Marathoners, Safely Prepare for your Flight

Are you a marathoner and travel by plane to races? If so, you may want to catch up on some research by Beth Parker Ph.D. and colleagues.  You may be at risk. A study comparing plane and car transported Boston Marathoners found that plane travelers had high levels of blood clotting agents. Making those that travel by air a high risk for blood clotting; the study also indicated that older adults may have an increased risk. To cut your risk, Dr. Parker suggests wearing compression socks during your flight.
​
For Further Reading:
Parker B, Augeri A, Capizzi J, d'Hemecourt P, Kriz P, Troyanos C and Thompson P. Effect of Air Travel on Exercise-Induced Coagulatory and Fibrinolytic Activation in Marathon Runners. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, in press.
Additional research is currently being conducted to determine the implications of the findings and the effectiveness of interventions (i.e. compression socks.)