Long Flight? What a Compression Session Can and Can’t Do Afterward

Hours in a cramped airplane seat leave your legs stiff and heavy. Here is what a compression session can offer after you land, and when to see a doctor instead.

You land after a five-hour flight, stand up, and your legs feel stiff and heavy. Your shoes feel tight. That's common. You've been folded into a small seat for hours with very little chance to move.

Why do your legs feel heavy after flying?

When you walk, your calf muscles squeeze and help move blood back up your legs. When you sit still for hours, that help mostly stops. Add dry cabin air and not drinking enough water, and your legs can feel achy and tired by the time you land.

What can a compression session do?

A NormaTec session is a comfortable way to put your feet up after a trip. The sleeves inflate and release in sections from your feet up. The over-the-counter models are FDA-cleared to temporarily relieve minor muscle aches and pains and to temporarily increase circulation to the treated areas. Many travelers say their legs feel lighter afterward. It is a comfort session, not a medical one.

When should you see a doctor instead?

Long flights are linked to a higher risk of blood clots. If one leg is painful, swollen, warm or red, or you feel short of breath or have chest pain, get medical help right away. Do not book a compression session. If you have ever had a clot, talk to your doctor before using compression.

Simple habits for frequent flyers

• Get up and walk the aisle when you can.
• Flex your ankles and calves in your seat.
• Drink water through the flight.
• Ask your doctor whether compression socks make sense for you.

Back in Jersey and want to put your feet up? Your first session at DWT Wellness in Cedar Knolls is free. See our NormaTec compression page, book online, or call (973) 908-1524.