Plane Travel: Preventing The Silent Killer From Striking

By Lane Romero Reiss ---

If you are a frequent traveler than you may be familiar with the term, DVT.  This stands for Deep Vein Thrombosis. If you don’t know what that means, it’s time you learned, because what you don’t know could literally kill you.  Did that get your attention? Good. Because today you’re going to learn what you can do to prevent DVT.

What is a Deep Vein Thrombosis?

A thrombosis is a blood clot that forms inside of a blood vessel.  A deep vein thrombosis (DVT), therefore, is a blood clot which forms, you guessed it, inside a deep vein.  In case it’s been a while since your last biology class, your veins carry blood back from your body and limbs to your hear. The heart, in turn, sends the blood to the lungs for fresh oxygen before returning to the heart to be pumped back out to the body.  If a blood clot in a vein becomes dislodged  it is referred to as an embolus, and if it is large enough, it could plug up a vessel in the lungs and lead to what’s known as a pulmonary embolism, which in about 3% of cases can be fatal.

There are several factors which create favorable conditions for the formation of DVT. Poor circulation is a primary one and dehydration is another.  As most people know, the heart pumps blood out to the body through the arteries, in order to provide the cells with the oxygen and the nutrients they need to survive.  After this exchange has taken place, the blood enters the venous system and starts to travel back to the heart, but this time there is no pump pushing it along.  Now the blood must rely on blood pressure and muscular contraction to move it back to the heart.  If the blood slows down enough, it will start to pool up in the veins, and this stagnant blood can begin to clot, hence the beginning of DVT.

Your blood is even more likely to clot if you are dehydrated.  The best way to think of it is to imagine a river bed.  When the water levels are low, you are more likely to see piles of mud, sticks, and rocks form.  When the water levels are high and the current is more rapid; these piles are less likely to build up.

The place where the blood has the longest path to travel is from the legs, and this is where most incidences of DVT’s occur.  Lack of movement for extended periods of time is a primary cause, and is technically possible with any form of extended travel such as bus, train or car. However,  the additional physical limitations placed on most airline passengers, particularly those flying coach, make it the main form of travel to watch out for.  The term ‘Economy Class Syndrome’ describes the condition of getting DVT’s during a long flight.

Another reason air travel may make you more susceptible to DVT's than other forms of travel is that the rapid change of air pressure which occurs during descent may play a factor in dislodging blood clots which have formed during the flight.

How Do I Prevent a DVT?

Now that you know what a DVT is, you probably want to know what you can do to prevent it from occurring.  The first solution may already be obvious to you, from what has been stated above.  Since muscular contraction is a major mechanism to help blood return to the heart through the veins, it is vitally important to contract your muscles, especially those of the lower legs, at least once an hour, if at all possible.

If you are sitting at a window seat, which statistics show carries double the risk of getting DVT’s, you can do simple, seated leg exercises which will get your blood pumping.  Starting with your feet placed flat on the floor, alternate between raising your heels and then the balls of your feet off the floor.  Do this at least once per hour, for a minimum of five minutes each time.  If at all possible, get up at least once every two hours and walk to the end of the aisle and back.  Take your time, and focus on the muscles of the lower legs as you walk.

A great strategy to ensure you get up at least once is to drink a large bottle of water just before your flight, and ask for water when the drink cart comes on the plane.  You will keep yourself well-hydrated and will be more likely to need at least one trip to the lavatory.

In addition to exercise, another clinically proven way to reduce the incidence of DVT’s is to wear compression socks.  They are worn up to the top of the calves, and they help to increase the returning blood pressure in the lower legs so it will move up into the thighs more easily.

So, if you make sure to get a little bit of movement during your flight, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, and wear your compression socks, you will have a much greater chance of preventing DVT from striking you.