Travelling is all about testing yourself and your limits. It helps you know yourself better. Making a good
travel plan helps you save money on your travel and enjoy your trip to the fullest. While travelling is fun, sometimes long journeys can harm you by introducing pain in your knees. May it be a flight, or a train, or a bus, sitting motionless for long hours can cause a serious pain and may put some at a risk of deep vein thrombosis-
DVT. It is a blood clot in a vein deep within a muscle usually in the calf or the thigh. DVT can lead to serious health issues if not taken care of.
Well, you don’t need to worry. With simple precautions you can avoid DVT while travelling for long hours.
The first and foremost thing about any trip is a good trip plan. There are number of free trip planner apps which help you right from trip planning to making your travel itinerary. These applications also have a reminder function which you can set on your long journey. DVT is caused by sitting in one place for long hours. Hence talking a walk off after every hour helps you get your body back in motion. Putting up reminders is always helpful.
People should not be afraid to travel. They just need to take good care while their long journeys. Another way to take good care for your blood to reach your heart is to wear compression stockings. They put gentle pressure on your legs which results in blood flow through your legs. They help reduce the risk of DVT.
Dehydration is the biggest cause for getting DVT. It causes blood vessels to narrow down which results in clotting eventually. Therefore it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids when you are on a long flight. Also, try to avoid consumption of alcohol or coffee which may lead to dehydration. Having water every hour keeps your body fluids going.
Airlines do encourage passengers to move and stretch their legs periodically. Some airlines have the instructions printed on their leaflets.
Quantas airlines from Australia offer leaflets with leg exercises for passengers for long travel.
Continuous car journey can also cause you the same harm. It is always advisable to take frequent breaks from a long car journey, Even if you are the driver for the whole vacation plan and your road trip, you need to take break after every couple of hours. Also, getting out of the car and doing some stretching or walking helps.
Having healthy foods which are less oily and are rich in fiber can help your body to maintain the fluid levels. This automatically increases your blood flow thus reducing the risk of DVT.
Also, try to wear loose and comfortable clothes for your long journeys. Foot wares too play a major role in long journeys. It is therefore always a good idea to wear comfortable foot wares. Wearing shoes for long period of time may result in swelling of muscles which eventually may lead to DVT in some cases.
Simple techniques like massaging your legs with oils can help reduce the cramps and pains which otherwise may result in DVT. Also, avoid crossing your legs for long hours. Crossing your legs can lower your blood flow which may result in clotting if done for long time.
If you are planning a trip very soon and you are worried about clots, it is always better to consult your doctor before leaving. Also keeping tablets like warfarin which prevents the formation of blood clots is advisable.
Just remember, if you really want to travel then nothing should stop you. But taking good care is always a good idea.