economy class syndrome

not many people are aware of economy class syndrome. the more accurate term for economy class syndrome is traveller's thrombosis, which is the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). it is commonly known to pose as a hazard to people on long-haul flights (usually more than 4 hours) after sitting for prolonged periods in cramped conditions, especially in those who are already at an increased rick of thrombosis.

deep veneous thrombosis: a blood clot (thrombosis) that forms in the deep vein system of the lower leg, usually between the ankle and the upper calf. if or when this clot dislodges, it may move through the body's veins to the lungs or even to the heart where even a small clot can block critical blood flow causing rapid death, or at best, paralysis.

source: www.google.com

some symptoms of DVT (although they may not be that obvious) include:

- pain and swelling in the leg, particularly in the calf
- swelling of the lower leg, ankle or foot
- the calf may be slightly red and tender (ouch)

try googling the term up. there's actually alot of webpages to describe this. we're just not publicly made aware of this syndrome. i don't think i've ever heard of this term myself, but there are a number of articles published in the travel section of magazines such as Cleo magazine, that actually tell us how to help reduce discomfort during air travel. this in fact helps to prevent economy class syndrome, although in an indirect manner. and you thought the worst thing that could happen when flying would be the plane disintegrating in mid air. *touch wood*

but this doesn't mean that you'll drop dead each time you travel long distances. economy class syndrome may be a serious hazard, but it is still preventable. so you don't need to swear off travelling by air for life. and it is not limited to just air travel.

some of the basic steps that you can do to reduce the risk:

- try to get seats with more leg room for you to flex your legs. it is better to choose the aisle seat rather than the window seat despite the latter having the better view. better yet, travel business or first class (unfortunately for us less-income earning people, that is not an option).

- wear loose fitting clothes and avoid ill-fitting socks that constrict circulation. studies have shown that wearing compression socks helps reduce the risk of getting economy class syndrome as they help to increase blood flow in the veins.

- avoid alcohol and caffeine, as these beverages will leave you feeling dehydrated. drink plenty of water and other fluids to help you stay hydrated.

- get up from your seat and walk up and down the aisles to stretch your muscles. it's adviced to do this every two hours or so.

- massage feet, ankles, lower legs and knees to avoid blood from pooling in your veins. keep blood circulation moving!

- do some leg and foot exercise while seated, such as clentching and unclentching your toes.

source: www.economyclasssyndrome.com