The Facts:
* Wearing compression stockings during long haul flights cuts the risk of suffering deep vein thrombosis (blood clots).
* Passengers not wearing compression stockings are 10 times more likely to have a symptomless deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
* Passengers wearing stockings had less swelling of the legs or leg discomfort.
* Symptomless DVTs don’t hurt but are dangerous because of the risk of the clot breaking off and moving to the lungs or brain which can cause severe illness or death.
Shaun’s comment: “Economy class syndrome” is the phrase used to describe blood clots in the legs that occur in passengers undergoing long-distance air travel. Immobilisation is probably the main cause, as a lack of movement in the calf muscles means that blood pools in the lower legs and is more prone to clotting. Compression stockings are thought to help by squeezing blood out of the calves so that it does not pool there. This review of all the trials that have looked at the effectiveness of compression stockings showed that they lead to a big reduction in the chance of a clot and the amount of swelling of the legs.
Study Reference:
http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD004002/frame.html
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