Should Pilots, Flight Attendants and Frequent Flyers Wear Compression Socks

Flying frequently is already part of some people\’s lifestyles. Most people might not think of frequent flying as \’big deals\’. In a similar fashion, most people may not consider health risks associated with frequent air travelling.

What most of us don\’t know is that sitting immobile for a long time can pose a possibility of developing a blood clot in one of the leg veins. This condition is sometimes called as Economy Class Syndrome. The blood clot usually happens in the legs, as mentioned before. The medical term for this condition is deep vein thrombosis or DVT.

One recommended way to prevent this condition is by wearing compression socks or stockings during air travel. Compression stockings work by improving blood circulation around the leg area.

Based on records, it is estimated that in just a year alone in the US, around 1 million people develop this condition called as DVT. It was also found that above 150000 people die because of pulmonary embolisms. These are blood clots that have blocked a person\’s lungs.

Deep vein thrombosis can become worse and can even be fatal in just a short amount of time, depending on where the blood clots form. When the blood clot travels from the legs into the lungs, it can be deadly is it won\’t be dissolved the soonest time possible.

Another type of problem associated with flying and being confined in a small space for long periods is edema or fluid retention in the legs. Muscle immobility can lead to a point when your calf muscles won\’t anymore function as a muscle pump that helps in circulating blood from the legs to the heart.

Pilots have already known about the mentioned conditions. In fact, many of them are periodically wearing compression socks or stockings as one way to prevent swelling, blood clots, fatigue and cramps in the legs while traveling in long flights.

These compression stockings will help you in keeping the blood flowing into your legs because they are really designed to improve blood circulation in the leg area. Flight attendants wear these stockings to keep DVT away.

Compression stockings work with the help of strong elastics compared to conventional socks in order to place pressure in the legs, feet and ankles. Compression stockings are tightest around the ankles gradually decreasing in tightness towards the knees and towards the thighs in order to improve blood circulation. Compression socks constrict the veins around the ankles, which results to an increase in the blood\’s velocity towards the legs thereby preventing blood clots from forming.

Studies have shown that a compression stocking can really help prevent blood clots. In one study, ultrasound scans were made for air travelers before takeoff and after their travel. The results found said that around 5 percent of air travelers who did not wear compression stockings formed clots compared to those who wore them. Also, other people decide to have additional support for improved blood circulation such as consuming nattokinase and fish oils.

There are also compression sleeves available – those that you can wear over your socks because they don\’t have sock bottoms.

Are you looking for more information regarding travel compression socks? Visit http://flyershealth.com/pilots health/ today!

Are you looking for more information regarding travel compression socks? Visit http://flyershealth.com/pilots health/ today!

Author Bio: Are you looking for more information regarding travel compression socks? Visit http://flyershealth.com/pilots health/ today!

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: compression stockings,blood circulation,blood clots

Leave a Reply