How do flight socks actually work and is it worth wearing them?

[Gemmitygem]

I'm about to fly longhaul at 30 weeks, and have bought some flight socks, but does anyone know the principle behind them?

I can see why moving around as much as possible in the plane, flexing and massaging your legs and not being too squashed would get the blood flowing and prevent clots/varicose veins, but why would putting on tight stockings help? Surely constricting the legs can't do any good?

I'm sure I'm missing the point somehow... can anyone shed light?

I'm not sure, but my mum just had suspected DVT and she has been given some over the knee versions to wear. The doc said longer the better.

I don't understand how they work, but I do know that when you have a CS (and are essentially bedridden), they put equivalent stockings on you, all the way up your thighs (very comfortable and stylish), to prevent DVT.

I don't think they'd bother if they didn't work.

(Should probably add that I never wore them, apart from the whole post-CS thing. I flew longhaul at about 24 weeks, with both DSes. But then, I always move about, never sleep on a plane, and am always far too hot, even when not pregnant.)

the idea is that the stockings compress the superficial veins in the leg, forcing blood to flow through the deeper veins, preventing DVT. They are effective (but not 100%) but do have to be quite tight to work. pregnancy is a risk factor for DVT, but you should make an effort to drink plenty of water a well- this keeps you hydrated , which prevents DVT, and forces you to get up and walk to the loo- keeps the blood moving too!

aaah, I see. Thanks tissy..

But don't they give you more of a risk of making thread veins/varicose veins in your smaller surface veins worse, if those are compressed? I think that's probably more of a risk than DVT for me...

I was told by my GP to definitely wear flight socks when i flew ' medium haul' at 22 weeks. I usually wear them anyway as the one time io didnt , I arrived with elephant ankles and couldnt get my shoes back on as we left the plane! my mum haas bad varicous veins but so far (touch wood)I've been ok.

I would wear them if I was you, the risk may be small, but if you get a DVT,(as I am sure you know), it is really serious.
They are not too bad to wear in a plane as it is air conditioned so usually not too hot. You should put them on lying down at home, so veins are relaxed and the only take them off when you reach your destination.
I have never heard of them giving you thread veins. When you are pregnant, your blood thickens so much, the risk of clots I think is 6 x higher than when not pregnant. Add a long haul flight and sorry to be alarmist but risk is even higher.