Heart Beat: Stock these for a long journey
Heart Beat
Stock these for a long journey
Planning a long trip by plane, train, bus, or car? A pair of special support stockings that squeeze your legs might be a good travel companion.
Sitting still for long periods, especially in the cramped confines of an airplane or other vehicle, can cause blood to pool in the legs and feet. In addition to swelling your feet, sluggish blood flow back to the heart can cause small blood clots to form. Most of these go unnoticed, broken apart by the body's natural clot busters. In some people, though, they can plug a vein and block blood flow (this is called a deep-vein thrombosis), leading to leg pain. A clot that breaks away and travels to the lungs (a pulmonary embolism) is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
