How to avoid getting swollen feet when flying?
 

Hi,

I did a search under "swollen feet" and came up with nothing and know I'm not the only one who has this problem. This is especially a concern when going to Europe where I love to walk and this can be a real issue. I went to my podiatrist today and he gave me a few suggestions--drink lots of water, move around as much as possible, keep shoes on, and support stockings. My doc. even gave me a perscription for dieuretics (sp) if this happens (but I'd rather not take). Anyone out there have any other suggestions?

While I've certainly noticed it, I've never found it to be something that persists long after the flight and so I've therefore never seen it as a problem. That doesn't mean it isn't different for you. The suggestions sound good, but I would be reluctant to leave my shoes on for a long flight since it seems like trading one type of discomfort for another.

Yes, the advice you've been given is typical and seems to work. Personally, I don't have a problem with swelling, but I do make it a point to walk a couple of laps around the plane every hour or so during a trans-Atlantic flight.

Use the rest of the advice given to you, as well, and you should be fine.

I always wear slip on shoes, take them off and wiggle my feet around alot. It works for me. It makes it easier to put them back on to get up to go to the B-room.

I unfortunately do have this problem. Leaving my shoes on just makes it feel like my circulation is being cut off--I try to wear loose slip on shoes instead and take them off. Drinking lots of water just makes the problem worse for me--I tried it a couple of times. Now I just drink based on thirst.
Best solutions are to try and get a bulkhead seat and put your feet up against the bulkhead if in coach (my husband hates this, but I can actually sleep this way) or ride in business class and keep footrest up (what I do now)

www.magellans.com has what they call a "push cush" which is an inflatible excercise cushion. I have one and you rock your feet back and forth pushing air from one compartment to another. They are $9.85.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far. I agree with you Flyboy--no way I could keep my shoes on the entire flight (I can't even keep them on at home!)

Also, a doctor friend just made another suggestion as well--she said to avoid salt the day before and on the flight (which is interesting that they serve so many salty snacks on airlines,huh?)

Will check out magellans as well. Also, hoping if we're lucky, BA will bump us up to business (have bulkheads now).

Thanks again.

Just wanted to add something else I found out--my Spanish teacher told me not only did her feet and legs swell up when she flew from Seattle to Frankfurt, but she got such a bad fever, she ended up in the ER in Germany. Anyway, they told her that it would be a good idea to start taking asprin--about 4 a day-- (as a blood thinner) a few weeks before flying.

Well, I don't have a few weeks, but I'm taking it now. Hope all this works!

Whoa! My inner nurse is reeling over the aspirin advice! Before you do this, check with your own physician FIRST, and if you are taking any other medication(s) you would also do well to check with a good pharmacist.
My guess is the rationale for the aspirin is to decrease the chance of clot formation, which is something different than a little fluid retention due to cabin pressure differential and immobility. This is called dependent edema, meaning that due to gravity fluid accumulates in the part of your body that hangs down - i.e., your feet. Muscle movement while walking provides a milking effect, coaxing fluid back from extremities to your heart. When immobile, with feet hanging down and bent at the waist further decreasing venous return, edema occurs. Too much salt can make it worse, but some people are more sensitive to this than others. Support hose can help, but be sure thay are applied correctly; if not, they can actually worsen the problem by further impeding one's circulation.
Did you know that the first flight attendants were nurses and the original "beverage service" was intended to prevent dehydration?

re the aspirin- it is either half an aspirin or one a few days before flying, to reduce the possibility of blood clots. However, I have had the swollen foot problem and have found that flight socks stop this( the proper ones not the ones in the amenity packs) . Shoes are off and socks on for the duration of the flight(they are not very fashionable looking but who cares!)

Seamus, thanks for the advise. I too had second thoughts about all that asprin--plan to call my doc (or doc/friend) about this.

No, I didn't know that the original stewardesses were nurses, though I could see where this would be a real plus. One time on an Alaska Airlines flight a steward was totally obnoxious with me when I asked for 2 waters with my coffee--I mean really obnoxious. When I told him it was important to drink a lot of water on airplanes he said, "Yeah, it makes you have to go to the bathroom!" The people sitting around me couldn't believe him.

Anyway, thanks again.

and thanks fiona--where could I buy flight socks? and how are the different from support hose?

You can now buy flight socks in most good supermarkets and (obviously) now in airport shops.

As a doctor, the advice about taking aspirin to reduce the chance of blood clots is not correct. Basically aspirin "thins" the blood by irreversibly inhibiting platelets. The function of platelets is to clump together when a blood vessel has been injured. This is the reason behind taking aspirin to portect against coronary artery disease. The circulating cholestereol can cause injury to the blood vessels resulting in plaque formation.

The problem with sitting too long on a plane is not related to any type of vessel injury, but instead to the fact that the blood tends to collect, or pool in the deep veins of the legs. When this happens, there is a chance for the blood to clot due to the presence of clotting factors. Therefore, since aspirin does not inhibit the clotting factors, it would not help in this case. If you took something called Coumadin (warfarin), that would help since it actually inhibits the clotting factors.

Avoiding salt should definitely help because salt will cause you to retain water. I would think that drinking water would only make the problem worse. Diuretics also would work, of course you will have to get up to go to the bathroom on a regular basis. The best approach is to move your feet and walk around periodically to get the blood in the deep veins of the legs circulating.

Thank you, Lake, for taking the time to respond. I'm going to call my doc and see if she'll give me an Rx for some Coumadin and plan to walk around a lot during the flight.

artlover,

Coumadin is only given to patients who have a medical reason for taking it, such as a previous heart attack or stroke or a history of deep venous thrombosis (blood clots in the deep veins of the legs). It's is not prescribed on a short term basis as a preventive measure to take when flying on an airplane.
The best approach is to walk and move your legs every so often.

Lake,

Thanks again. You saved me being put on hold for 20 minutes to call my doctor. Walking around it is!

Your welcome, artlover. Glad I could help. Have a great trip.

Alright for you, Lake, you cutting edge medico - practicing evidence based travel!

Take a boat, not a plane...

Otherwise charter a plane and fly at a low altitude....

Walk, walk, walk, and then do some leg exercises to keep you blood circulating in your legs. I usually stand as much as I can throughout the flight.