DOCTORS have designed a simple in-flight leg exerciser to reduce the risk of airline travelers developing Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Lymgym is medically proven to increase blood flow in the legs by an average of five times - and can be used in the comfort of your own seat.

According to the Aviation Health Institute, around 30,000 air passengers are affected by DVT each year. The charity promotes the health and well-being of air passengers worldwide including those affected by DVT.

Its director, the author of several aviation health books, Farrol Kahn, who was one of the first to recognise a link between flying and DVT, said:  “About 20 people on every jumbo are potential DVT risks and Lymgym, which simulates walking, is a good preventive measure.”

Lymgym is an inflatable exerciser made up of two compartments of air connected by a valve. Passengers simply “paddle” their feet for a few minutes an hour.

One of its designers, Isam Osman, a consultant vascular surgeon at Ipswich Hospital, said: “Air passengers are at risk of developing clots which can lead to DVT as blood pools in their veins when they sit still for long periods.

“Using Lymgym is an efficient way of improving the circulation and reducing the risk of clots. The rate of blood flow in people we tested with it increased by up to ten times - but in most cases around five times.

“It certainly has the potential to save the lives of scores of people who
might otherwise suffer from DVT and die every year.”
Mr Osman developed Lymgym - recommended retail price £7.95 - with the director of Ipswich Hospital`s accident and emergency department, David Hodgkinson, and Suffolk fitness expert Charles Burch.

Mr Burch said: “Lymgym is simple and easy to use. Passengers do not have to leave their seats but get the same benefit as they would from walking around the plane.”

——-