TAIZHOU, China – A high school student in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, ended up in hospital after spending at least five hours a day lying down using his mobile phone and playing games during the summer holiday. After around two weeks of the largely sedentary routine, the boy developed severe swelling and pain in his right calf and eventually became unable to walk. His family initially believed it was ordinary muscle pain, but took him to hospital when his condition worsened.
Doctors diagnosed him with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially serious condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein, often in the leg. If the clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, it can cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Doctors treated the student immediately and warned that DVT is increasingly being seen among younger people, with sedentary lifestyles considered one of the contributing risk factors.
Long periods of sitting or lying down with little movement — including watching television, using smartphones, playing games or working at a desk for hours — can reduce blood circulation and increase the risk of blood clots. Prolonged inactivity is also associated with other health problems, including non-communicable diseases. Doctors advised people to get up and move or change position every 30–60 minutes, along with exercising regularly to promote healthy circulation.
