Fearghal is proud to be an air steward for low-cost Irish airline, Our Lady Air.
Firstly
the likelihood of developing a blood clot while flying is extremely low however
I know a lot of patients are concerned about this.
A
patient recently asked me was there anything that could be done to help reduce
the risk of her legs clotting on a long flight other than taking the prescribed
aspirin from her GP and wearing flight stockings which has led me to …..
How
to Stop Your Legs From Clotting on Airline Flights
Move around
at least once every hour.
When you sit
for a long time, whether on long car trips or airline flights, your risk of
developing a blood clot increases. Deep vein thrombosis typically originates in
the legs. DVT is sometimes called "economy class syndrome," because
cramped airline seats offer little room to stretch. Simple exercises, done each
hour during a plane flight, help to keep your blood flowing and reduce your
risk of developing clots.
Why Clots Form
Clots form
when clumps of blood, tissue, fat or air bubbles get stuck or wedged in your
arteries. The clots become life-threatening when they break free and lodge in
the lungs, heart or brain. 4 to 5 percent of high-risk individuals, such as
pregnant women, people who have recently had surgery, people older than 40 and
those with conditions such as cancer, heart disease or obesity, may develop
clots during flights that last longer than 10 hours.
Leg Exercises in Your
Seat
Begin by
clenching and widening your toes 10 times. Do ankle exercises by circling your
foot clockwise and counterclockwise 10 times for each foot. Do toe and heel
lifts for another 10 times each. With your feet flat, bend forward slowly by
pulling in your abdomen and walking your fingers along your thighs and down
your calves to your ankles. Hold for 15 seconds before slowly sitting back up.
Do five repetitions. Repeat the entire sequence of exercises once each hour.
Standing Leg Exercises
Exercise
your calves by standing in the aisle and lifting yourself on your toes, holding
for a count of three. Hold on to a seat back for balance. Stretch your thighs
by standing on one leg and bending your other leg behind you. Grab your ankle
and pull your heel towards your buttock, keeping your torso upright and
straight. Hold for a count of 10. Alternate side leg lifts, keeping your leg
straight and doing 10 repetitions.
Upper Body Stretches
Do these
exercises either in your seat or while standing in the aisle. Bring both arms
over your head. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and gently pull it to
the right. Hold for 15 seconds and switch. Drop your shoulders and roll your
neck slowly clockwise, then counterclockwise. Repeat five times. Roll your
shoulders clockwise and counterclockwise five times.
Other Ways to Prevent
Clots
Before
traveling, put on support or compression stockings to increase circulation, and
talk to your doctor about taking a blood thinner, such as heparin, if you are
at a high risk for DVT. Simply getting up and walking up and down the
airplane's aisle at least once per hour is an easy precaution to prevent DVT.
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol, which
are dehydrating. Avoid decongestants and sleeping aids, which also tend to make
you dehydrated.
John
Keane is a full time pharmacist and owner of Keanes Pharmacy. Why not
discuss this topic confidentially with John anytime in person at Keanes
Pharmacy, Austin Friars or 0449341704 ©Keanes Pharmacy 2014 www.keanespharmacy.com
