njxbean

http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Compres.../dp/B001QK9KTU

My buddy and i are flying EWR to NRT later this week in BF. He is worred about getting compression socks to avoid deep vein thrombosis. I had never heard of such socks before. So i am curious, anyone used them? Are they necessary(especially being in BF where we will have much more room?

BearX220

Does your friend have any unusual circulatory problems, or is he seriously overweight? If not, don't bother. Just get up and walk around every couple of hours.

njxbean

He is overweight. Any other tips? i read aspirin is helpful, as is lots of water.

BearX220

Aspirin's a blood thinner. Can't hurt, might help; he might be taking one a day anyway to ward off heart attack. Honestly, if he sleeps six or seven hours in a bed every night and lives, this isn't THAT much different, especially as you're in business class. Don't hit the booze too hard, get up every once in a while, stretch and rotate your feet around... that's about it really.

sonofzeus

OTC compression socks are great in the air or on the ground.

http://www.jobst-usa.com

SoManyMiles-SoLittleTime

It was my understanding that ordinary compression stockings are note effective.

However, please read this research report which used Class I compression stockings (whatever that is, but I'm assuming of higher than commercially available compression).

Recommendations

1. Your friend should talk to his/her doctor, and have the doc order/prescribe appropriate compression stockings or other approaches, including medication if warranted.
2. Keep your fee elevated as much as possible while sitting.
3. WALK to NRT!
4. Drink lots of fluids.
5. Additionally, while seated, try to do regular foot and leg exercises.
6. Oh, and be sure to do the same on the return flight.

number_6

Class 1 is readily available (that is what I use, made by Katmandu which is an outdoor adventure chain like Eddie Bauer). The study you cite concludes that it is effective: "Stockings were effective and are an easily applied prophylactic measure, especially given the difficulties in trying to exercise in modern aircraft" so I'm puzzled why you start by saying it is not effective and then cite a study that contradicts that!

My personal experience is that I feel better when flying with compression than without, even for F flat-bed travel and lots of exercise on-board. But I sometimes spend 40 hours a week on a plane, which becomes a factor.

ThomasM31

Hi,
I suffer from the same problem, but yes first talk to your doctor.... but about aspirin, less is more.... just start a few days before you fly to take a half...that is enough... and socks are working well, although not quiet comfortable... but all what was written here is true, moving, moving moving and drinking... and you will be fine :-)

lhrsfo

I cannot imagine why anyone would risk a longhaul flight without wearing decent flight socks. In particular, why on earth would anyone take medication and not where proper socks? Medication is dangerous - even aspirin - whereas flight socks are just socks.

Yes, of course you should move around regularly and take lots of water. But such things are not always possible or convenient. Even in lie flat bed seats, you may end up in a restricted position. The point is that DVT is extremely serious, and often fatal and is a well known risk of longhaul flying (and trains, for that matter). Oddly, the last statistics I saw (which were some years ago) showed a higher incidence in Business Class than Economy, but this may have been a reflection of business people being more overweight than student backpackers.

Anecdotally, I find that my feet and ankles swell slightly less using them, compared with the times I forgot to pack a clean pair for my return trip. Anyhow, it just seems crazy not to wear them.

tugokc

executive summary- an argument can be made that 1 in 50 flyers might get a DVT, especially if they aren't seated in an aisle. compression socks alone reduced this incidence in the treatment group to 0, apparently.

I wear Jobst and I don't have a financial interest in the company


1. Angiology. 2002 Nov-Dec;53(6):635-45.

Prevention of edema, flight microangiopathy and venous thrombosis in long flights
with elastic stockings. A randomized trial: The LONFLIT 4 Concorde Edema-SSL
Study.

Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Shah SS, Nicolaides AN, Geroulakos G, Ippolito E, Winford
M, Lennox A, Pellegrini L, Brandolini R, Myers KA, Simeone E, Bavera P, Dugall M,
Di Renzo A, Moia M.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine2 Vascular Laboratory, G. D'Annunzio
University, and San Valentino Vascular Screening Project (Pe), Italy.
[email protected]

The LONFLIT1/2 studies have established that in high-risk subjects after long (>
10 hours) flights the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is between 4% and
6%. The LONFLIT4 study has been planned to evaluate the control of edema and DVT
in low-medium-risk subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate edema and its
control with specific flight stockings, in long-haul flights. In the first part
of the study 400 subjects at low-medium risk for DVT were contacted; 28 were
excluded for several nonmedical problems; 372 were randomized into 2 groups to
evaluate prophylaxis with stockings in 7-8-hour flights; the control group had no
prophylaxis. Below-knee, Scholl, Flight Socks, producing 14-17 mm Hg of pressure
at the ankle, were used in the treatment group. The occurrence of DVT was
evaluated with high-resolution ultrasound scanning (femoral, popliteal, and
tibial veins). Edema was assessed with a composite score based on parametric and
nonparametric measurements. Part II: In this part of the study 285 subjects at
low-medium risk for DVT were included and randomized into 2 groups to evaluate
edema prophylaxis in 11-12-hour flights; the controls had no prophylaxis while
the prevention group had below-knee, Scholl, Flight Socks (comparable to part I).
RESULTS: Part 1: DVT evaluation. Of the 184 included subjects in the stockings
group and 188 in the control group, 358 (96.2%) completed the study. Dropouts
were due to compliance or connection problems. Age/sex distributions were
comparable in the groups. Stockings Group: of 179 subjects (mean age 49; SD 7;
M:F = 101:78), none had DVT or superficial thromboses. Control Group: of 179
subjects (mean age 48.4; SD 7.3; M:F = 98:81), 4 (2.2%) had a DVT. There were
also 2 superficial thromboses. In total, 3.35% (6) subjects had a thrombotic
event. The difference (p<0.002) is significant. Intention-to-treat analysis
detects 15 failures in the control group (9 lost + 6 thromboses) out of 188
subjects (7.9%) versus 5 subjects (2.7%) in the stockings group (p <0.05). All
thrombotic events were observed in passengers sitting in nonaisle seats. The
tolerability of the stockings was very good and there were no complaints or side
effects. Thrombotic events were asymptomatic. No difference was observed in the
distribution of events between men and women. The 3 women who had a thrombotic
event were taking low-dose, oral contraceptives. Edema evaluation: The level of
edema at inclusion was comparable in the 2 groups. After the flight there was a
score of 6.7 (3.1) in controls; in the stockings group the score was 2.9 times
lower (p<0.05). The control of edema with stockings was clear considering both
parametric (circumference, volume) and nonparametric (analogue scale lines) data.
Part II: DVT evaluation. Of the 285 included subjects, 271 (95%) completed the
study. Dropouts were due to low compliance or connection problems. Age/sex
distributions were comparable in the groups. Stockings Group: of 142 subjects
(mean age 48; SD 8; M:F = 89:53), none had DVT or superficial thromboses. Control
Group: of 143 subjects (mean age 47; SD 8; M:F = 87:56), 3 had a popliteal DVT
and 3 a superficial thrombosis. In total, 4.2% (6) subjects had a thrombotic
event. The difference (p<0.02) between groups is significant. Intention-to-treat
analysis detects 14 failures in the control group (8 lost + 6 thromboses = 9.7%)
versus 6 (all lost = 4.2% in the stockings group) (p<0.05). Four of 6 events (3
DVT + 1 SVT) were observed in non-aisle seats. The tolerability of the stockings
was very good. No difference was observed in the distribution of events between
men and women. Edema evaluation: The level of edema at inclusion was comparable
in the 2 groups. After the flight there was a score of 8.08 (2.9) in controls
while in the stockings group the score was 2.56 (1.5) (p < 0.005). In conclusion.
Scholl Flight Socks are very effective in controlling edema. Also this type of
compression is effective in significantly reducing the incidence of DVT and
thrombotic events in low-medium-risk subjects, in long-haul flights. CONCLUSIONS:
Considering these observations, Flight Socks are effective in controlling edema
and in reducing the incidence of DVT in low-medium-risk subjects, in long-haul
flights (7-11 hours).

slawecki

i presume these socks are very similar to the ones given to patients in the hospital. when i was doing my 17 day stay i was required to wear the stockings.(i have a prior history of blood clot in leg). i brought a couple pair home, and will wear them on long distance flights.

if you fly us air, they almost never turn the seat belt sign off, and recently the fa's have had a hissy fit if one disregards the sign.

BLI-Flyer

A quick search for "Compression" found these two threads in Travel Products (a more likely place to find information on socks than the Travel Technology forum, IMHO.)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-leggings.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...nant-wife.html

fracmeister

One of my Middle Eastern clients bought me a pair. I use them when I am on anything over 4 hrs. Pretty common ordealto see BF passengers putting these on near the beginning of a flight.

danielagomez

Compression socks are great for traveling.
Don't need to have a condition to start wearing them. They helps circulation of the blood and as a result your legs will be less tired and you will feel better.

Here 2 great links:
Compression Travel Socks: http://www.legstherapy.com/specialty/travel-socks.html
Compression Stockings - DVT condition: http://www.legstherapy.com/compressi...bosis_dvt.html

Hope this helps

Daniela

schoflyer

Always on longhauls.
Ya know how your shoes are tight when you put them back on. Not so with socks.
I'm using basic support hose purchased and Walgreens.
There isn't a logical reason not to wear them really.
Mine are like black dress socks. I leave them on until I check-in and shower. (at hotel after flight)
Feet and legs in great shape.
-Scho

PS: These are the ones. (seems like black or navy for men, over the calf)
http://www.walgreens.com/search/resu...on%20stockings