On a flight home from holidays seated in row between two people that I didn’t know. I sat there while the flight attendant reminded us that there was an information leaflet in the seat pocket we should read to avoid DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). It sounded more like a sexually transmitted disease than a condition where blood clots develop in your veins if you sit in a cramped position for too long. To make it worse it can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
The leaflet highlighted the importance of low-level muscle activity and stretching and low-level movements of the body to increase blood flow on a regular basis during the flight to avoid these life-threatening conditions.
All I wanted was to buy a ticket on a plane to get me home, not to suffer some life threatening condition where the possibility was I wasn’t even going to make it home!! I didn’t realize that sitting in a seat could have just dire consequences. DVT has been tagged “economy class syndrome” due to the restricted area that travellers are forced to sit in and where little movement is possible in plane seats.
The medical fraternity is now recognising that too much sitting and not enough movement during prolonged periods of inactivity can cause DVT irrespective of whether you are sitting on a plane in economy class or not.
Reports suggest approximately 600,000 Americans are hospitalized every year with DVT complications that can cause death. DVT symptoms can develop rapidly or over a period of time and can include warmth, redness or discolouration over the calf area. It is possible to have no visible signs or symptoms.
Many of these DVT problems are now being identified in people watching excessive amounts of TV, using computers and continually playing computer games as well as those sitting for long periods of time in specific occupations, travelling to and from work or in other leisure type activities.
In a study conducted in New Zealand of 62 people who were hospitalized with blood clots, 34% were reported to have occurred from prolonged sitting at their desks. The problem of DVT was particularly prevalent in occupations such as information technology and call centres.
In the current work environment many employees are now working longer hours, spending more time at their desks, not taking breaks and even eating their lunch while still sitting at their workstation placing themselves at risk of DVT.
Recommendations to avoid DVT include avoiding long periods of sitting by standing every hour or walking around the office, being physically fit, wearing compression garments, remaining hydrated and reducing obesity levels.
A series of articles from Dr Paul Batman Phd