One that is of concern to all people when they fly, but tends to have higher risks for smokers, pregnant women, overweight individuals, the elderly, the short and the tall, is deep vein thrombosis or DVT. Others at high risk include those with a history of blood clots, cancer, prolonged bed rest following orthopedic surgery, recent treatment involving general anesthesia, and estrogen therapy. DVT, sometimes called 'economy class syndrome', is what happens when blood clots develop in the deep veins of the legs after sitting for prolonged periods in cramped conditions -- especially the coach sections of commercial airplanes.
According to Dr. Mohler, director of Wright State's Aerospace Medicine Program, "The most common symptom is pain in the calf muscles developed during or shortly after a long airplane flight. The pain may be mistaken for a muscle cramp, but it can indicate formation of a deep vein clot resulting from sludging of blood in static leg muscles. Typically, the clot dissolves and pain subsides after air travelers reach their destination and have an opportunity to walk around.
In more serious cases, clot material reaching the lungs causes pulmonary embolism. Some experience flu-like symptoms (mild chest discomfort and coughing) which pass in a day or two as emboli dissolve. Others experience significant chest pain, which may be diagnosed and treated initially as a heart attack. In the worst cases, the blood clot blocks the pulmonary artery and may lead to heart complications and death."
DVT is a risk anytime anyone sits for too long without being able to move adequately. People generally don't move about a great deal on airplanes and most of those on the high risk list will find themselves either moving less than the average, or more cramped than the average.
The very short may have problems because their feet do not touch the floor, therefore they are more limited in how well they can stretch their legs and move them around to keep the blood circulating.
The very tall find themselves scrunched into a space too small, their knees touching the seat in front of them and no possible way to extend their legs during the flight unless they stand and walk around. One suggestion is to book exit row, bulkhead, or aisle seats to get more leg room. Bulkhead seats provide more legroom, but tall passengers are in more danger of hitting their heads in these seats. You can find more suggestions for coping with confinement at various Web sites.
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