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Parent Category: Lower-Intermediate News Lessons

Category: Business Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

Do you spend most of your day sitting in front of a computer? Is your only exercise a short walk to the bathroom or to refill your coffee? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then you may be at risk for deadly blood clots. In fact, this newly-discovered danger at the office is higher than long-distance travel.

It's called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. It was first discovered with airline passengers who had to sit for a long time, and so it was nicknamed "economy class syndrome." DVT happens when a blood clot forms on a vein in the leg or pelvis. The clot can break off and block a blood vessel in one of the lungs. Death is the result.

The research discovered that many people who arrived at the hospital with blood clots had been sitting at work for long periods of time. In fact, some people had sat almost nonstop for twelve or fourteen hours, which is longer than many long-distance flights.

1.4% of people who report blood clots have recently traveled on a plane. But 34% of people with blood clots have just spent the day at the office. The numbers are alarming because the modern-day work environment requires employees to sit most of the day.

The study covered sixty-two patients aged 65 and younger.