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How to Prevent Blood Clots in Your Legs

When something cuts your skin, your blood forms a clot to stop the bleeding after several seconds or minutes. This type of blood clot is healthy. But when blood clots form inside your veins, they can cause dangerous blockages. This venous clot formation is called thrombosis. Swelling, skin redness, warmth and sharp pains -- especially when standing up -- are symptoms of blood clotting and require immediate treatment. Fortunately, you can prevent blood clots with healthy movement and more.

  1. Healthy Movement

    • Movement encourages blood circulation. When you have a long ride in a car, bus, train or airplane, roll your ankles and flex your feet to encourage blood flow in your legs -- a common place for blood clots to form. If you have a job that requires you to sit or stand in once place for long hours, move your legs frequently or take a quick walk around your job site every hour. Crossing your legs or sitting on them is dangerous; instead, keep them extended as much as possible and change positions often when sitting. You can always use water cooler gossip or bathroom breaks as excuses for escaping your desk for a spell.

    What to Wear

    • Tight clothing constricts blood flow, making blood clots more likely. If you're worried about clotting, wear loose clothes and socks. Some people are more at risk for blood clots than others, such as people over the age of 65, people who have recently undergone surgery, anyone taking birth control hormones and those with sedentary lifestyles. If you're at risk, you can talk to your doctor about compression stockings, which are tight stockings that straighten your veins to encourage healthy blood flow. Compression stockings have the added benefit of reducing leg fatigue.

    Travel Precautions

    • Sitting for an extended period of time increases the risk of blood clot -- and this is especially true on plane rides. In airplanes, low cabin pressure, dry air and less oxygen slow blood flow. Because dehydration worsens this, drinking lots of water is important to encourage healthy circulation. Standing up and doing a lap around the cabin at least once every hour helps. The same is true of train, car and bus rides; make frequent pit stops to move around. If you have compression stockings, this is a smart time to wear them.

    Aspirin Treatment

    • If you have had a blood clot before or are at risk, you can ask your doctor about special prevention. Besides compression stockings, you may consider aspirin treatment. Aspirin acts as a blood thinner, which reduces the likelihood of clots. Your physician may recommend daily aspirin treatment -- usually at a much lower dose than drugstore aspirin or even baby aspirin -- or advise taking an aspirin the night before a long, sedentary travel experience, such as a flight. Doing so is safe only if your doctor approves the treatment, as aspirin carries risks of its own.

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