Socks that may save your life

A pair of socks which could help save lives by preventing 'economy class syndrome' in air passengers was launched recently. Health experts hailed Flight Socks as an important step towards ending the problem of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Around 2,000 flyers are estimated to die from the condition every year - 300 of them British - and it is believed to affect another 30,000 Britons on long-haul flights. A couple of weeks ago, leading airlines finally admitted a possible link between DVT and long-haul flights, and agreed to support research into the causes of the problem.

Flight Socks look much like ordinary nylon socks, but are similar to the compression stockings worn by hospital patients in danger of developing clots after operations. They work by applying gentle pressure to the ankle, which squeezes blood up towards the heart and keeps it flowing round the body.

DVT is caused when blood in the lower leg stops flowing when the calf muscle is not exercised. Long periods of inactivity and the dehydrated atmosphere on board are thought to contribute to the problem.

The Flight Socks - the first of their kind to be made available to the public - have won the approval of the Aviation Health Institute, a charity which promotes the well-being of airline passengers. Director Farrol Khan said people were being afflicted by blood clots and this addressed the issue squarely.

The knee-length socks, which will be available in three sizes from chemists, are being made by Scholl. The company already makes over-the-knee stockings for hospital patients but wanted to produce socks the public would feel more comfortable in. It was concerned that men might feel embarrassed wearing something which looked like women's tights.

Flight Socks, which are made from 93 per cent nylon and seven per cent Lycra, can be worn up to 30 times. Their launch comes just two days after leading airlines admitted long-haul flights could cause blood clots. They agreed to back a worldwide study which will involve up to a million passengers being screened over two years.

The breakthrough came at a World Health Organisation summit in Geneva attended by medical experts and airline representatives, including British Airways, Virgin and Air France.

Doctors have been concerned about the possible link between flying and DVT since the Fifties, but until now found airlines were reluctant to release passenger lists to enable a study to take place.