A board-certified vascular surgeon has issued a crucial health warning to all air travellers, highlighting a dangerous mistake that many people repeatedly make during flights. This oversight could have serious implications for your wellbeing while travelling at high altitudes.
The Hidden Danger Inside the Pressurised Cabin
Rema Malik, a vascular surgeon based in Texas, United States, has drawn attention to what she describes as a "big" error that flyers commonly commit. While passengers often focus on external safety procedures like securing their seatbelts and adjusting window blinds, Malik emphasises that the body faces a distinct internal battle inside the aircraft's pressurised environment.
Speaking to her substantial Instagram following of over 91,000 people, the surgeon explained that the turbulence occurring within your veins is far more concerning than any external atmospheric disturbances. She stated, "As a vascular surgeon, I don't worry about the turbulence outside the plane. I worry about the 'turbulence' happening inside your veins."
The '3-Hit Combo' That Creates Blood Clot Risks
Malik identifies three primary factors that combine to create what she terms a "3-hit combo" for potential blood clot formation during flights. Understanding these elements is essential for maintaining proper circulation and preventing serious health complications.
Firstly, prolonged sitting during flights effectively shuts down what medical professionals often refer to as your "second heart" – your calf muscles. These muscles normally assist in pumping blood back toward the heart. Without regular movement, blood circulation slows dramatically, causing blood to pool in the lower extremities rather than circulating properly throughout the body.
Secondly, the extremely dry cabin air presents another significant challenge. Malik compares the aircraft environment to being "drier than the Sahara Desert," noting that this rapid dehydration causes blood to become thicker and more viscous. This change in blood consistency makes it more difficult for the circulatory system to function efficiently and increases clotting risks.
Thirdly, the changes in cabin pressure during flight cause veins to expand or dilate. This stretching effect compromises the efficiency of the venous valves that normally prevent blood from flowing backward under gravity's influence. When these valves become less effective, blood circulation faces additional obstacles.
Three Essential Protective Measures
The vascular surgeon provides clear, actionable advice for travellers to counteract these risks and maintain optimal circulation during flights.
Protective Armour: Malik strongly recommends wearing compression socks, which she describes as essential "armour" for flyers. These specialised garments mechanically support blood flow in the legs and help prevent swelling. She advises putting them on before leaving home for the airport to ensure maximum benefit throughout the journey.
Hydration Protocol: Maintaining proper hydration is absolutely crucial according to the surgeon's guidance. She recommends drinking eight ounces of water for every hour spent in the air, with the important clarification that beverages like coffee and wine do not count toward this hydration requirement. Only pure water effectively combats the dehydrating effects of cabin air.
Circulation Pump Activation: Malik emphasises the importance of regular movement to activate the calf muscle pump. She suggests performing thirty ankle pump exercises every thirty minutes during flight. This simple movement, which mimics pressing a car's accelerator pedal, manually engages the calf muscles to clear stagnant blood and promote healthy circulation.
A Fundamental Principle for Travellers
The surgeon concludes with a powerful analogy that puts the importance of circulation during air travel into perspective: "You wouldn't drive a car without oil. Don't fly a body without circulation." This statement underscores the fundamental necessity of maintaining proper blood flow during flights, framing it as essential maintenance for the human body just as oil is for vehicle engines.
By implementing these three protective measures – wearing compression garments, maintaining proper hydration with water, and performing regular ankle pump exercises – travellers can significantly reduce their risk of circulation-related complications. These simple yet effective strategies represent an important addition to the standard safety checks that passengers complete before and during flights.
As air travel continues to be an integral part of modern life for both business and leisure, understanding and addressing these internal physiological challenges becomes increasingly important for maintaining traveller health and wellbeing at altitude.
