Best compression for air travel

TuffMama

I plan to wear sleeves on both arms for my trip, but I've heard conflicting advice on the level of compression. Should I wear my usual, 20/30, on my affected arm and the minimal on the other? Or, should I wear less compression on both? I know my left arm is at greater risk since I already have LE in my right, so I want to do my best to protect it. Any other suggestions will be welcome. Thanks.

Denise-G

My LE Therapist (who is a real gem) always advises me to wrap rather than wear my compression sleeves while flying.

Her reasoning is if you have swelling and the sleeve gets really uncomfortable, you might rip it off.

With wrapping there is a little more flexibility.  So I wrap when flying and it has proven to work well for me.

Also, she tells me if I have a 3 hour flight, make sure to wear the wrap 3 hours minimum upon landing.

Flight time equals time after landing.

(Note:  I do have LE and wear a compression sleeve daily and sometimes a gauntlet)

 

Kicks

I have not flown since LE raised it's head so can't address that, however, the wrong compression level can make issues a lot worse if we are very sensitive to pressure levels. I have to use low level compression to keep under control. High compression makes swelling bad for me. Talk with your LE Therapist - he/she should be able to give you input based on you as they know you and what works best for you. We are each so unique and have to learn our own bodies and what works individually for us - not just doing what is supposed to be the way.

I think I would be sure to use my FlexiTouch as soon as I could after a flight and again in the morning or evening depending on the time of flight.

Something else to think about is the elevation leaving and elevation going to until acclimated to the change in pressure.

Binney4

Tuff, if you have no lymphedema in your arm, but the arm is at risk, most would recommend a lighter compression than if you already had lymphedema. Happily, Juzo is now making a new, very comfortable 15/20 mmHg sleeve. Yes!

Be sure to use hand compression as well. With no lymphedema in the arm, a gauntlet should be enough.

I agree with Denise on the arm that already has lymphedema--wrapping is golden! I wrap well before leaving, since all that last-minute packing and hefting of luggage is hard on lymphedema. It sometimes boggles TSA, but stay calm and firm and you'll be fine. (They can not legally ask you to remove a medical wrap, but they may do some extra swabbing and patting--not a problem if you're ready for it and allowed enough time.)

Happy travels!
Binney

Chloesmom

Mine said got light and do lymph drainage techniques she taught me to keep lymph stations open while in flight. She advised much compression can backfire and make things worse

carol57

I fly every other week or so work, often more frequently. What works for me is to wear my regular 20/30 compression sleeve and gauntlet before, during and after flight, stay well hydrated, and get as much walking in as I can. I get lots of steps in at the airports. I do fist pumps every hour or so in flight, and I try to do (quiet) deep breathing, too. One hint is to avoid using hand cream with glycerin in it before heading to the airport. It can give a false positive on the swabbing test. I know this from experience, and after several supplementary security checks, a TSA agent finally told me that the glycerin in the hand cream can trigger an alarm. I don't think that being wrapped or in a sleeve necessarily makes you more susceptible to being hand-searched, but all travelers are subject to being randomly picked for supplementary screening. And if you are picked randomly, they will want to take a look at your gear. I am in the TSA pre-check program, yet still I seem to be picked by the random passenger counter (buzzes when you walk through the metal detector) every sixth or seventh time I go through security. That secondary screening always includes swabbing my hands and a bit more of the sleeve, at least as much of it as is visible. I have always been treated with great respect by the TSA officers.

TuffMama

Thanks to all of you. It took me a while to find your responses - I'm a newbie and don't know my way around too well. I will see my therapist before the trip, which has been postponed twice due to weather and other circumstances beyond my control. I confess to a degree of paranoia where LE is concerned. I don't recognize my right arm anymore since it no longer matches my left. It's like an alien arm, and I fear it even while I am treating it with love and the utmost respect.