from the Fall 2001 issue
You've probably heard about it in the news. So-called coach-class syndrome has received considerable attention recently with warnings from concerned airlines and articles in periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal. The syndrome can befall passengers on long flights due to immobility, cramped seating, and dehydration. These factors can predispose a person to get deep vein thrombosis or DVT, commonly known as blood clots, in the legs. In some cases, the clot can dislodge and move from the legs into the blood vessels in the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath and even death. In September 2000, a young, physically-fit British woman collapsed and died in Heathrow Airport after a long flight from Sydney, Australia to London. The cause of death was determined to be a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs.
How can you decrease your risk of being a victim of coach-class syndrome? Two cardinal rules are: (1) avoid dehydration and (2) keep the blood moving. Airline passengers can prevent dehydration by avoiding caffeine and alcohol and by drinking water or other liquids each hour on a long flight. You can keep the blood moving by getting up and walking, or if that is not feasible, by frequently flexing your ankles while in your seat. When you flex your ankles, your calf muscles contract squeezing the blood out of the legs and back to the heart.
Another excellent way to keep blood from pooling in the legs is to wear compression stockings. Medical-grade compression stockings provide what is called graduated compression, meaning they are snugger on the lower leg and less snug as you go up the leg, thereby helping to promote better blood circulation.
A popular brand is the Jobst UltraSheer compression stocking. They are excellent to wear on long car or plane trips and also helpful to wear routinely to prevent leg fatigue and worsening of spider veins.
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