Drink enough water, avoid salty foods, don’t sit cross-legged, and move your feet often when sitting for long periods of time to help reduce swelling.
People who sit on trains, cars, or planes for long periods of time can experience swollen feet and ankles. The cause is due to the vacuum being inactive for a long period of time, especially during flights. The longer you sit still, the more gravity pulls fluid down into your feet and ankles, plus sitting with your legs bent increases pressure on the veins and causes more swelling.
Here’s how to reduce swollen feet when traveling.
Drink water throughout the trip
Drinking more water can eliminate excess salt, contributing to retaining and regulating fluid in the body. Bring a large bottle of water on your trip. Drinking lots of water also helps go to the toilet more often, increases activity, and reduces leg swelling.
Avoid salty foods
Avoid eating salt as much as possible the day before and on the day of travel. Salt can cause the body to retain water, which can lead to swollen feet and ankles and make the swelling worse.
Stretch your legs more
If possible, get up and walk in the aisle every hour, especially on flights longer than two hours. Standing or walking to the bathroom can help blood circulation and reduce swelling.
Move your legs in a sitting position
When you can’t get up and walk, exercise your leg muscles. Move your toes up and down, then move your feet left and right, repeating several times.
Move the muscles in your feet, calves, and legs to get them working after a long period of sitting with your legs bent. Store luggage on top, avoid placing things under your feet to help create comfortable leg space.
Don’t cross your legs
Blood circulation is often slower when sitting, especially when sitting for hours. Crossing your legs further disrupts blood circulation. Crossing your legs at the knees can also increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Elevate your feet
When sitting for a long time, elevate your feet to improve blood circulation. If it does not affect others and obstruct the path on the train, car, or plane, you can raise your legs, stretch your body, or prop your feet on a chair. This method makes blood circulate more easily, reducing leg swelling.
Changing your sitting position regularly also reduces pressure on the veins, better preventing swelling of the feet and ankles.
Wear comfortable shoes
Women should wear loafers and low heels on travel days because they are easy to remove and allow you to massage or move your feet more easily. Foot massage is intended to stimulate normal blood flow and reduce pressure on the feet.
Usually, the swelling is not serious and improves with activity after prolonged sitting. In some cases, after a long flight or long car ride, leg swelling can be a sign of a blood clot in the calf, also known as deep vein thrombosis. If you suspect this, you should go to the nearest medical facility for examination and appropriate treatment.