Many people, especially seasoned travelers recommend to wear compression socks for comfortable travel. Not only them, even physicians recommend their patients to wear compression socks when they are planning on a trip. There are many situation during a flight that can risk your health such as dry air, cramped conditions, pressure changes, and long-haul flight. Sitting in the same position with limited space may result in various major discomfort. More seriously, it can cause swelling in your lower legs. This condition increases the risk of blood clot. So what benefits do compression socks give to travelers?
About compression socks
not all travelers are familiar with compression socks. They are different from regular socks you wear for your morning run or the ones you wear to the office inside your dress shoes. Compression socks are snug-fitting and provide more support to your foot and leg. Hey usually come up to the top of your calf. They stimulate healthy circulation of blood from your ankles back up to your heart. Graduated compression are provided with more pressure at the ankle than the calf. Basically, compression socks apply pressure constantly to ankle and calf area preventing pooling of blood in the legs. Overall, blood circulation from legs to heart is encouraged by compression socks through constant pressure.
Benefits of compression socks
It is recommended to wear compression socks if you are a person with high risk of having blood clot or have a history. It is recommended for travelers who take such a long haul flight to prevent the risk of legs swelling and blood clot. In serious case, DVT can happen to traveler during a flight. It is deep vein thrombosis, a situation where blood clot happens in the legs and break off then travel to lungs. This situation can be fatal and needs immediate help.
Wearing compression socks is not only recommend to air travelers but to those who ride trains or drive cars for long hours. Compression socks can help a lot in preventing from the risk of blood clot. Also, travelers who plan on extreme activities during their adventure are recommended to pack compression socks. Then, pregnant women and obese people are also recommended to wear compression socks to avoid the same risk.
It is also important to choose compression socks that fit you. If you are discussing your travel with your doctor prior the trip, you may ask for their recommendation on the best compression socks to buy. If you buy it without any recommendation from professionals, you might consider few factors such as height of the socks, the correct amount of pressure, and size.
Keep in mind that there are also people who are not recommended to wear compression socks during travel such as people with an open wound on their legs, or people with severe peripheral arterial disease. Generally, people with poor circulation or skin infections and damaged nerves in their legs or feet need doctor’s guide to decide whether or not compression socks are for them or not.