Foot swelling during air travel: A concern?

Date Updated: 10/15/2021

Answer Section

Leg and foot swelling during air travel is common and typically harmless. The most likely culprit is inactivity during a flight.

Sitting with your feet on the floor for a long period causes blood to pool in your leg veins. The position of your legs when you are seated also increases pressure in your leg veins. This contributes to foot swelling by causing fluid to leave the blood and move into the surrounding soft tissues.

To relieve foot swelling during a flight:

Wear loosefitting clothing
Take a short walk every hour or so
Flex and extend your ankles and knees frequently while you're seated
Flex your calf muscles
Shift your position in your seat as much as possible, being careful to avoid crossing your legs
Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
Avoid alcohol and sedatives, which could make you too sleepy or unsteady to walk around the cabin

Foot swelling isn't a serious problem if it lasts only a short time. But excessive swelling that persists for several hours after you resume activity may be due to a more serious condition, such as a blood clot in the leg (deep vein thrombosis). If you have swelling in only one leg and also have leg pain, seek prompt medical care.

If you're at increased risk of blood clots, talk with your health care provider before flying. You may be at increased risk of blood clots if you recently had major surgery or you take birth control pills, for example. Your provider may recommend wearing compression stockings during your flight. In some cases, your provider may prescribe a blood-thinning medication to be taken before departure.