Doctor issues warning why you should never cross your legs on an airplane
Emily Puckering
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Alexander Spatari
A doctor has urged travellers to perhaps think again when they next decide to sit with their legs crossed on a plane, explaining how this common habit can lead to a lot of pain and discomfort.
With there being so many rules when it comes to travelling in the skies nowadays, it can be easy to develop some small (and arguably irritating) habits here and there - whether that be annoying the passenger next to you by trying to snap some innocent window pics, or flooding the aisle to try and be the first off upon landing.
Regardless, there's a lot to think about when travelling via plane. But what about when it comes to your health?
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Well, a doctor has warned people of crossing their legs when sitting in their plane seat for a very specific reason.
Dr Neena Chandrasekaran, a pulmonary and critical care doctor, took to TikTok to explain why crossing your legs when travelling in the sky isn't the best of ideas.
It turns out that we are at 'higher risk of blood clots' when flying on a plane which, according to Dr Neena, is because 'the barometric pressure induces an inflammatory state within our bodies that can thus lead to clots in our bodies... especially our legs'.
The doctor isn't wrong, as the American Society of Hematology confirms that blood clots can sometimes form in your legs during air travel because 'you are immobile for long periods of time, often sitting in cramped spaces with little leg room'.
Dr Neena goes on to explain why crossing your legs is the worst position to sit in, saying: "If your legs are crossed that allows for more blood to pool with your veins being pressed against each other, which is a higher risk of blood clots."
The clinical term for the type of blood clot that forms while up in the air is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and while often it clears up on its own, in some more extreme cases it can cause pain, swelling, and warmth of the affected leg.
But in a worst case scenario, it can break off and travel to the blood vessels of your lungs, causing pulmonary embolism (PE) - which can be fatal if untreated.
The doctor gave some tips that could help avoid blood clots forming when travelling, including investing in a pair of 'compression stockings', and talking regular intervals to walk, move and stretch your legs.
So, next time you're jetting off, make sure to be regularly keeping your legs moving, try to take small breaks to get up and walk about, and to not sit with them crossed.