Health benefits of tights for flyers examined

Tights have been unveiled as an effective cure for the potential causes of ankle oedema through air travel, it has emerged.

Pilots and passengers on long-distance flights have been monitored by Australian researchers and wearing tights was found to reduce ankle swelling by 90 per cent, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Around 60 participants wore the hosiery on an outward journey before comparing it to traditional flight socks on the return leg, the article noted.

Published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia, the reported findings of the study include a 60 per cent improvement in leg pain at the end of the flight from wearing the rights and a further 45 per cent improvement in leg swelling rating.

"There was also an 18 per cent improvement in their energy level rating, a 13 per cent improvement in their alertness level and a 12 per cent improvement in their ability to concentrate," Westmead Hospital's Dr Lambert told the news provider.

Another health issue linked to flying is Deep Vein Thrombosis. This can occur when the speed of blood flow in a person's veins slows down during periods of immobility and the chances of a blood clot are increased, states NHS Direct on its website.