Dr Rema Malik urged people to follow her tips to help protect yourself
A vascular surgeon has issued a stark warning urging travellers to safeguard their health when flying. Dr Rema Malik revealed that millions of people remain oblivious to the pressures and demands flying imposes on our bodies.
She explained that air travel hits us with a ‘three-hit combo’ which puts us at risk of blood clots. The NHS warns that: “Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg.” It adds that DVT can be ‘dangerous’.
It develops when a semi-solid, gel-like mass of blood cells (platelets) and proteins (fibrin) forms to halt bleeding from damaged vessels. Dr Malik said: “Whilst you are stressing about packing gifts and catching connections, your body is fighting a different battle inside that pressurised tube.
“As a vascular surgeon, I don’t worry about the turbulence outside the plane. I worry about the “turbulence” happening inside your veins. When the cabin door closes, you enter a three-hit combo environment perfectly designed to create a blood clot (DVT):
1 – Sitting/stagnation
Prolonged sitting shuts down your “Second Heart” (your calf muscles). Without movement, blood stops pumping up and starts pooling down.
2 Air sludge factor
Cabin air is drier than the Sahara Desert. This rapidly dehydrates you, making your blood physically thicker and sludgier. Thick blood clots faster.
3 The “pressure” (Dilation)
Lower cabin pressure causes your veins to expand (dilate). This stretches the valves, making them less efficient at fighting gravity. This is not about comfort. It’s about safety.
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Symptoms
Symptoms of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in the leg are:
- throbbing pain in 1 leg (rarely both legs), usually in the calf or thigh, when walking or standing up
- swelling in 1 leg (rarely both legs)
- warm skin around the painful area
- red or darkened skin around the painful area – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin
- swollen veins that are hard or sore when you touch them
These symptoms can also happen in your arm or tummy if that’s where the blood clot is. People are urged to seek immediate medical help if they think they have DVT.
What can you do about it?
Thankfully, Dr Malik offers three recommendations to help safeguard you against DVT whilst flying. She said: “The truth is that you wouldn’t drive a car without oil.
“Don’t fly a body without circulation. Whether you are 25 or 65, here is your “In-Flight” Vascular Protocol.
“Wear the armourCompression socks (15-20 mmHg) are non-negotiable. They mechanically force blood flow and prevent swelling. Put them on before you leave the house.
“The “8-Ounce” Rule. Drink 8oz of water for every hour you are in the air. Coffee and wine don’t count (they dehydrate you further).
“The Pump Check: Every 30 minutes, do 30 ankle pumps. Pretend you are pressing a gas pedal. This manually fires the calf muscle to clear stagnant blood.
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