Even a short flight in close economy class has a sad effect on the health of blood vessels. What to do to take off and land safely?
Economy class on the plane
Going on vacation by plane? What you can take with you on the road … Favorite reading matter, a bottle of a pleasant relaxing drink and a lady’s mirror to look at your reflection and observe how it will change as you approach the resort: from cloudy gray, similar to our weather, to mysterious festive, as if from the anticipation of an expensive gift.
You have passed all the customs corridors and now you just have to sit comfortably in a chair and relax. But to feel safe in the passenger seat, it is not enough just to fasten your seat belts – you need to prepare your body for the flight in advance. After all, travel and especially air travel are often accompanied by fatigue and pain in the legs or severe swelling.
Many people think that the difference between expensive and cheaper tickets is in the level of service. But the main thing that VIP passengers pay for is a wide comfortable seat, and with it additional space, the ability to stretch your legs and often change position, preventing them from numbing.
The cabin is very cramped for those traveling in economy class. By squeezing as many seats as possible here, airlines doom passengers to forced immobility. Reducing the gap between the seats by every 2,54 cm allows you to gain 1-2 additional rows! Crampedness and lack of movement are the main causes of the so-called deep venous thrombosis, from which about 100 people die every year in the world.
Doctors call this disease “economy class syndrome”. But in fact, those who prefer “business class” or an overloaded charter are also at risk.
Also, lack of movement can lead to the development of varicose veins and various diseases of the veins. Already with 2-hour flights, the risk of developing varicose veins, a very unpleasant disease associated with blood congestion in the veins, significantly increases.
If you have already got a seat in Economy Class, then try to book a seat in the first row at the exit, in the partition or in the aisle. There is more room here, and you can stretch your legs or get out of the chair and stretch a little.
Take an aspirin before your flight. It prevents blood clots from forming. True, if you do not tolerate this drug (in addition to allergies in some people, it causes suffocation – aspirin asthma) or you have critical days, then in this case you will have to give up aspirin. Drink plenty of fluids, especially tea with lemon: this drink thins the blood and prevents it from clotting – clotting. Put on a special compression hosiery on the plane – knee-highs, stockings or tights that improve blood flow through the veins.
Do leg exercises every 20–30 minutes to disperse the blood through the vessels. First, take off your shoes. By the way, experienced air travelers prefer to fly barefoot or in light, comfortable sandals – they do not press or cut into the skin, which means they do not obstruct the blood flow. After taking off your shoes, stretch and curl your toes 20 times. These movements, imperceptible to prying eyes, are performed by many small muscles that stimulate venous circulation.
Another exercise is to stretch your legs as far forward as possible. Place your palms just above your knees and press lightly on your hips while trying to lift your legs up.
All this is not only good for the health of your legs, but also helps to while away the travel time. So – fly to your health!