My calves often swell when I am sitting for more than 3 hours in a driving or an airplane seat position. Despite keeping my salt intake low, it still happens, how can I treat/prevent this other than keeping my legs higher than my heart? THANKS!
2007-09-22 23:47:45 · 8 answers · asked by SmartazzU 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
a little known fact is that potassium drives water out of your cells and into your colon. seats in a plane are designed for the "average"height which means those of us that aren't average have a seat that cuts into the back of our knees, cutting off the circulation to our feet, and thus causing our legs to swell. time and distance are of little affect since it only takes 30 mins of sustained pressure to start the process. get up and walk, stretch out your legs, move around in your seat, massage the calves (yours, not the cattle or your neighbors!!!), do toe raises, put your carry on bag under your feet to raise your knees and alleviate the pressure on the back of your knees. aspirin is a blood thinner (as is alcohol) so becareful using it. legs higher than your heart on a plane might draw some staring so wait til you get home.
2007-09-23 00:08:13 · answer #1 · answered by bryce k 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Swollen Legs Flying
2016-12-12 15:13:57 · answer #2 · answered by egbe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Support stockings - get up and move around - exercise your legs whilst sitting.
Always drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
Do not drink alcohol before or during the flight, as this can compound dehydration.
Try and keep your thighs clear of the edge of your seat. Use foot rests as far as possible.
Take a brisk walk for half an hour before the flight.
Regularly go for a short walk to the restroom to keep your legs moving during the flight.
Try a few simple exercises to keep your legs moving, by rotating your ankles, pointing your heel and toe alternately and lifting your knees whilst seated every half hour for a short period.
Try and tense your leg muscles as regularly as possible throughout the flight.
Wear elastic flight socks (elastic compression stockings) especially designed to reduce the risk of DVT. These are readily available at most pharmacies.
The day before the flight, take a low dose of aspirin (100mg – 150mg), during the flight, and for three days following the flight.
2007-09-22 23:52:47 · answer #3 · answered by Sal*UK 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3 hrs is not that long flight. Leg do swell for people that are flying for 10 hrs or more. You can always try to move around the aisle do a little exercise. But my best advice is to see a doctor and check if there is something else.
2007-09-22 23:56:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
initiate taking an incredibly low dose of aspirin a pair of weeks in the previous your flight. Drink a lot of fluids throughout the time of the flight, and upward thrust up and walk around each 0.5 hour. you in addition to mght could desire to be sure directly to placed on the particular DVT prevention stockings. My sister had a DVT, and she or he does each and all of the above to steer away from a recurrence.
2016-10-09 16:49:35 · answer #5 · answered by staude 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When i went on a plane, there was excercise tips.
Just roll your ankles every hour or so, or stand up and walk around the plane for like 5 mins.
That might help.
2007-09-22 23:52:40 · answer #6 · answered by angelinad1993 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get up and walk around. Unless you are flying first class you will never get your feet above your heart.
2007-09-22 23:52:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Walk around when you can. Or avoid long flights.
2007-09-22 23:53:00 · answer #8 · answered by khrome_wind 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋