Tips to Prevent Swollen Feet When Flying

Tips to Prevent Swollen Feet When Flying - NEWZILL

Sitting for long periods of time is never good. It has been linked to a cluster of health conditions, including obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor circulation, and more. Although the solution to this problem may seem rather simple—move more!—there are some instances where moving is not always an option. One such instance is when flying. This is why it is quite common during air travel for people to experience leg and foot swelling. Sitting with your feet on the floor for long periods of time causes blood to pool and, therefore, swelling to occur, which can put a damper on your travels.

As makers of graduated compression socks that are designed to circulate blood back to the heart, we have spent a significant amount of time researching feet and leg swelling. In fact, edema—the medical term for swelling of the ankles and legs—is one of the strongest inspirations for starting NEWZILL (learn more about the NEWZILL story). In today’s blog, we would like to share with you some tips to keep your feet from swelling even when you are stuck on a long flight and forced to sit for long periods of time.

Check out our compression socks, and contact us today with any questions. To prevent swollen feet during air travel, consider the following tips:

Consume Less Sodium Before Your Flight

Sodium accelerates the dehydration process, and it can cause you to retain water. Both of these are key culprits to swelling. Before you hop on your flight, try to avoid eating high-sodium foods. This includes processed meats, pizza, burritos, chips, and other savory foods. Sticking to a diet of vegetables, fruits, and lean meats can help reduce your water retention and lessen the likelihood of feet swelling.

Drink Lots of Water

Water is crucial to preventing dehydration, and when your body is hydrated, your feet are less likely to swell. Drink plenty of water before your flight, and try to avoid alcohol and sugary drinks like sodas and juices. These will only increase dehydration. Also, when you drink lots of water, you’ll have a solid excuse for getting up out of your chair and going to the restroom. Although it might be annoying to you and even those sitting next to you (especially, if you don’t have an aisle seat), it will give your feet the activity they need.

Walk Around

Although you should never get up and walk around the plane while the “fasten seat belt” sign is on nor should you linger outside the bathroom, you should, however, get up and walk down the aisle every hour or so. This will give you an opportunity to stretch your body and to get your blood circulating. This is especially important for flights over two hours.

Give Yourself Space

Airplanes are crowded and seemingly getting more and more cramped. It is important to make the most out of the space you have. Rather than stowing your things down by your feet, instead opt to store all of your possessions in the overhead compartments. This will give you a little more room and comfort, and opportunities to move your feet around and promote blood flow—one simple yet effective activity is pointing toes up, down, side to side, or using them to spell out the alphabet.

Wear Compression Socks

If your feet are susceptible to swelling and poor circulation, compression socks can be the exact thing you need. Some of the best compression socks will stimulate blood flow and improve oxygen delivery to the muscles. This is certainly something that our 24/7 Compression Socks are designed to do. Our graduated compression technology acts as a layer of muscle, keeping pressure on your stretched vein walls. This design helps fight the force of gravity and circulate the blood back to your heart. Learn more about our foot compression sleeves.

If your feet are prone to swelling during long flights, give these tips a try. If after you land you notice that your ankles are swollen, try to rest and elevate your feet, do some light exercising, and even soak your feet in a basin of water and Epsom salts.

Shop NEWZIL for high-quality compression socks, orthopedic socks, and compression wear. Our socks are designed to help you every step of the way!


1 comment


  • Jeff

    Good job NEWZILL !


Leave a comment