By News18
When flying, comfort and convenience usually dictate our outfit choices. However, experts are now cautioning that some popular travel attire may be doing more harm than good, especially when it comes to health and safety in the air.
In a report by The Huffington Post, doctors and aviation safety experts highlighted why certain clothing items, such as tight leggings and skinny jeans, might not be the best option for your next flight.
Tight Clothes Can Mess With Circulation
Dr Hugh Pabarue, a physician and vein specialist with Metro Vein Centres, warned that clothes that are too tight can affect blood flow, especially during long flights.
鈥淭he clothing we wear when we fly can significantly impact our circulation. For example, tight clothing is not recommended. Wearing leggings and other restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood鈥檚 ability to flow into and out of the legs,鈥 he said.
According to Dr Pabarue, when you sit for extended periods of time, blood can pool in your legs. This increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which is a serious condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein.
鈥淲earing clothes that are too tight can potentially lead to conditions like compartment syndrome or meralgia paresthetica, causing numbness, tingling, and severe leg pain,鈥 Dr Pabarue added.
Why Regular Leggings Might Be A Risk
Leggings are often seen as the most convenient travel outfit, but not everyone agrees they are a good idea. Aviation safety expert Christine Negroni has repeatedly warned against wearing them on a flight.
鈥淭he issue with leggings is the nature of the material. You have a tight garment that is usually made from synthetic fibres, made from petroleum products, which is not something you want to wear on an airplane because the largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire,鈥 Negroni said.
She explained that in many emergency landings, the biggest danger isn鈥檛 the crash itself but what comes after. 鈥淚n those cases, your biggest risk is not necessarily the impact but that something鈥檚 going to happen to the integrity of the airplane, resulting in a fire because of the fuel on board,鈥 she said. Synthetic fabrics can heat up quickly and melt onto your skin in the event of a fire, making escape more difficult.
Lara Henderson, a lymphatic drainage expert, pointed out that the body鈥檚 superficial lymphatic system is very close to the skin and can be affected by even light pressure.
鈥淪o any kind of tight clothing can influence the lymphatic system. And in the case of a situation where we鈥檙e sitting in a generally cramped environment and not moving around a lot, it can create a kind of tourniquet effect on the lymphatic system. So in places where it鈥檚 tighter in one area than another, it will impede the flow of the lymphatic system,鈥 Henderson said.
But Compression Leggings Are Different
Though Negroni advises against regular leggings due to safety reasons, Dr. Pabarue recommends wearing compression stockings, but for entirely different reasons. He says compression stockings or leggings can actually benefit circulation, especially on long flights.
鈥淢edical-grade compression stockings counter the effects of a decompressed cabin. The compression stockings prevent swelling and provide pain relief to your calf muscles. There is also data to indicate that patients with varicose veins who wear compression stockings during long plane flights have a decreased likelihood of developing a deep vein clot,鈥 he said.
However, this type of legwear isn鈥檛 suitable for everyone. He emphasised the importance of ensuring the fit and pressure are appropriate for individual comfort and safety.