Get up and move on the journey
Research from the World Health Organization indicates that blood clots are usually caused by stagnant blood in the veins caused by long-term immobility, such as during a long trip by plane, train, or automobile.
Long periods of inactivity, for example longer than 4 hours, often lead to blood clots forming in the veins of the legs. The WHO suggests getting up when you can during transport to move, walk, and stretch. If you’re stuck in your seat, work your leg muscles often throughout your trip: stretch your legs, flex your feet, and curl or press your toes.
Daily exercise
Researchers at the University Medical Center in Leiden, the Netherlands, indicate that if you exercise daily, your chances of developing a blood clot are much lower. The results of the study revealed that the case of recurrent blood clots was reduced in 40% of participants who played sports or exercised moderately (i.e. walking, cycling, swimming ) daily.
While exercise helps keep blood flowing through the veins, it will also help you maintain or reduce your weight. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine shows that obesity increases the risk of blood clots, especially in people under the age of 40. In this study by Paul Stein, MD of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac Michigan and Wayne State University, he concluded that « obese patients were 2.5 times more likely to have DVT and 2.2 times more likely to have PE ”than non-obese patients.
