Corrado Lodigiani advises keeping shoes on to prevent thrombosis on long flights
Medical expert Corrado Lodigiani, head of the Thrombosis and Hemorrhagic Diseases Centre at the IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Rozzano, warned that removing shoes during long‑haul air travel can increase the risk of venous thrombosis, known as “economy‑class syndrome”. Scientific data show that flights longer than 16 hours raise the risk of thrombosis about six times compared with flights under four hours. The main drivers are prolonged immobility of the lower legs, dehydration and the reduced oxygen pressure in the cabin, which together promote blood stasis and clot formation.
Lodigiani recommends passengers wear comfortable, non‑tight shoes and keep them on for the duration of the flight, to facilitate frequent walking and leg movement. He also advises staying well hydrated, avoiding excessive alcohol, and moving regularly in the aisle. If a clot dislodges, it can travel to the lungs and cause a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.
Entities: Corrado Lodigiani · Economy class syndrome · IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas · Long-haul flight · Long‑haul flights · Rozzano · deep‑vein thrombosis · economy‑class syndrome · long‑haul flight passengers · venous thrombosis
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 12 SOURCES] Dehydration and low cabin pressure increase the risk of venous thrombosis during flights. (Stated in all belongs‑true articles)
- [● 12 SOURCES] Wearing comfortable, non‑tight shoes and moving frequently reduces thrombosis risk on flights. (Advice repeated in all belongs‑true articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Reduced cabin pressure and lower oxygen levels alter taste perception and can cause ear pain. (Article on bodily effects of high‑altitude flight.)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cabin air dryness causes skin, lip and eye dryness during flights. (Article on bodily effects of high‑altitude cabin pressure.)
- [● 12 SOURCES] Removing shoes during long flights may increase the risk of venous thrombosis. (Stated in all belongs‑true articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately one third of medical emergencies on flights are due to fainting or dizziness from low blood pressure. (Article on bodily effects of high‑altitude flight.)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Long flights longer than 16 hours increase the risk of venous thrombosis about six times compared with flights under 4 hours. (Scientific studies)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Recommended in‑flight measures include staying hydrated, chewing gum, avoiding alcohol and heavy meals, and using moisturizers. (General flight health advice in the articles.)
- [● 12 SOURCES] Flights longer than 16 hours increase the risk of venous thrombosis about six times compared with flights under four hours. (Scientific data cited in all belongs‑true articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Dehydration and low cabin‑pressure oxygen increase the risk of travel‑related venous thrombosis. (article explanation)
- [● 12 SOURCES] Dislodged clots can travel to the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism, which may be fatal. (Stated in all belongs‑true articles)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Removing shoes during long flights can increase risk of travel-related venous thrombosis. (Corrado Lodigiani)