 11% of the total group.

Stralen stated in his report that, “Because minor injuries are common, they could be major contributors to the occurrence of venous thrombosis.” Currently, incidents of thrombosis are on the rise, particularly in the United States. At least one out of every thousand people develop serious blood clots in their legs. At times, this number increases to three out of every thousand people.

Blood clots are very serious and if left untreated can cause death by stroke. Commonly, a blood clot will break off and end up in the lungs where it blocks an artery, causing death. Air travel is the usual culprit implicated in venous thrombosis, but inactivity may also be a major contributing factor.

If you suffer a leg injury, make sure to discuss your risks with your doctor. They may recommend a blood thinning agent that will greatly reduce your risks of developing a clot during your healing period. If you are inactive or travel frequently, you may also want to discuss this potentially fatal problem with your doctor.

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