DVT Myth Buster

The dreaded DVT is a common fear for travellers. The slightest mid-flight twinge in the legs can be enough to send imaginations into overdrive.

A number of preventative measures are taken by frequent flyers including sitting in business class, frequent leg exercises and requesting the aisle seat. New research conducted in the United States has attempted to separate fact from fiction.

Fact: The research confirms the aisle seat can help prevent these dangerous blood clots.  Author of the study, Mark Gendreau, of the Lahey Medical Centre in the United States, said immobilisation had been linked to 75 per cent of DVT cases, which occurred mostly in people in non-aisle seats and those who traveled for more than eight hours.

Myth: Business class versus economy was shown to have no effect on the incidence of DVT.

Fact: The use of oral contraceptives increased the risk of developing a DVT by up to 14 times.

Fact: Compression stockings (such as THESE available from our store) had been proven to reduce the risk.

Whilst these findings seem relatively uncontentious, our members are unconvinced about the apparent lack of distinction between economy and business class.  One member states logically that business class provide passengers with the extra leg room to stretch and move mid-flight in a similar way to the aisle seats.  Tell us what you think HERE.