Travel-Related Venous Thromboembolism

Travel-related venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) linked to a long journey, a weak but real risk for athletes who travel often to camps and competitions.

Fitness does not protect against it. Because a clot is not expected in someone so well, the diagnosis is easily missed or delayed: this is the athlete's paradox. The sport and exercise medicine (SEM) clinician recognises VTE, knows when it is an emergency, manages it with a sensible return to sport, and prevents it around long journeys.