The Real Reason You Have Swollen Ankles After Flying

"A major medical authority explains that swelling of the feet and ankles during flights (edema) is typically caused by prolonged sitting: keeping the feet on the floor and the seated leg position allows blood to pool in the leg veins, raising venous pressure and pushing fluid into surrounding soft tissues. It also notes that for healthy travelers the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on an airplane is very low for flights under about four hours, with the chance starting to rise on flights over roughly 12 hours." - Sophie Friedman Sophie Friedman Sophie Friedman is a journalist, editor, and fact-checker specializing in travel and anything related to it. She also writes for AFAR, Fodor's, and The Infatuation, and was previously editor-in-chief of Michelin Guide US. learn more