A teenager in China was diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening blood clot after reportedly spending more than five hours a day scrolling on his phone and playing video games without getting up to move around.
According to reports, the student had recently completed the gaokao, China’s national university entrance examination, and spent his school break lounging on the sofa or lying in bed while using his phone for extended periods.
About two weeks later, he began experiencing swelling, pain and enlargement in his right calf, making it increasingly difficult for him to walk.
His family initially believed he was suffering from ordinary muscle soreness caused by sitting for long periods. However, as his condition worsened, they took him to hospital for further examination.
Doctors later diagnosed him with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein, most commonly in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis.
Medical specialists said the teenager may have had an underlying tendency to develop blood clots, but prolonged physical inactivity was believed to be the main trigger.
They warned that common symptoms of DVT include swelling in one leg, persistent pain, a feeling of heaviness, tenderness when touched, as well as redness and warmth in the affected area.
Doctors also cautioned that chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations or coughing up blood could indicate that the clot has travelled to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
Health experts advised people who spend long hours sitting, studying, working or using electronic devices to take regular breaks and move around to help reduce the risk of developing blood clots.
