FitFoot for Travelers
Circulation Boost for Extended Sitting
Sitting for long periods of time, such as when traveling, can cause not only stiff legs but also the blood to pool in your leg veins, leading to swollen feet and ankles. Traveling 4 hours or more increases your chances of developing a blood clot in a deep vein, called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVTs typically form in the leg, but can form in any deep vein. Should part of the blood clot breaks off and travel to the lungs, called a pulmonary embolus (PE), the situation can be life-threatening.
Most travel related blood clots occur in patients with a risk factor, such as personal or family history of a DVT, age over 40, obesity, varicose veins, oral contraceptives, hormone therapy, pregnancy, recent pregnancy, cancer, cancer treatment, or recent surgery, injury, or hospitalization hospitalization.
Air travel carries specific risks for clot formation associated with cabin-related factors such as low humidity, low oxygen, and low cabin pressure, dehydration, making the blood even more sluggish. The risk for DVT associated with air travel is synergistic with other risk factors such as height shorter than 5‘3“ or taller than 6’3“. Sitting in a window seat doubles the risk, while obesity carries a six fold increase risk. The risk returns to baseline within 2 weeks after the flight.
DVTs and PEs, together called thromboembolism (VTE), are often preventable conditions.The most important thing is to increase the blood circulation in the legs by moving. Although walking every hour or 2 is not always convenient or possible, simple in-seat exercises can also increase blood flow. Ankle pumping exercises use the calf muscles to pump blood to the heart, which can help relieve swelling and prevent deep vein thrombosis. Ankle pumping exercises against resistance further increases blood flow: the greater the resistance, the greater the increase.
FitFoot is a lightweight portable resistance exercise device designed to allow travelers to perform ankle pump resistance exercises without ever leaving their seat. It slips easily into a purse or carry on and is compact enough to be used in small spaces. FitFoot can help boost circulation after hours of sitting or a long day of being on your feet.
Important travel tips include: stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, don’t cross your legs, wear loose fitting clothes, consider compression stockings, and keep the floor space in front of you for your legs!Consult your doctor if you have any known or suspected risk factors.
Most travel related blood clots occur in patients with a risk factor, such as personal or family history of a DVT, age over 40, obesity, varicose veins, oral contraceptives, hormone therapy, pregnancy, recent pregnancy, cancer, cancer treatment, or recent surgery, injury, or hospitalization hospitalization.
Air travel carries specific risks for clot formation associated with cabin-related factors such as low humidity, low oxygen, and low cabin pressure, dehydration, making the blood even more sluggish. The risk for DVT associated with air travel is synergistic with other risk factors such as height shorter than 5‘3“ or taller than 6’3“. Sitting in a window seat doubles the risk, while obesity carries a six fold increase risk. The risk returns to baseline within 2 weeks after the flight.
DVTs and PEs, together called thromboembolism (VTE), are often preventable conditions.The most important thing is to increase the blood circulation in the legs by moving. Although walking every hour or 2 is not always convenient or possible, simple in-seat exercises can also increase blood flow. Ankle pumping exercises use the calf muscles to pump blood to the heart, which can help relieve swelling and prevent deep vein thrombosis. Ankle pumping exercises against resistance further increases blood flow: the greater the resistance, the greater the increase.
FitFoot is a lightweight portable resistance exercise device designed to allow travelers to perform ankle pump resistance exercises without ever leaving their seat. It slips easily into a purse or carry on and is compact enough to be used in small spaces. FitFoot can help boost circulation after hours of sitting or a long day of being on your feet.
Important travel tips include: stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, don’t cross your legs, wear loose fitting clothes, consider compression stockings, and keep the floor space in front of you for your legs!Consult your doctor if you have any known or suspected risk factors.
